In 1997, Wizards of the Coast released Tempest, the 12th expansion for Magic: The Gathering. Tempest's release brought several changes to the world of Magic, such as new block mechanics, new creature types, and the release of theme decks. Out of the 350 cards included in the set, 110 of them are uncommons, including notable examples like Capsize, Stalking Stones, and Ancient Tomb.
Since uncommon cards like Ancient Tomb are relatively affordable and easier to pull, some collectors may be tempted to skip third-party grading and certification. However, unscrupulous individuals will counterfeit these cards in an attempt to make a quick dollar. Recently, CGC received a submission containing a fake example of Ancient Tomb, but CGC's graders were quickly able to identify three glaring red flags that confirmed that the card was illegitimate.
Looking closely at the card name of the fake Ancient Tomb versus the legitimate example reveals a small but critical error. The drop shadow behind the lettering of "Tomb" is much thicker on the counterfeit card, and the letters appear closer together than they are on a genuine example.
Shown above: a close-up view of Ancient Tomb's card name on the counterfeit (left) and a genuine example (right). Notice the "m" and "b" on both cards and how the distance between the two letters differs.
Moving further down the card's frame reveals another issue with the fake card. Tempest's set symbol is a black storm cloud with a small lightning bolt protruding underneath. The symbol has a white border around it to help it stand out from the card's background textures. On the real card, the border is very thick, while on the fake card, it is considerably thinner.
Shown above: a close-up view of Ancient Tomb's set symbol on the counterfeit (left) and a genuine example (right).
Finally, the different background textures between the counterfeit and legitimate Ancient Tombs put the final nail in the coffin for the fake. Genuine Magic: The Gathering cards from the 1990s have a circular texture pattern that makes up the background of most cards. This texture is completely washed out on the fake Ancient Tomb; the circle texture is missing and muted, which is a clear indication that this card was not printed on official cardstock.
It's important to exercise caution when purchasing ungraded cards on the secondary market, even if they are not key rarities. Cards certified by CGC are guaranteed to be authentic and not overgraded under the CGC Guarantee.
About CGC
Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles, including trading card games (TCGs), sports cards, magazines, video games, and home media. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services. If you collect it, we grade and protect it.
CGC is part of the Certified Collectibles Group, a global provider of expert and impartial authentication and grading services for collectibles. Since 1987, the Certified Collectibles Group companies have certified more than 110 million collectibles, including coins, banknotes, comic books, cards, autographs, and stamps.