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How to Tell if a Yu-Gi-Oh! Card Is Real

There are very few items in the world that have not been or could not be counterfeited; Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards are no exception to this rule. Typically, a pack of Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards will sell for a few bucks, but there are highly collectible cards that can go for up to $100, and these are often the cards that are counterfeited. Counterfeited cards are often bought, and even sold, unwittingly by fans of the game online and at retail outlets.

Instructions

- 1
  Look at the holographic square in the bottom right-hand corner on the front of the Yu-Gi-Oh! card. Fake cards will often have this holographic square printed in black or white, or it is missing from the card.
- 2
  Read the text on the card. Look for grammar mistakes or illogical sentences; counterfeit text is often written by non-native English speakers. Also look at the border surrounding the text; fake cards will often have a white border.
- 3
  Find incorrect terminology. A fake card might read "Adversary" or "Rival" in the description rather than "Opponent," or "Life Score" instead of "Life Points."
- 4
  Examine the seals on booster cards. The seals on the top and bottom are vertical, not horizontal as often seen on fake cards.
- 5
  Read the Konami logo. Some fake cards misspell Konami as "Konaini."
- 6
  Look at the card images and graphics on the cards. Many fake cards incorporate copied images. Copied images are often not as bright as the real images.
- 7
  Search online databases such as TCGS and Planet Yu-Gi-Oh! for images of authentic cards and compare them to your suspected counterfeit card. Look for any subtle differences in the image, text, upper-right and bottom-right holograms and graphics to see if there are any differences.

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