Pennsylvania vs New Jersey - Which is easier to fake?
Going with PA is smart for a first order. The microprinting clarity on a good PA is a lot easier to get right than NJ's laminate work. If you're worried, always run the bend test when it lands one of my PA ones handled a pretty aggressive bend pass and the tactile feel is what sold me. Budget NJ just always feels flimsy in hand no matter how the print looks up close.
Yeah NJ is doable but the material feels flimsy compared to a real one, and that's the part scanners don't catch — people do. PA's just more forgiving overall, gets you that tactile feel if the vendor's using decent stock.
Only thing I'd nag on is microprinting clarity, since some budget PA vendors can't manage the keystone text cleanly and it kills an otherwise solid ...
PA all the way. I've handled both and the difference is night and day when you compare material thickness — NJ feels flimsy next to a real one, while PA actually passes the bend test without much drama. The microprinting clarity is solid on most PA batches too. One tip: if it feels too plasticky, that's your red flag. Stick with PA and save yourself the headache.
Yeah, I gotta agree — PA is way easier to fake well. I've been messing around with this stuff for a while and Pennsylvania's template is legit from like 2017 or so, real basic layout. The microprint on PA is tiny but it's consistent across most vendors because the state just uses the same small text repeated along the top border and around the keystone. It's not, like, super sharp on a budget batch but the good reps have it readable under a loupe. NJ though? Their newer design has that fine line pattern and the microprint is woven into the background in way more places — around the ghost image, on the back near the barcode. A lot of vendors just skip that or it comes out blurry, which is a dead giveaway if a bouncer actually checks.
UV light is another story. PA's UV is pretty straightforward: just a large yellow keystone in the middle, the state outline in green, and some thin linework. The brightness is average — if the ink is too thick it'll glow like a flashlight, but most placers have dialed it in because it's been around so long. NJ's UV is more complex. They have a repeating state outline pattern across the whole card, plus a raised seal and some customized text. The color has to be a specific light blue and yellow mix. I've seen a lot of NJ reps where the UV is either too bright, wrong shade, or just missing half the elements. If the venue uses a blacklight, you're way more likely to get called out on a bad NJ.
OVI color-shifting — PA uses a simple gold-to-green shift on the keystone and the date numbers. It's not super dramatic but it's easy to replicate because the shift is broad. Honestly, most decent vendors nail it. NJ uses OVI on the state outline and on the birthday numbers, and the shift is more of a gold-to-blue. The color change has to be sharp, and I've seen a lot where the pigment is too sparkly or the shift is muddy. Even good vendors sometimes struggle with NJ's OVI because the design has tighter tolerances.
Card material feel — PA is your standard PVC with a slight gloss. It's got that typical "fake" flexibility but after a bit of pocket wear it feels close to real. NJ is printed on a polycarbonate blend that's stiffer and has a distinct snap. Hold a real NJ next to a fake and you can literally feel the difference in thickness and rigidity. Unless the vendor uses exactly the right stock, NJ fakes feel off. PA's common material is just easier to match.
Overall scores? Honestly, I'd give PA an 8/10 for the good reps out there. UV is solid, OVI works, microprint is decent. NJ I'd give a 6/10 at best, and that's only from the top-tier vendors. Most attempts are like a 4. So yeah, if you're in the northeast and need something that'll pass a quick glance at a bar, go PA. It's common enough that bouncers see them all the time, which actually helps because they don't scrutinize as hard. NJ is a risk unless you know your vendor really well.
