Counterfeits keep getting better, but they always leave a trace. With a 20x loupe and a precision scale (0.01 g) you'll catch almost all of them. Golden rule: never trust a single test — combine several.
The two tests that catch almost every fake
1. The green dot
Flip the card. On the back, in the five-colour circle, look at the green dot through the loupe. On a real card the centre has a yellow spot with four tiny red dots in an «L» shape, and the dot is surrounded by a strong black ring. On a fake, the red dots just aren't there.
Enlarged illustration: the yellow centre, the 4 red dots in an «L» and the black ring.
2. The «T» in «The Gathering»
Still on the back, in the Magic: The Gathering logo, look at the T in «The». On a real card the bottom and right edges are wavy, while the left edge is smooth and perfectly straight. On a fake, the T looks the same on every side.
Illustration: in orange, the wavy edges (bottom and right); the left edge is smooth.
More tests to confirm
3. The Deckmaster «horns»Above the two «E»s in «Deckmaster», on the back, there are two small crescents. Fakes often miss them.
4. Mana and set symbolsThey're printed on a top layer. On a real card the black line is clearly separate from the colour-dot pattern; on a fake it's all mixed together.
5. Straight linesBorders and the lines around «Deckmaster» are continuous and clean. On fakes they're pixelated and bleed into the background.
6. The rosette patternUnder the loupe the colour dots are sharp and even, and the text is crisp. On a fake it's a blurry mess.
7. WeightA real card weighs 1.7–1.8 g. Recent fakes are around 1.9 g because they contain more plastic.
8. The light testLook at the card edge-on: a real one has a bluish middle layer; many fakes have a black core. Against a strong light, a real card lets light through evenly; fakes are too opaque or let too much through.
Special cases
Alpha and Beta «rebacks»An International / Collectors' Edition front glued to a real back. They always fail the weight test (glue is heavy) and under the loupe you'll see glue and creases along the edges.
Beta trimmed to look like AlphaThe corners end up irregular, over- or under-rounded. A real Alpha corner has a small lip.
Modern double-faced cardsBe wary of a «plasticky» gloss, irregular set symbols, crooked lines and a black core instead of a blue one.
Collector Boosters: beware of false alarmsGenuine cards vary by factory: the core can look purple or even orange and they may weigh a little more. On its own, that doesn't mean it's fake.
Not sure about a card? Drop by the shop or write to geral@triplacegames.com before you buy or trade.
Based on the guide by Three for One Trading: threeforonetrading.com
