Spot fakes
Spot fake Magic cards with confidence
Counterfeits are everywhere. Learn the physical tells, compare against genuine references, and train your eye — a free, community-minded side of bluecore.cards.
Ways to learn
Detection methods
Light test, rosette print, the green dot, the back-of-card “T” and more.
Most-faked cards
The cards counterfeiters target most — and how to check them.
Reference lookup
Pull a genuine Scryfall scan to compare against.
Spot-the-fake quiz
Test your eye on genuine-vs-fake examples.
Daily card game
Guess the hidden Magic card — a new puzzle every day.
Scam watch
Marketplace scam patterns and buyer guides.
Recommended tools
Loupes and lights that make the tests easy.
Detection methods
All methods →Each test explains what it checks, what genuine and fake cards look like, and exactly how to do it.
Light test
Holding a card up to a strong light reveals how its inner core layer blocks light — one of the most reliable, no-tool tests.
Print/rosette test
Under magnification, genuine offset printing forms a flower-like 'rosette' pattern; many fakes show a different, grid-like dot structure.
Green dot test
Inside the green dot on the card back, genuine cards hide four tiny red dots in an L-shape — a microprint many fakes miss.
The 'T' test
The letter 'T' in 'The' on the card back has a deliberate edge texture — wavy on two sides, smooth on one — that fakes tend to flatten.
Bend test
A gentle flex tells you a lot: genuine cards have a springy, consistent feel and snap back flat, while many fakes feel stiff, flimsy, or stay bent.
Weight test
Genuine cards fall within a narrow weight range; a card well outside it is worth a closer look.
Back comparison
Every genuine card shares the same back. Laying a suspect next to a known-genuine card exposes color and pattern differences quickly.
Font test
Typography is precise on genuine cards. Wrong weight, spacing, or fuzzy mana symbols are common fake tells.
Rip test
Tearing a card reveals its inner core. Genuine cards show a distinctive blue-black line; this destroys the card, so it is only for worthless commons.
Educational guidance only — no method is a guarantee of authenticity. For valuable cards, consult a professional grading or authentication service.