How to spot fake Pokémon cards: a collector's checklist

Short answer: compare it to a card you know is real. Fakes usually get small details wrong.

Quick checks

• Spelling and fonts — typos, wrong accents on "Pokémon", or text that looks too bold.
• Colours — washed out or too dark, especially the blue on the back.
• Feel — real cards have a slight snap; fakes often feel thin or glossy.
• Holo — real foil patterns match the rarity; fakes may be holo everywhere.
• The number — check it exists in the real set on our set checklists. Fakes sometimes use numbers or rarities that don't exist.

If you think it's fake

Don't trade for it. Ask an adult or an experienced player at a local game shop to take a look.