Collectors of Pokémon cards would love to know what is inside unopened packs. A technique from medicine allows you to take a look inside.
How are the packs scanned? The usual way in the scene to estimate the value of unopened packs is weighing them. The foil around rare cards inside the package adds extra weight. From now on, it may be possible not just to determine with high certainty whether a rare card is in the pack, but exactly which one it is. The magic word is: Computed Tomography (CT).
Where does the CT technique come from? The new approach using high-tech from medicine employs CT X-ray machines, such as those used for examining the brain. Such imaging techniques are also commonly used in industry, for example to detect material shortages.
A 3D image from countless layers
How does such a scan work? The CT scanner examines the object, in this case the package with Pokémon cards, and captures hundreds of individual images from different directions. This is possible because either the antenna rotates or the object lies on a rotating surface. The computer then constructs 3D objects from these images, on which the outlines of text or images can be discerned.
The following YouTube video shows such a scan and what the result looks like. In this case, the secret of a whole box is revealed, not just a single pack. In another video titled “Collecting Pokémon cards will never be the same again”, the YouTuber okJLUV takes a closer look at the technology.
The YouTuber Ahron Wayne’s Strange Brain is developing a similar method with a second-hand CT scanner.
What does the Pokémon community say about this? There is concern about a loss in value for radiographed packs or simply frustration that a cornerstone of the hobby could be destroyed far from any monetary considerations. However, how this technology could exactly impact things is still open at this time.
How expensive is it and can I book it? Theoretically, yes, the company Industrial Inspection & Consulting is based in the USA. The cost for the scan alone is likely around 75 dollars per pack.
Shipping from Germany to there and the return to you could certainly raise the total price to around 150 euros. Just sending an insured package to the USA costs almost fifty through DHL. For that amount, you could buy a lot of new packs of Pokémon cards and trust in your luck.
Ahron Wayne’s Strange Brain’s efforts are not yet commercially advanced. According to information under the video linked above, he is still looking for business partners.
Does this also work with Magic boosters? Yes, in principle, this technique should work with all packs for collectible card games.
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