Guides
There are several ways to tell if a Funko Pop is fake, and this guide will go over every step.
Published on
It would be an understatement to say Funko Pop figurines are wildly popular. At this point, every person on Earth has at least one of their favorite character (almost everyone, anyway). The design and art style is both cute and simplistic. More importantly, the boxes they’re stored in are easy to stack and display. If you’ve moved from occasional buyer to full-blown collector, you’ll be hunting rare, expensive Funko Pops. That means you need to know how to tell if a Funko Pop is fake.
How To Tell if a Funko Pop Is Fake
Being able to tell if a Funko Pop is fake can be rather straightforward. The key is mostly in the box and figurine’s presentation. If you’re on the fence about a potential purchase, here’s what you should do and look for:
- Match the figure’s serial code to the box’s barcode.
The box and the figure have matching codes. On the figure, you’ll find it under the head or the foot. On the box, it’s printed on the bottom or as a sticker. Even if one of these features is missing, it immediately calls into question the figurine’s authenticity. And if there is a code, use the official Funko Mobile App to scan it and confirm.
- Double-check market value.
You should be hesitant about purchasing Funko Pops from unofficial sellers, but sometimes it can’t be helped—especially when it involves a limited edition figurine. Don’t let that cloud your judgment; shady resellers are hoping for that. If the price of a Funko Pop is drastically lower than market value, ignore it. Unless you’re purchasing one from a trusted friend, don’t fall for it.
- Match the box art and figure with official images.
Sometimes sellers try sneaky tactics such as recreating box art. It’s often very obvious, like a logo out of place or too far to one side. Other times it’s subtle, like the paint is a shade or two darker. Use Funko Pops official site to match the figurine and box art.
- Look for licensing agreements on the box and figure.
If you haven’t noticed already, Funko Pop creates figurines of characters from other IPs. For that to happen, there has to be a licensing agreement. On the back, you’ll see Funko’s logo in addition to the logos the characters are currently owned by. For example, an Elsa Funko Pop would have Disney’s logo. In fact, it may appear more than once, in the case of Disney.
- Read reviews about the seller left behind by customers.
If you happen to come across a reseller that seems legit, read customer reviews. Don’t sift through the 5-star or 1-star reviews; instead, read the posts in the 3-star category. Those should give you a far better opinion on a seller’s legitimacy. You may even find their operation to be legit, but unprofessional.
All it takes is for you to call into question one of these features to tell if a Funko Pop is fake. And if you can’t trust yourself, then it’s best to pass on the figurine altogether. For more related guides, learn what a flocked Funko Pop is or get your hands on a Baby Yoda figurine.
