Guides to spotting fake Pokémon cards

Everything we've learned building an automated card checker, written up so you can do the checks yourself. New guides are added regularly.

• How to Tell if a Pokémon Card Is Fake: The 8 Checks That Actually Work

  Back texture, typography, holo pattern, copyright line and more — every check collectors use, ranked by reliability.

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• The Pokémon Card Light Test: How It Works, and When It Lies to You

  The most famous DIY check, done properly — plus the failure cases nobody tells you about.

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