A graded card is a card that has been appraised by an authentication company (PSA, CGC, BGS, etc). Every graded card is authentic and has a score based on the condition of its corners, edges, surface, and centering (exact criteria vary per company). For an in-depth explanation on what every score means, click the link below.

With Pokémon being printed in different countries by different manufacturers for over 30 years, there is no one, foolproof test to determine whether a card is real or fake. According to us, the best test for identifying fakes is to compare it with a real card. Find a picture of the real card, on Pricecharting for example, and look for any differences in texture, holo pattern, font, color (especially with the card back), and aspect ratios. The reddit post below describes exactly what to look for in all these categories.