So your hypothesis is that there were leftover uncut beta sheets of exactly one set that sat around for almost 30 years, so they created new backs in 2024 - using a printer different from any observed that coincidently also doesn’t add dots. And all the other LQ betas that were likely printed from the source file were printed after making these hybrid cards? Occam's razor - Wikipedia
I know it really sucks, but let’s be realistic here.
Exactly, an unused sheet of these cards (front wise obviously) the quality is significantly better than fake alphas and LQ.
Also there is 1 copy each of these HQ ones.
I think this solution would be highly possible.
(I’m holding on to the last straw here. But hope dies last).
There is so much info maybe I’m missing something.
Because what I don’t get is the person who created these seems had files for backs e.g. they printed the alphas with backs.
Then why they print HQ Betas fronts from files but then go and scan a backside to print it out when having files for backsides available?
This part I don’t understand.
We yet need to figure out why there is this quality difference, it’s so big its like confronting a real alpha back with a fake one.
Also the HQ are the only ones who don’t have a print code. So it’s more likely the front provenience is not the same of the fakes
Could someone who has good scans of the real alphas share them here?
They shouldn’t and I reached out to the owners of them to let them know not to share HD scans. Revealing the printer serial numbers allows people to make fakes.
The scans from CGC’s site are not hi-res enough thankfully.
Guys keep this on topic about the pokemon prototypes.
Well my cert number for a beta : 6014425012 finally got the red error of death. Emailed them.
Perfect, does anyone have a link?
I just want to see some details of those cards, i dont need the print code
I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that there were some unfabricated original materials being used in combination with newly created parts. This might be a minor thing, but would it have been difficult for them to acquire the white card stock for example? Or under closer scrutiny perhaps the white card stock is different to the original.
Yep and the 6006 Beta cards have now been updated.
CGC has started getting rid of the playtests from the DB and is now displaying this message
Does this mean they acknowledge it’s fraud? 
This right here. As has been said many times, it isnt CGCs right (or even PSAs) to expect collectors to believe things they grade are authentic until proven otherwise. Thats not how adults do authentication. And clearly, when you treat customers like that, you act like it at a corporate level and practice it in house.
seems like it. have they updated any certs of the promo sheets they graded?
Anyone have any thoughts on whether I should get these cards shipped to me from the marketplace? I have 4 with alt (2x alpha 2x beta) that I was hoping they would take care of for me but it’s seemingly less and less likely, but also don’t want to jump the gun and take them out too soon and accept full responsibility.
I was messaging Akabane up till 2 days ago, when he said that he would say no more to anyone at all. Now, he just reacts with 
on my messages.
Here are the main snippets:
(1 week ago)
(Sends the Alt Prototypes signed by him)
Reply:
They seem to be fake.
The ones I signed at Sean’s request seemed authentic.
You probably shouldn’t get involved.
Also, I’m fed up with official complaints coming my way again. Sean said he intended to treasure them for life and wouldn’t put them up for auction.
(Three days ago)
(Sends the e4 post translated)
Reply:
It seems I’m going to get dragged into this.
It’s a troublesome situation.
I only signed them at Sean’s request, and when Matt asked me to confirm, I told him there was a possibility of fakes, copies, or data leaks…
(Two days ago)
(Sends Xiao’s story about an interview coming out soon)
Reply:
In the past, Sean asked me to come and teach him about the history, and I was filmed, but I prohibited them from publishing it. I feel like I’ve been tricked.
(Sends the trophy sheets autographed by him)
Reply:
These seem like printouts for design style guides, and they appeared authentic.
It involves confidential information, so I can’t talk without an agreement. But too many people easily break those agreements.
If trust can’t be built, I can’t talk.
I feel I have an obligation to share the correct history, but because the official side is also responsible for the leaks, they don’t allow me to speak.
I’ve decided I won’t talk to anyone anymore.
(End conversation)
Of course, he is an unreliable source, given what has transpired. The sheets with his signature that he claimed looked authentic are proven to be printed in 2024 here.
In addition, many of those who met with him through Kimura, such as steady.collect or Marco, picked up cards at the meeting that were printed in 2024, which he signed and obviously profited from.
Again, massive respect to PFM and everyone who put the time into analysing the data and putting this information together. I really hope the new findings bring us closer to justice and to transparency from those responsible.
That said, I may be sticking my neck out a bit here, but the more I think about it the more I’m sceptical of the notion that Akabane is the evil mastermind behind everything. To me, it seems a little too simplistic and may be taking away responsibility from others who may have been more knowingly malicious, as well as CGC who could’ve acted as a barrier to the protos gaining credence. Jumping to black and white conclusions seems all too easy right now, though understandable.
I don’t mean to defend him or assume his innocence either, but my main reasoning is that, as far as I know, Akabane is not a collector, and does not have the collector mindset or knowledge; therefore, from his perspective, everything that we find appalling about these findings might not have seemed like a big deal to him. To someone not familiar with the priorities of the collecting scene, it might be reasonable to think that, as long as these cards are based on originals that were printed in 1995, and because they came from someone that people respected as a founder of the card game, they would still be considered valuable collectibles, no matter whether they were printed in 1995 or 2024. I suppose the fact that items from him have been entering the market long before the protos did might mean that that would call for a significant amount of naivete, but that would depend on how exactly those were handled (or through whom). It also seems strange to me for someone who is so well documented and so can’t just disappear the moment things go south to take such an obvious risk if they were wholly aware of it, especially compared with the people who had been “working with” him to sell these.
I might be completely off base with this conjecture, and I’d rather not talk over actual important information being shared with my personal thoughts, but this has been nagging me all day, even moreso with the amount of callouts aimed towards Akabane specifically. I also recognise I’m in the fortunate position of not being personally affected by this outside of having an interest in the preservation of this hobby’s history.
Tldr, my feelings are that Akabane may have been at worst compliant, rather than maliciously compliant (which of course is still less than ideal), and the real bad actors may have been the people surrounding him. If so, and while I’m fully prepared to be disappointed, it would be a shame to immediately jump to pointing fingers at anyone until more facts are revealed.
this is really only the reason ebay took down all the listings and that authenticity guarentee wont pass anymore
