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To conduct this test you compare the questionable card with an authentic one. This set was printed on a different, non UV-light responsive, paper. The only exception to this rule is the so called “Alternate 4th Edition”. Meeting a UV-light source will make it shine. Magic: The Gathering cards are printed on paper that responds to UV-light. In some, but a lot rarer cases, the fake lets through more light than an authentic card. A lot of fakes are opaque and almost let not light through. The light cone should be even and show both sides of the card in it. The suspected fake should, if real, let through the same amount of light as a genuine MTG card. Skipping this step can easily result in a false positive. It is important to compare the suspected fake with a card from the same set and color. On the one hand you check how opaque the card is and on the other hand you check the reflection with a black light. You have to compare the card in question with a similar known authentic card. Light test – direct & indirectīlack Light Test – Left: Authentic, Right: Fake Again, the type of print used can be seen with a magnifying glass. The pattern of the printed dots has to be even and not blurry. The black card frame on the front, the mana cost of the card, the set symbol and its text are printed at the end of the printing process. We have learned this before: Cards are printed in various layers and you can see those with your magnifying glass. Also check the previous test about print quality. In addition, the green dot has to be surrounded by a saturated black circle. Within this yellow spot there are four red dots in an L-shape.
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Within the green dot on the back of the card you can find a yellow spot. Green-Dot Test – Above: Fake, Below: Authentic Therefore, the black frame and text of the card is printed in a different print type that is not usually used with fakes and is visible with a magnifying glass. This kind of print is unable to print sharp edges, straight lines and text. Print Quality – Above: Fake, Below: Authentic All those dots and layers create the picture of the card that you know. In a first step all colors are printed dot by dot and layer by layer. An authentic Magic: The Gathering card has distinct features. You will need a magnifying glass for this test. Those fake cards usually weigh around 1.9 grams (0.067 ounces). This test will also reveal most fakes that were made in more recent years, as counterfeiters are not using the same paper. Due to the glue that was used those fakes were noticeable heavier than real cards. For the very first fakes counterfeiters used Collectors’ Edition and International Edition cards to creat copies of Beta cards. So called “rebaked” cards will not pass this test. A slight deviation in both directions is possible and okay. An authentic Magic: The Gathering trading card should weigh between 1.7 and 1.8 grams (about 0.06 ounces). Weight of the Cardįor this test we check the cards weight by using a precision scale. The cornerstone tests for checking the authenticity of the MTG trading card are: Weight, Print Quality and Light. The 3 most important tests to identify fake Magic cards
Mtg card sets with images professional#
We already had a professional seller identify a card as a fake that eventually turned out to be genuine.Īt Three For One Trading we are happy to share our knowledge and answer all your questions about this topic.
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But, take into consideration, that not every retail partner will be savvy in this are. Your vendor of choice will very likely be able to make some tests and verify a card for you. Rather we want to provide you with simple and actionable tips and tricks.
Mtg card sets with images full#
The field is pretty complex, but we’re not aiming for a full coverage. Also, counterfeiters got better and heightened their skill in creating those cards. During the time Wizards of the Coast used all kinds of different printing techniques and materials. One of the reasons is that some MTG cards are really old. Sadly there is no single best test that will guarantee the authenticity of a Magic card. If you ever have any doubts if your card is real or fake you should try some or all of the tests in this article. The main reason: Really good fakes that pass the eye test are almost non-existent.īut, since the early days of Magic: The Gathering, fakes and counterfeiters got a lot better. The number of counterfeit cards we find is pretty low.
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Almost all of them we buy from our customers.ĭuring the buying process, we identify fakes and use them to train our staff. First things first: You do not have to fear to get flooded with counterfeit Magic trading cards.
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