Fake Pokémon Cards are running rampant. So much so that I have another article deep diving into how to identify fake cards. Unfortunately, cards alone are just the beginning. Which now brings us to this article, Fake Pokémon cards Booster Box edition.
If you’re a serious collector or if you’ve looked into investing in Pokémon cards, it’s likely that you’ve run across booster boxes. Many would agree that booster boxes are one of if not the best investment in Pokémon cards if you’re looking for a mid to long term hold.
Many original pokemon card booster boxes are now worth tens and some hundreds of thousands of dollars! So it’s no wonder people are trying to fake even booster boxes at this point.
This article then will dive into some booster boxes and how to tell if they are fake or not.
Let’s jump right in!
What is a Pokémon Card Booster Box?
A booster box is essentially just a case of Pokémon card packs. They usually contain between 20-36 packs that are then wrapped in a plastic casing. As stated above, they are considered the best bang for your buck when buying Pokémon cards and are highly collectible and investable.
Booster boxes are released for particular sets of cards. So the above booster boxes will only have cards from the set they are from. The left being Japanese 151 and the right being Evolving Skies.
Let’s get to some particular examples and how to tell they are real!
Fake vs Real Evolving Skies Booster Box
Evolving Skies is an incredibly popular set with some of the most sought after cards in the entire Sword and Shield Era. It is actually one of the most valuable Pokémon card sets ever released.
Because of that though, it does have fake versions floating around. And as of writing this article in April of 2024, it is worth an impressive $650+ after only being released in August of 2021.
Let’s look at a real Evolving Skies Booster Box first.
Real Evolving Skies Booster Box
Below is a real Evolving Skies Booster Box from my personal collection. Let’s take a couple notes from it. These notes will also be applicable to other Booster Boxes as well.
If we take a look at the front, let’s first notice the image of the Pokémon logo with a Poké ball behind it. They are decently large and have the “R” symbol next to the text.
If we take a closer look, we can see that the background actually has a texture behind it. Take note as this will come up shortly in our other pictures.
Now, when we take a look at the bottom, let’s focus on the bar code. There should be a number above the bar code, which every Sword and Shield era Booster Box (and some others) should have. Evolving Skies in this case should have a 178-81877.
Let’s look at some pictures of a fake one.
Fake Evolving Skies Booster Box
Now that we’ve seen a real Evolving Skies Booster Box, let’s check out some images of fake ones.
As we can see in this image, the first thing we can notice is that the Pokémon logos on the wrapper are far smaller than in our real one. While that’s not necessarily a giveaway completely, let’s zoom in on an image of it.
With this image, we can see that the image is missing the “R” Symbol, which is a huge giveaway that a Pokémon Booster Box is fake. Every wrapping on the Sword and Shield Era will have the registered trademark ® next to it.
In looking closely, we can also see that the yellow background is flat and has no texture at all. Our image of the real booster box shows that there should be texture there as well.
Lastly, be sure to check the bottom of the box. The number above the Bar Code should read 178-81877 for Evolving Skies. If it does not, it is a fake.
Let’s get to our next one.
Fake vs. Real Pokémon Evolutions Booster Box
It turns out that u/redrampant posted some images of fake vs real Evolutions booster boxes to reddit and linked pictures of them on his imgur account. So rather than re-write it again, I’ll throw some credit his way and send you to his reddit post above.
Thanks u/redrampant!
Fake/Proxy Pokémon Vintage Booster Box
Rather than go through every vintage booster box, I’ll call out some that do have fake versions and what to look out for.
First and foremost, if the price is too good to be true, then it likely is. There are a few instances of people getting incredibly lucky with vintage Pokémon items, but that is certainly not the norm.
So if you see a Vintage Booster Box for far less than what it actually sells for, look up some videos and pictures of real ones before making any moves.
This Etsy page makes high quality proxy vintage Pokémon booster boxes that look good and are weighted with cards. Check out their page to identify what they look like vs any potentially real one.
They make but are not limited to:
- 1st Edition Shadowless Booster Box
- 1st Edition Jungle Booster Box
- 1st Edition Fossil Booster Box
- 1st Edition Team Rocket Booster Box
- 1st Edition Gym Heroes Booster Box
- 1st Edition Neo Genesis Booster Box
The short story here is do your due diligence before buying, no matter what era it’s from.
Other Fake Pokémon Booster Boxes Checks and Best Practices
Before wrapping up, let’s review a few other best practices when buying Booster Boxes.
Fake Pokémon Booster Boxes are Everywhere
You are far more likely to run across fake booster boxes that are more expensive. That being said, there are both modern and less expensive booster boxes in the market.
Case and point, I personally bought a Twilight Masquerade Booster Box in November of 2024, only 6 months after the release of the set, that turned out to be fake.
Not only that, but this booster box was also bought through what is usually an incredibly reputable website, eBay. So yes, Mercari, Facebook groups, and even eBay can have fake Pokémon card booster boxes being sold. Regardless of the pictures shown, always check the booster box against pictures online after you receive it.
Don’t Buy Pokémon Booster Boxes Without the Wrapper
Booster boxes without the wrapper, despite it being real, are not typically worth purchasing at all. If you do, then it should come at a discount to one with a wrapper.
Pokémon Booster Boxes without a wrapper are ultimately not investable nor should they be trusted. They lose their value and credibility without it as the packs inside can easily be tampered with. Depending on the year, the packs can be weighed and removed based on their chance of having a holographic card inside.
Check AliExpress and Etsy
These websites among others sell fake/proxy Pokémon products. If you can find a booster box you are looking to purchase on them, then you know that there are fake versions of that box on the market.
Make sure to find some pictures of real booster boxes to compare before making any moves on them!
Summary
Pokémon products value and collectability have made fakes flood into the markets. And while they have affected Pokémon cards, packs, and booster boxes, hopefully this article has helped you learn how to avoid picking one of these up!
If I missed anything, please send me a message at [email protected]!
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Thanks for reading!