Chinese Pokémon cards: official releases vs imitation cards
"Chinese Pokémon cards" can mean two very different things: official Pokémon cards printed in Chinese, and imitation cards made without permission. Here's how to tell them apart.
Official Chinese Pokémon cards
There are two official Chinese versions of the Pokémon Trading Card Game:
- Traditional Chinese, for Taiwan and Hong Kong, printed since 2019. Its sets closely follow the Japanese releases, with the same structure and numbering.
- Simplified Chinese, for mainland China, announced in September 2022, with the first three sets released on 28 October 2022. These sets often combine cards from several Japanese expansions, with their own box sizes and pull rates.
Both are genuine, licensed Pokémon cards, collected for their unique products and exclusive cards.
Imitation Pokémon cards
Imitation Pokémon cards are counterfeits. They're sold cheaply online and in bulk lots, and many come from unlicensed factories, which is why fake cards are often loosely called "Chinese cards". Signs of an imitation card:
- wrong fonts, spelling mistakes or odd wording;
- washed-out or oversaturated colours;
- flimsy or very glossy card stock, with no dark layer visible along the edge;
- HP or damage numbers that make no sense;
- a price far below market.
Read our full guide on how to tell if a Pokémon card is fake.
Chinese vs Japanese Pokémon cards
- Every set is released in Japan first.
- Traditional Chinese sets mirror the Japanese sets closely; Simplified Chinese sets are rearranged.
- Japanese cards are the most widely collected non-English Pokémon cards.
We sell Japanese Pokémon cards bought through Japanese distribution and sealed in their original factory packaging: see our booster boxes.
Questions
Are Chinese Pokémon cards real?
Official Simplified and Traditional Chinese cards are real. Cheap "Chinese" cards sold in bulk lots, with odd text or colours, are usually imitations.
Are Chinese Pokémon cards worth anything?
Official ones are collectible, and some exclusive cards sell well. Imitation cards have no collector value.
How can I tell if a Pokémon card is an imitation?
Compare it with a genuine card: check the text, colours, texture and edges, and shine a light through it. Our fake card guide covers nine checks.