Real cards generally have 3-4 layers: the front layer, the back layer, a black middle layer, and, depending on the card, a holofoil layer. Fake cards, however, are more cheaply produced, and lack the middle black layer.
Every legitimate Pokémon card is printed with an extremely thin layer of black ink between the two layers of card stock, making up the front and the back of the card.
Real Pokémon cards have a very thin sheet of black between the cardboard. It's very thin, but up close it is easy to see the darkness between the two thin halves of the card. Fake cards do not have this.
A fake Pokémon card will be colored light blue at the back, often having a constant shade of the same blue throughout. Genuine cards aren't just one hue of blue.
The symbols on the card are Pokemon card rarity symbols. A circle means a card is common, a diamond is the marker for uncommon cards, and a star is used to mark rare cards.
What If My Pokémon Card Has No Rarity Symbol? There are a few different reasons why a Pokémon card might not have a rarity symbol. First, Common basic energy cards don't have rarity symbols. Cards from some Pokémon sets, like Dragon Vault and the McDonald's 25th Anniversary Promos, do not have rarity symbols either.
All authentic Pokémon cards have a Holofoil stamp in the bottom right-hand corner of the card. If the card you're looking at doesn't have this stamp, it's most likely a fake. Another telltale sign of a fake card is if the text or graphics on the card are blurry or fuzzy.
And a lot of the fakes that came after took inspiration from this. The major thing about these all-foil legendary cards is that the actual text box is foil, but the picture box is not, which was very different for Pokémon. And on all the fakes, again, everything is foil.
Common cards have a black circle. Uncommon cards have a black diamond. Rare cards have a black star. Rare Holo cards have a black star and a “shiny” (foil) illustration.
1. 1998 Pikachu Illustrator Card. There's no better place to start than what many consider to be the rarest Pokemon card in existence, the Pikachu Illustrator card. This is the perfect example of a card with extremely limited supply and few graded copies in existence.
However, if you've received a booster pack or booster box that you suspect is fake, you can rip one of the inexpensive common cards to see if it is authentic or not. If there is no black layer, then the cards are probably all fake. Be careful. If you rip your card, it will become virtually worthless.
The FEEL of the card
The specific cardstock used to make Pokemon cards has a particular thickness, weight, and feel to it. It's a pretty thick card. If the card seems plasticky, or too light, or if the texture is wrong (I'll get to that in a moment), it's probably not a real card.
While most Pokémon have only one type, three exceptions are Pokémon TCG: EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua which introduced dual-type Pokémon that have two different types, Pokémon TCG: XY Steam Siege, and Pokémon TCG: HeartGold and SoulSilver era sets.
There are standards for the HP values of Pokemon cards, as of 2021 no Pokemon card has a greater HP value than 340 and even before that, it is impossible to find a Pokemon card with an HP value greater than 1000.
Are gold metal Pokemon cards real or fake? Metal Pokemon cards are unofficial Pokemon cards that are covered in a gold-colored substance. So they are not part of the official game if that is what you are asking.
Gold Pokémon cards, specifically the special embossed gold holofoil cards are highly sought after by Pokémon fans and collectors. As of April 2023, over 200 gold cards are available to collect. Due to their rarity, obtaining these trading cards is relatively difficult, with a pull rate of roughly one per two boxes.
A marker near the bottom of the card or near its name will indicate rarity: a circle means the card is common, a diamond means it's less common, and stars mean it's rare. More stars or with combinations of letters or symbols mean extra rare, including if those symbols are in the name or elsewhere on the card.
Yes, gold Pokemon cards are real. They are referred to as “shiny” or “ex” cards and were first released in Japan in 1997 as part of the “Jungle” set. These gold cards feature a Gold Star badge and are incredibly rare and valuable.
Poké TCG Scanner Dragon Shield on the App Store.
Are silver metal Pokémon cards fake? It is a game. Metal Pokemon cards are unofficial Pokemon cards that are covered in a gold-colored substance. So they are not part of the official game if that is what you are asking.
Ultra rare cards are represented by two shiny foil stars and are used for the more exclusive full-art foil versions of Pokémon ex and even some Supporter cards. Double rare. Ultra rare.
A tiny symbol on the bottom right-hand corner will let you know the rarity of a card. A circle on your card means it's common, a diamond indicates that your card is uncommon, and a star means it's rare. For example, hologram cards will always have stars on them.
Well, for starters, "Amazing Rare" is a brand new type of card rarity that has been introduced in Japan, starting with Legendary Heartbeat. These cards are easily identifiable by a gorgeous prismatic rainbow background in the illustration, along with a unique "A" rarity symbol on the bottom left of the card.