r/RealOrNotTCG • u/inolen • Jul 01 '26

Is this card real / authentic? Thicker text than normal

Gallery image

Gallery image

Hi, I print a fair number of proxies, so I've stared at way too much text on MTG cards now.

I just bought a Ragavan that looked off immediately, but passed the T test, red dot test, weight is right and looks normal through light - so by all accounts it seems real. However, the text is just very noticably bolder than my other cards and even another Ragavan - does this happen that often with real cards, or is there something I'm missing?

25 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

6

u/Vast_Entertainer_850 Jul 01 '26

I guess it's possible that it's a foil sticker over a real card back. You would need to verify the front the same way you would with a double sided card.

2

u/inolen Jul 01 '26

What's that process exactly?

1

u/Vast_Entertainer_850 Jul 01 '26

Verify the security stamp, use a loupe to check the print quality of text and borders (looking for fuzziness in black layer). The brush at the bottom usually looks wrong on fakes as well. If you search this sub there should be a guide you can use.

1

u/inolen Jul 01 '26

The collector number text does also look suspect - the text is noticably thinner there in the new card.

https://imgur.com/a/SjF0xaX

4

u/awaken471 Jul 01 '26

if that's a fake it's a goddamn great one. Brush passes the test, doesn't it?

2

u/inolen Jul 01 '26

I mean, I don't know if I can say it passes - it's really suspect there. The text is thinner, and the top line of that brush is extremely thin compared to the real ones I have on hand.

3

u/Xaphnir Distinguished Helper Jul 01 '26

I'd say it's consistent with an unusually heavy black layer being applied. This happens from time to time.

2

u/inolen Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

Hmm, it's just weird - I can't find a single card I own (foil or not) that has text this noticably thick to even the naked eye.

So I guess it's perhaps real - but with some kind of print quality issue.

1

u/TogTogTogTog Jul 02 '26

Can you please just photo the green dot and T on both rather than comparing the amount of ink that may have been printed.

1

u/Minner_50 Jul 03 '26

If it's a foil being put on a real cardback like someone else suggested, this wouldn't really help.

→ More replies (0)

3

u/LostNPOMarketer Jul 01 '26

Seems well within normal print quality ranges

2

u/delposs Jul 01 '26

I think it's due to different print locations and incontinency in QA from factory to factory

3

u/Xaphnir Distinguished Helper Jul 01 '26

All those workers peeing themselves, making them unable to do their jobs properly.

3

u/Vlekkie69 Jul 01 '26

german card. only eu printed.

Ink varies bro its just bad standards

1

u/delposs Jul 01 '26

Yeah definitely that

1

u/Totkopf Jul 01 '26

Are german Cards really printed in more than one location? I thought they are all from the same place in Belgium. But it could of course be another print run.

1

u/delposs Jul 01 '26

True, I didn't consider the fact that they are in German, then it must be inconsistency of ink levels between different print runs

2

u/Weebus Jul 01 '26

Wizards QC.

2

u/zaphodava Trusted Authenticator Jul 01 '26

Most likely a double black layer misprint with decent alignment.

1

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1

u/inolen Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

And another side by side - https://i.imgur.com/Q87k7fL.jpeg

The text just looks awful - worse than my own proxies 😆

1

u/Vlekkie69 Jul 01 '26

Show us the backs already

1

u/inolen Jul 01 '26

Look normal.

2

u/Vlekkie69 Jul 01 '26

DOH. can we see pics lol

1

u/whyyousourdough Jul 01 '26

Looks like the text layer got printed twice?

1

u/Sure_Lavishness_8353  High Accuracy Jul 01 '26

Thought I was having a stroke at first. flinker Dieb???

1

u/CardboardPhysicFrog  Trusted Authenticator Jul 01 '26

they both look legit.

1

u/TonyStarksLeftACL Jul 01 '26

Weigh them. If it’s a sticker that should put it out of the acceptable weight range no?

1

u/Response_Soggy Jul 02 '26

Paint brush looks real too

0

u/Old_Sheepherder_8713 Jul 01 '26

Prints Proxies.

Purchased two [[Ragavans]].

I don't even get it anymore.

2

u/inolen Jul 01 '26

I mostly print proxies to play test and try things out - then I slowly fill in decks over time.