How to Check Whether a Pokémon Card Is Real Before You Buy

Rare Pokémon cards trade for eye-watering sums — and wherever there is value, there are counterfeiters. Here are some basic ways to check authenticity before you part with your money.

Quick tests you can run yourself

• The light test: a genuine card has an inner layer that blocks light; fakes often glow through when you shine a torch from behind.
• Look at the fonts and colours: counterfeiters routinely miss on letter weight, colour saturation, and the placement of the energy symbols.
• Holo texture: the holographic pattern on a genuine card is consistent with its set — compare it against reference photos from the same set.

Graded cards (PSA / BGS / CGC)

A card in a grading slab carries a certification number you can look up directly in the grading company's own database. Match the number, the photo, and the card details. Be wary of any slab that looks like it has been opened, or where the seal is untidy.

The safest route

Buy through a platform that verifies items before they go live and holds your money in escrow until you have received and inspected the item yourself. On YourMarketplace, every item is curated and issued a certificate number before it can be bought.