Unfortunately we have a spate of fake Magic cards hitting the area I know of at least one Sword of Feast and Famine bought that turned out fake and have heard rumors of a set of fake Power 9. So far, from what I have heard, the faked cards have all currently had a value of $50 or more.
Given this, it is probably a good time, if you are a Magic player, to refresh yourself with methods used to check for fake cards. The classic method is the Bend test. The Bend test is primarily used to determine if a card is rebacked, i.e. the front of a low value card is peeled off and a copy of a higher value card carefully glued to it. This was primarily done with early versions of Magic when versions of valuable cards were reprinted in other versions like Championship Decks. Most modern fakes will pass the bend test.
A better test is the Light Test. Ideally you should have an LED flashlight but any strong portable light source will work. Dim the lights and press the light up against the card. If you are using an LED and the card is real, the light from all 9 diodes should show clearly through the card as individual points of light. If using another light source, the light should show clearly through the card. If the card is a fake, the light will show through diffused and dimmer.
If you are dealing with a lower priced card, say $2-$20, you are pretty safe regarding its authenticity. Much like with counterfeit bills, counterfeiting Magic cards is not profitable except with higher end cards
Given this, it is probably a good time, if you are a Magic player, to refresh yourself with methods used to check for fake cards. The classic method is the Bend test. The Bend test is primarily used to determine if a card is rebacked, i.e. the front of a low value card is peeled off and a copy of a higher value card carefully glued to it. This was primarily done with early versions of Magic when versions of valuable cards were reprinted in other versions like Championship Decks. Most modern fakes will pass the bend test.
A better test is the Light Test. Ideally you should have an LED flashlight but any strong portable light source will work. Dim the lights and press the light up against the card. If you are using an LED and the card is real, the light from all 9 diodes should show clearly through the card as individual points of light. If using another light source, the light should show clearly through the card. If the card is a fake, the light will show through diffused and dimmer.
If you are dealing with a lower priced card, say $2-$20, you are pretty safe regarding its authenticity. Much like with counterfeit bills, counterfeiting Magic cards is not profitable except with higher end cards
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