How to Spot a Fake Funko Pop!

When it comes to collecting, Funko Pops have seen a gigantic rise in popularity in recent years. You know, those big-headed, small-bodied, and often times overpriced collectibles that you see everywhere?! 

The Price is Wrong

• Needless to say, if the price is vastly lower than other postings, that Funko Pop is probably a fake
• Often, sellers use a low-dollar amount to reel you into their posting, which takes advantage of those collectors who are after a prized pop but can’t quite afford it
• When purchasing a Funko Pop, investigate other sellers before making the decision. Everyone loves a good deal, but we all love knowing our pops are authentic.
• A Funko Pop that is often faked is the 2016 San Diego Comic Con Metallic Beerus (see below). According to popular Funko pricing website, PopPriceGuide, this Pop has a current average market value of $185, but a quick eBay search shows there are many sellers who are posting this pop for much less than current value.

Box Art

Now this one can be a little tricky to some who aren’t used to how the box art looks. Let’s say your grandma wants to gift you a pop you’ve been wanting. She goes onto eBay or another resale site and buys the first pop she sees. You get the pop, and right away you can tell something is off…

• The character on the front, if you already have a pop you think is fake compare it to another like pop. You can notice that in the pop below, the fake shows that the real pop character art is much more detailed than the fake. This is one of the easiest ways to tell.

• The lettering on the box is another indicator of a fake or real pop. Funko uses a very simple font, but often times with fakes, criminals get it wrong just enough for it to be noticed. Although, this is a bit harder to spot than the character art on the front. Take a look at the pops below, and note the font not centered on the white circle. Also that the font is completely different than the font used on real pops.

• The last way to show if you have a fake just by the box is to look at the overall design and placement of the art on the box. Pops come in different categories(e.g., movies, animation, heroes, music). On the top left corner of the box, there will be a little conversation bubble with the word Pop! Below that, whatever category this pop is to which it is connected.
• Fake pops seem to miss this key piece and leave out the category. The picture below also shows that the overall image on the front doesn’t seem to match up with the folds in the box. People who manufacture fake pops don’t put much effort into the finer details.

Serial Killer

Now, this is where it can get a little tricky, even to someone who is more experienced in the Funko Pop world. If you purchase a pop and are curious if it’s real or fake, just flip it over to the bottom.

Location, Location, Location

When buying online–regardless of what the item is–we all know many fakes come from China. This is no different when it comes to pops. This isn’t to say all merchandise that comes from China is fake, but you must take into account all the previous information in this post. If you do buy from a retailer shipping from China, please take into account these easy steps to avoid being scammed.

• Ask the buyer for non-stock photos, ask for specific details to be photographed like the serial number and front of the box.
• Read reviews/feedback for the seller you want to buy from, often times people who are scammed or didn’t receive the item they thought they were will leave a review stating this.
• Contact the seller before purchasing and ask why this posting is priced lower than others, and seek more information about the posting. Often times this will result in the posting coming down, or the seller not responding. This can pretty much answer your question itself whether or not the pop is fake or real.

Hopefully this helps out those who are new to pop hunting, and those who want more information on fake pops! Happy hunting!