Pokémon cards counterfeiters target

Fakes follow money. These are the 2,184 cards PokePulse currently prices at $50 or more — the tier where counterfeiting actually pays — ranked by live TCGplayer (US) market price, updated 2026-08-07.

Highest-value cards in the counterfeit-target tier

Card	Market	Price check
Shining Charizard · Neo Destiny	$7,583	check a price
Mewtwo ★ · Holon Phantoms	$5,000	check a price
Shining Tyranitar · Neo Destiny	$4,250	check a price
Mudkip ★ · Team Rocket Returns	$4,000	check a price
Latias & Latios-GX · Team Up	$3,510	check a price
Mew ★ δ · Dragon Frontiers	$3,500	check a price
Charizard · Skyridge	$3,250	check a price
Pikachu ★ · Holon Phantoms	$3,200	check a price
Umbreon · Skyridge	$3,000	check a price
Rayquaza ★ · Deoxys	$2,501	check a price
Treecko ★ · Team Rocket Returns	$2,400	check a price
Umbreon VMAX · Evolving Skies	$2,320	check a price
Latias ★ · Deoxys	$2,300	check a price
Lugia · Aquapolis	$2,225	check a price
Jolteon ★ · Power Keepers	$2,000	check a price
Torchic ★ · Team Rocket Returns	$1,970	check a price
Charizard · Legendary Collection	$1,950	check a price
Espeon ★ · POP Series 5	$1,900	check a price
Shining Celebi · Neo Destiny	$1,801	check a price
Rocket's Raikou ex · Deoxys	$1,767	check a price
Kyogre ★ · Delta Species	$1,603	check a price
Golem · Skyridge	$1,600	check a price
Raikou ★ · Unseen Forces	$1,600	check a price
Gengar · Legendary Collection	$1,600	check a price
Gengar & Mimikyu-GX · Team Up	$1,587	check a price
Mudkip · Nintendo Black Star Promos	$1,500	check a price
Alakazam ★ · Crystal Guardians	$1,500	check a price
Latios ★ · Deoxys	$1,500	check a price
Tropical Beach · BW Black Star Promos	$1,500	check a price
Umbreon ex · Prismatic Evolutions	$1,496	check a price
Rocket's Mewtwo · Best of Game	$1,450	check a price
Gengar ex · FireRed & LeafGreen	$1,400	check a price
Vaporeon ★ · Power Keepers	$1,400	check a price
Lugia · Neo Genesis	$1,300	check a price
Lucky Stadium · Wizards Black Star Promos	$1,284	check a price
Rayquaza VMAX · Evolving Skies	$1,254	check a price
Umbreon · Aquapolis	$1,253	check a price
Regice ★ · Legend Maker	$1,250	check a price
Gyarados · Skyridge	$1,250	check a price
Gyarados ★ δ · Holon Phantoms	$1,200	check a price
Charizard δ · Crystal Guardians	$1,200	check a price
Charizard · Plasma Storm	$1,150	check a price
Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat · Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos	$1,109	check a price
Pokémon Center · Wizards Black Star Promos	$1,108	check a price
Suicune ★ · Unseen Forces	$1,100	check a price
M Rayquaza-EX · Ancient Origins	$1,070	check a price
Dark Gengar · Neo Destiny	$1,052	check a price
Gengar VMAX · Fusion Strike	$1,043	check a price
Mew ex · Paldean Fates	$1,018	check a price
Groudon ★ · Delta Species	$1,010	check a price
M Charizard-EX · Flashfire	$1,001	check a price
Houndoom · Skyridge	$1,000	check a price
Kabutops · Skyridge	$1,000	check a price
Tropical Beach · BW Black Star Promos	$1,000	check a price
Rayquaza ex · Deoxys	$999	check a price
Grass Energy · HeartGold & SoulSilver	$999	check a price
Dialga-EX · Phantom Forces	$987	check a price
Charizard ★ δ · Dragon Frontiers	$980	check a price
Dark Blastoise · Legendary Collection	$975	check a price
Mewtwo · Legendary Collection	$975	check a price

Where the target tier concentrates

Sets holding the most cards above the $50 line — vintage sets dominate, which is why 'vintage lot' listings are the most common place for fakes to hide.

Set	Cards $50+	Top card
Skyridge	120	$3,250
Legendary Collection	104	$1,950
Aquapolis	88	$2,225
Expedition Base Set	82	$800
Team Rocket Returns	75	$4,000
Unseen Forces	55	$1,600
Delta Species	49	$1,603
Holon Phantoms	44	$5,000
XY Black Star Promos	43	$433
Emerald	41	$750
FireRed & LeafGreen	36	$1,400
Neo Destiny	34	$7,583
Cosmic Eclipse	32	$542
Dragon Frontiers	31	$3,500
SM Black Star Promos	31	$490

Before you buy one of these

Run the asking price through the deal checker — it compares any price to our own market data and tells you where it sits. Then read how to spot a fake and, for slabs, how to verify a PSA slab.

Questions

Which Pokémon cards are counterfeited the most?

Counterfeits concentrate on high-value chase cards. Nobody publishes per-card seizure data, so any exact ranking of 'most counterfeited' is guesswork — what can be stated from market data is the tier fakes target: PokePulse tracks 2,184 cards currently worth $50 or more, led by vintage holos and star/gold-star rares from Skyridge, Legendary Collection, Aquapolis and Neo Destiny.

Why do counterfeiters ignore cheap Pokémon cards?

Printing, cutting and distributing a convincing fake costs real money, so it only pays on cards worth well above that cost. Below roughly $50 the economics do not work, which is why singles under about $5 are rarely faked — at that price the real risks are condition and variant mix-ups, not authenticity. Fakes also hide inside bulk 'vintage lots' where no single card is inspected.

How can I tell if an expensive Pokémon card is fake?

Check the light test (real cards have a black core layer, so almost no light passes), the texture and gloss of the holo, the font weight and spacing, and the rounded corner cut. For graded cards, look up the cert number on the grader's own site and confirm the card in the photo matches the cert. Then sanity-check the price: a chase card offered far below market is the single strongest warning sign.

Is a Pokémon card below market price always fake?

No. Condition, a motivated seller or a bulk clear-out all produce genuine discounts. The pattern that matters is a steep discount combined with pressure to pay by an irreversible method. PokePulse's deal checker compares any asking price to live market data so you can see exactly how far below market a listing sits before you decide.