Black & White: How to Identify Cards From This Set
Black & White (2011-04-25): 2 identification checks, quoted from Pokémon, Bulbapedia and grading-company sources.
At a glance
- Type: Expansion set
- Released: 2011-04-25
- Cards in set: 115/114 (114 main-set cards plus 1 secret rare, Pikachu 115/114)
- Set code: BLW
- Set symbol: A black-and-white yin-yang style emblem printed in the bottom right of the card, next to the card number.
How to tell a card is from Black & White
- This set's redesign changed the printed card-border color, and it differed by region.
- The holofoil pattern used on Rare Holo cards was replaced by a new horizontal-striped foil.
Notes on this entry
First set of the Black & White Series; Japanese release December 17, 2010, English release April 25, 2011.
Checks that apply to any Pokémon card
- Bottom-left or bottom-right corner: the set symbol and the collector number (e.g. 4/102) tell you the set; older cards have no symbol at all, which itself narrows them to Base Set.
- Left of the number: a 1st Edition stamp, if present, sits below the art on WOTC-era cards.
- Regulation mark (a letter in a box near the bottom, D through H so far) dates modern cards to a two-year window.
- Back of the card: the blue Poké Ball back has changed little since 1999; a washed-out, blurry or wrongly colored back is the first sign of a fake.
How to photograph it for identification
Lay the card flat on a dark surface in daylight, straight on, with the whole card in frame, then a close-up of the bottom edge where the set symbol, number and any edition stamp sit. Tilt holo cards under the light for a second shot to show the foil pattern. Photograph the back too. The app reads the card and set; the edition and rarity checks above tell you which version you have.
FAQ
How do I know if my card is from Black & White?
This set's redesign changed the printed card-border color, and it differed by region.
How many cards are in Black & White?
115/114 (114 main-set cards plus 1 secret rare, Pikachu 115/114)
Is my card real?
Compare the back to a card you know is genuine, check that the set symbol and number match a real card in that set, and look at print quality under magnification. The fake-card guide lists the tells in order; a grading service is the final check.
Related
Sources
Updated 2026-09-11.