Scams, fakes, scalpers. It’s all that makes any hobby so much less enjoyable. Especially when you fall for one. This is one of the reasons I am so afraid of buying singles. And I also buy sealed products from trusted sources. Big sellers I know I can trust, even if sometimes I probably could get some stuff a bit cheaper. As it comes to counterfeit, I noticed it’s all the small toy stores around my place that sell these. They most likely aim for the younger kids that won’t be able to tell a difference besides it’s cheaper so they get excited. I remember when I was a kid and was excited to get “LEGO” for cheap, of course it wasn’t LEGO but I only understood that when I was older.
Yes, you're right. Scammers always target those who don't know - or care - any better. So you're doing the right thing buying products and cards from reputable sources. I do the same and can live with the extra money I spend on having peace of mind. I'm hopeful though since the Pokemon company keeps on printing so much product that overall, most cards and packs are getting cheaper. Happy collecting!
Subbed man you're the only youtuber that's really helping me out figuring this stuff out. Also watched your collecting for beginners guide video and it was a great and well explained video. Thought you had a million subscribers at least. Kudos to you!
Thank you for watching and subscribing! Glad you learned something, and hey, 3 out of 4 ain't bad. Hope you never fall for scams from now on. Happy collecting!
Thanks for making this video! With modern holos I’ve noticed the holo “shift” will follow the contours of what is shown in the picture, almost like it is etched into the card. No idea how the Pokémon Company do it, and apparently neither do fakers because the holo patterns on fakes are always simple “flat” straight holo.
That's a good observation! Most fakes are of poorer quality because it is much cheaper and quicker to make. If they used the same techniques as the Pokemon company, they would decrease their profit margin too much. Happy collecting and hope you don't ever fall for scams!
Thank you, as usual! (-: Unfortunately, they get better every year. I've seen some slabs recently where I had to look a LONG time to identify them as fakes. Very sad...
This helps if you have a real copy to compare but without a real copy you can only check the back with a cheap original card. For texture and color on the front, I´ve seen MTG fakes that have the texture, the color and the holo symbole printed on. Only way I was able to spot the difference was the light test as the fake failed the MTG light test directly. Everything else ..... at least for me I had no chance and I had the original to compare! For Pokemon I don´t realy know but if the guy that faked the MTG cards starts with the Pokemon cards you will have problems to find out what the realy ones are. Oh and they have the black/blueish layer in the middle to take the rip test!
While it is always easier to have an original one to compare against, I slightly disagree - at least for Pokemon cards. Almost any card will have some kind of giveaway whether it is fake or real. For example, the texture can be checked by asking for a short video of the card from the seller or looking at the card from different angles. The design can be found on pokellector or the Pokemon website so you don't really need a physical copy either. I have also learned a lot about spotting fake cards by checking out some of the subreddits and understanding what to really look out for. That said, I am glad you were able to identify the fake cards! 😊 MTG cards are a bit different to Pokemon and there are far fewer variants but the ones I see are of better quality. The only 100% good solution I know is to purchase from reputable sources/sellers like TCGPlayer, Cardmarket, local card stores, or sealed products from official sellers. Happy collecting!
I kinda think having some of the super expensive fakes or cards pretending to be pokemon cards that aren't actually pokemon cards would be fun to have for displaying purposes but other than that fake cards are lame.
I absolutely agree with you on the display for fun part, and of course, everyone is free to buy whatever cards they like! Unfortunately, purchasing fake cards in any way encourages scammers to make more of them...and there are still many people who fall for them I enjoy custom cards - the ones that are totally different from the real ones - for display purposes. If I want some super expensive cards but cannot afford them, I get lightly played version instead, for example. Happy collecting!
Hey Julius, I would love to start a collection but currently I live in Germany and sadly for me all the cards in german have different names. Maybe this happens in other european countries, should I just buy in amazon and pay the shipping or should I keep searching in the local stores for the english cards?
Hey Matias, I just posted a Black Friday video where I show off several sites that sell sealed English cards in Europe & Germany. Check it out and I'm sure you'll find something you like. And take advantage of some of the ongoing sales this weekend. Happy collecting!
It's impossible to say without seeing them. Check the tips from the video again and compare against images from the real ones. 151 cards were sometimes a bit thin like almost the entire SW&SH era but the giveaway are usually the holographic cards. They should have a texture and no "rainbow" effect. Hope this helps!
my card looks like fake and real at the same time i need to know my solgaleo gx is real or not idc if its fake tho in my country no one sells real if its fake so it has a value im realy going wrong w this card bu whatever edit: i realized my tauros gx is fake and they came in same pack 😢😢😢
Scams, fakes, scalpers. It’s all that makes any hobby so much less enjoyable. Especially when you fall for one. This is one of the reasons I am so afraid of buying singles. And I also buy sealed products from trusted sources. Big sellers I know I can trust, even if sometimes I probably could get some stuff a bit cheaper. As it comes to counterfeit, I noticed it’s all the small toy stores around my place that sell these. They most likely aim for the younger kids that won’t be able to tell a difference besides it’s cheaper so they get excited. I remember when I was a kid and was excited to get “LEGO” for cheap, of course it wasn’t LEGO but I only understood that when I was older.
Yes, you're right. Scammers always target those who don't know - or care - any better.
So you're doing the right thing buying products and cards from reputable sources. I do the same and can live with the extra money I spend on having peace of mind.
I'm hopeful though since the Pokemon company keeps on printing so much product that overall, most cards and packs are getting cheaper.
Happy collecting!
Subbed man you're the only youtuber that's really helping me out figuring this stuff out. Also watched your collecting for beginners guide video and it was a great and well explained video. Thought you had a million subscribers at least. Kudos to you!
by the way i got 3 out of 4 correct from the spot the fake test lol. I need some more practice
Thank you for watching and subscribing!
Glad you learned something, and hey, 3 out of 4 ain't bad. Hope you never fall for scams from now on.
Happy collecting!
Thanks for making this video! With modern holos I’ve noticed the holo “shift” will follow the contours of what is shown in the picture, almost like it is etched into the card. No idea how the Pokémon Company do it, and apparently neither do fakers because the holo patterns on fakes are always simple “flat” straight holo.
That's a good observation! Most fakes are of poorer quality because it is much cheaper and quicker to make.
If they used the same techniques as the Pokemon company, they would decrease their profit margin too much.
Happy collecting and hope you don't ever fall for scams!
Last year i bought a full complete base set, and some months later sell it. The buyer did the same light test you show to see if they are real 😁
The light test does help with identifying vintage cards much more than with modern ones! But the texture is usually what counts most.
you got me with the gut feeling. but you're right as usual.
thanks for the tips. those fakes can be really sophisticated...
Thank you, as usual! (-:
Unfortunately, they get better every year. I've seen some slabs recently where I had to look a LONG time to identify them as fakes. Very sad...
This helps if you have a real copy to compare but without a real copy you can only check the back with a cheap original card.
For texture and color on the front, I´ve seen MTG fakes that have the texture, the color and the holo symbole printed on.
Only way I was able to spot the difference was the light test as the fake failed the MTG light test directly.
Everything else ..... at least for me I had no chance and I had the original to compare!
For Pokemon I don´t realy know but if the guy that faked the MTG cards starts with the Pokemon cards you will have problems to find out what the realy ones are.
Oh and they have the black/blueish layer in the middle to take the rip test!
While it is always easier to have an original one to compare against, I slightly disagree - at least for Pokemon cards.
Almost any card will have some kind of giveaway whether it is fake or real. For example, the texture can be checked by asking for a short video of the card from the seller or looking at the card from different angles.
The design can be found on pokellector or the Pokemon website so you don't really need a physical copy either. I have also learned a lot about spotting fake cards by checking out some of the subreddits and understanding what to really look out for.
That said, I am glad you were able to identify the fake cards! 😊 MTG cards are a bit different to Pokemon and there are far fewer variants but the ones I see are of better quality.
The only 100% good solution I know is to purchase from reputable sources/sellers like TCGPlayer, Cardmarket, local card stores, or sealed products from official sellers.
Happy collecting!
I kinda think having some of the super expensive fakes or cards pretending to be pokemon cards that aren't actually pokemon cards would be fun to have for displaying purposes but other than that fake cards are lame.
I absolutely agree with you on the display for fun part, and of course, everyone is free to buy whatever cards they like! Unfortunately, purchasing fake cards in any way encourages scammers to make more of them...and there are still many people who fall for them
I enjoy custom cards - the ones that are totally different from the real ones - for display purposes. If I want some super expensive cards but cannot afford them, I get lightly played version instead, for example.
Happy collecting!
@@JuliusCollects yes, fake is only fine for free. never give scalpers money
Hey Julius, I would love to start a collection but currently I live in Germany and sadly for me all the cards in german have different names. Maybe this happens in other european countries, should I just buy in amazon and pay the shipping or should I keep searching in the local stores for the english cards?
Hey Matias,
I just posted a Black Friday video where I show off several sites that sell sealed English cards in Europe & Germany.
Check it out and I'm sure you'll find something you like. And take advantage of some of the ongoing sales this weekend.
Happy collecting!
Hello i buy more than 100 cards from a bundle 151 the cards are thinner but I tore two and they both have all 3 layers are they fake ?
It's impossible to say without seeing them.
Check the tips from the video again and compare against images from the real ones.
151 cards were sometimes a bit thin like almost the entire SW&SH era but the giveaway are usually the holographic cards.
They should have a texture and no "rainbow" effect.
Hope this helps!
my card looks like fake and real at the same time i need to know my solgaleo gx is real or not idc if its fake tho in my country no one sells real if its fake so it has a value im realy going wrong w this card bu whatever
edit: i realized my tauros gx is fake and they came in same pack 😢😢😢