Help...What are these cards?

[fuzzywuzzy18]

I obtained a bunch of Japanese Pokémon Cards, and on each card's face and back is written the word 'TEST' in bold letters. I have tried to research these to see what they are and if they are real. They feel and look real though (I have thrown away a ton of fake cards). Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated. They look like Color Test Cards but I cannot verify this.

 

[Desert Stream~]

I really doubt they would change the back after almost 20 years. Also, why would they write "Test" in English on a Japanese card. If it's a test, How did someone get it? Seems fake to me.

 

[donavannj]

I really doubt they would change the back after almost 20 years. Also, why would they write "Test" in English on a Japanese card. If it's a test, How did someone get it? Seems fake to me.

That back has actually been the official Japanese card back since 2002. Seriously.

I do have my doubts as to their legitimacy, but it's not unheard of for Japanese cards to have English text on them. Just look at the Japanese Mega EXs.

 

[Desert Stream~]

That back has actually been the official Japanese card back since 2002. Seriously.

I do have my doubts as to their legitimacy, but it's not unheard of for Japanese cards to have English text on them. Just look at the Japanese Mega EXs.

oh... never mind then, I don't really tend to pay attention to cards I can't understand. Could be real then, although If it's not anywhere online it's probably fake.

 

[donavannj]

I obtained a bunch of Japanese Pokémon Cards, and on each card's face and back is written the word 'TEST' in bold letters. I have tried to research these to see what they are and if they are real. They feel and look real though (I have thrown away a ton of fake cards). Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated. They look like Color Test Cards but I cannot verify this.

Looking at it, it's very hard to bring up the regular Japanese version of this specific Mewtwo anywhere on English sites to even get a good comparison. Couldn't definitely say either way.

Does the text look blurry at all?

 

[fuzzywuzzy18]

Thanks for the input.
I have about 50 of these cards. None of them are holo. I will try to find some comparison cards with the original printed cards. These cards look and feel real. You can always tell the fake cards as there are misprints, the ink looks wrong, the coloring is wrong and the back is wrong. Besides the 'TEST' these cards look real.
I will upload some other pics tomorrow (Friday).

 

[Electricbluewolf]

The only thing I can think it would be is for card placement testing onto English cards-how would the Japanese card look as an English one (if that make sense)

 

[fuzzywuzzy18]

So here is an example of Chimchar 002/013 from the DPt Dialga Entry Pack - with the word TEST on it. The picture is clear, the writing is clear and the colors are all correct. The card feels real as it is the heavy Japanese card stock. I have included a photo of my card and a web-based copy of the card. Perhaps they are fake, but I am liking the idea that I have the only copy of these Original Test Cards. It makes my collection special!\

 

[Gamer2020]

Where did you get them? They literally could be test cards. Idk if they still do it but they print test cards for whatever reason before the set comes out.

 

[qprellikqp]

those look like pitch cards, the idea for new card arts presented by the designers

 

[qprellikqp]

who is the illustration drawn by ?

 

[fuzzywuzzy18]

Illustration is by the usuals:
Ken Sugimori, Kenkichi Toyama, Mitsuhiro Arita, etc.
I thought about contacting Nintendo directly, but their website is in Japanese and Google Translate doesn't quite cut it.

 

[fuzzywuzzy18]

I got them from someone on Ebay. But they just state that they picked them up at a garage sale/estate sale.

 

[donavannj]

Illustration is by the usuals:
Ken Sugimori, Kenkichi Toyama, Mitsuhiro Arita, etc.
I thought about contacting Nintendo directly, but their website is in Japanese and Google Translate doesn't quite cut it.

TPCI would probably be a better point of contact.

I got them from someone on Ebay. But they just state that they picked them up at a garage sale/estate sale.

That sets off an unhealthy amount of alarm bells to me.