Buyers & Sellers, New
Spotting suspect cards: a non-destructive evidence checklist
Use multiple issue-specific clues and a known genuine comparison. No light test, font rule, texture impression or photograph can authenticate every Pokémon card by itself.
For new readers, read 8 Nov 2026.
Start with product identity
Compare the packaging and actual card against the correct official release, not a random card of the same character. The official support guidance warns about counterfeit packs and unusually low prices. Those are warning signs, not a laboratory verdict about a particular item.
Use several clues, cautiously
Check spelling, numbering, expected finish and layout for the exact language and era. Printing variation, promotional backs and documented errors make universal rules unsafe. Photograph front, back, edges and angled reflections without altering the card. Do not destroy a potentially genuine object with a rip or bend test.
Know when to stop
For an expensive or ambiguous item, request appropriate expert evaluation rather than forcing a yes/no answer from a checklist. Preserve listing screenshots and transaction evidence if a dispute may be necessary. This page is educational and cannot certify authenticity, promise a refund or determine a counterfeit from a seller’s title.
3 checks before you act
- Start with product identity
- Use several clues, cautiously
- Know when to stop
Sources read for this page
- ReadOfficial counterfeit-card guidanceread 7 Nov 2026
- ReadPSA grading standardsread 7 Nov 2026