Reliable testing measures for counterfeit cards?

[Troll_ov_Grimness]

Methods I am interested in:

+ Black Light / Light test (is this by itself good enough for detecting fakes)

+ Weight (is this by itself good enough for detecting fakes?)

Have there been counterfeit cards that have beaten these tests that I should be watching out for?

[jimmythegreek]

The tear test has proven definitive.

[walked]

https://vimeo.com/223658575

This is my findings in checking against a lot of fakes out there. Loupe is the best method if you know what to look for.

[Troll_ov_Grimness]

Ok so I got a 30x zoom jewellers loupe but I don't think it's enough zoom. I can see a dot pattern on the cards but not the various colours. I'm not sure if you can use a jewellers loupe to see the blue on the inside of the card along the sides but I couldn't see that either. I'd still like some advice

[non-inflammable]

Ok so I got a 30x zoom jewellers loupe but I don't think it's enough zoom. I can see a dot pattern on the cards but not the various colours. I'm not sure if you can use a jewellers loupe to see the blue on the inside of the card along the sides but I couldn't see that either. I'd still like some advice

the dot pattern is a printer's rosette with "good" registration of CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black).
you can google "printers rosette" to see what it's supposed to look like.
a rosette that looks "just ok" but not good registration is typical in the older cards before magic was a superstar.
the presscrews that run a printing press are not paid for perfection; just google charlie brown and magic cards.
i'm a commercial artist in the dying field of print and have also run a small one color press by myself.

i cant say what a counterfeit rosette will look like or even if the black text is truly black and not a mix of colors.
overprint (4 color) black registration and tight registration on press can cause variance on the entire sheet of cards, even the text.
but i can't say for sure what that will look like.

if you have a card that looks or feels different, try and find the exact same (edition) card and compare with the loupe.
if you don't have the same card, a card printed in the same set is acceptable to look for variance.

a simple black light can also help you instantly spot fakes, but there was an alternate run of 4th edition cards that don't fluoresce.
the 30x zoom is a great first start in detecting fakes, but it will take time and familiarity.

[Claymore]

Key tests I've noticed:


Jeweler's loupe to see if the black ink is printed as a separate layer. Most counterfeits are printed as a single rosette dot image, but magic cards are printed in two layers with the black on top.
LED light test to shine through the card to test for reback.


Other tests can be unreliable. LED shine through can be different for batches, cards from the same set will fluoresce differently under a black light (saw this with LEDs). Even print quality from batch to batch can give false negatives, like the quality of the thin white border around a card.

Subjective tests for gloss and handling will be the most obvious tests when you're handling a card, so having reference cards from each set helps there.

Past that there are technical tests where you get into print run specific attributes (the alignment of the 0 on a Black Lotus) so comparing the text details of cards like alignment of mana symbols and text are good as well.

[walked]

Key tests I've noticed:


Jeweler's loupe to see if the black ink is printed as a separate layer. Most counterfeits are printed as a single rosette dot image, but magic cards are printed in two layers with the black on top.
LED light test to shine through the card to test for reback.


Other tests can be unreliable. LED shine through can be different for batches, cards from the same set will fluoresce differently under a black light (saw this with LEDs). Even print quality from batch to batch can give false negatives, like the quality of the thin white border around a card.

Subjective tests for gloss and handling will be the most obvious tests when you're handling a card, so having reference cards from each set helps there.

Past that there are technical tests where you get into print run specific attributes (the alignment of the 0 on a Black Lotus) so comparing the text details of cards like alignment of mana symbols and text are good as well.

Unfortunately, if you take a look at the video I posted - blacks arent all printed in the same rosette these days. The text and mana symbols are printed on separate layers now. Set symbols are generally printed with the rosette still (Tabernacle they are printing the set symbol on a separate layer even, now).

They're much better than they used to be. The best tell is the teeny black stripe near the border, and the black border in the M in Magic on the backs.

[Claymore]

Good to know, I'll have to check that video.

This group is pretty good - https://www.facebook.com/groups/300116800113290/?ref=group_header

[Dice_Box]

I use a Lope on the back of the card. There is a little white dot next to the top left red point. Inside that white space is one of the dox matrix dots. I look for that. Just as a starting point.

[Troll_ov_Grimness]

I have Guildpact Leyline of the Void with the black outline of the set symbol I think sharing the same dot pattern. When I had got them they were not an expensive card and there would be no reason to fake them. But I didn't crack them from packs so I can't be sure