Fake Pokemon cards are more common than most people realise. With cards selling for hundreds of dollars, the incentive to fake them has never been higher.
The good news: real cards have consistent, testable properties that fakes almost always fail. Once you know these five tests, you can check any card in under 60 seconds.
Test 1: The Light Test
Hold the card up to a bright light source and look through it.
A genuine Pokemon card has a black layer sandwiched between two white layers in its construction. When you hold it up to light, you should see this dark layer clearly — the card is not fully transparent.
Fakes are often made from cheaper single-layer cardboard. They let more light through. If you can see through the card like it’s thin paper — it’s almost certainly fake.
Test 2: The Feel Test
Genuine Pokemon cards have a specific weight and rigidity. The cardstock is substantial — not flimsy, not overly stiff.
Fakes tend to feel slightly wrong in one of two directions: too light and bendy, or too thick and stiff. Pick up a card you know is genuine and compare. Your hands will tell you something is off before your eyes do.
Also: genuine cards have a very slight texture on the front from the printing process. Run your thumbnail lightly across the card surface. Real cards have a subtle grain. Fakes are often smoother or have an inconsistent texture.
Test 3: The Print Quality Test
Examine the card closely — ideally with a magnifying glass or your phone camera zoomed in.
Genuine Pokemon cards use a dot matrix printing process. Under magnification, you can see tiny, evenly spaced coloured dots that make up the image.
Fakes often have:
- Blurry or soft edges on text
- Slightly off-colour printing (yellower whites, muddier colours)
- Uneven dot patterns or smearing under magnification
- Text that looks slightly wrong in size or font
Compare the suspect card’s text to a confirmed genuine card. Even subtle differences in font weight or letter spacing are a red flag.
Test 4: The Holo Pattern Test (for holo cards)
Genuine holographic Pokemon cards have a distinctive pattern when tilted under light. The pattern is consistent across all cards of the same type — it’s a manufactured property, not random.
Fakes often have:
- A holo pattern that looks different from genuine cards of the same set
- Holo on cards that shouldn’t have it (adding a holo layer to fake a rare variant)
- A flat, printed-on “holo” effect that doesn’t move when you tilt the card
Search “[card name] holo pattern” on YouTube — you can see exactly what the genuine card’s holo looks like and compare.
Test 5: The Card Number and Set Symbol
Every genuine Pokemon card has the correct set symbol, card number, and HP for that specific card. Fakes often get these wrong.
Check:
- The set symbol (bottom left of the card) matches the actual set
- The card number (bottom right: e.g. 025/198) is correct for that card in that set
- The HP printed matches what Bulbapedia or the official Pokemon card database shows
If any of these are wrong — even slightly — the card is almost certainly fake.
What to Do If You Think a Card Is Fake
If you bought the card from a private seller: contact them immediately. Reputable sellers will refund you.
If you bought from a professional seller on eBay: open a case under Item Not As Described. eBay’s buyer protection covers fakes.
If you’re at a market and you’re unsure before buying: trust your gut. If something feels off, walk away. Genuine cards at fair prices will always be available.
The Simplest Approach: Buy From Trusted Sellers
The best protection against fakes is buying from sellers who grade and verify their stock. At HOKO, every card is checked before it goes on the site. We’ve been collecting for 20 years — we know what genuine cards look and feel like.
Browse our verified stock at hokocollectables.com.