Altered physical cards, QR codes and digital ownership
On this page
In Altered, receiving a physical card does not automatically transfer its digital ownership. A QR code already registered to another collection cannot simply be claimed again by scanning it. Agree what is being transferred—physical card, digital ownership, or both—and verify each through the appropriate process. Print-On-Demand cards add another distinction because their QR codes do not create additional ownership.
Describe the transaction in two columns
The official Altered QR guidance explains that an unowned original card can be registered, while scanning an already registered card provides information rather than a new ownership claim. Its Print-On-Demand FAQ explains how newly printed physical copies relate to existing digital ownership. Together, these rules make “one card for one card” an incomplete trade description.
Use two explicit columns when agreeing an exchange: physical object and digital ownership. For the physical object, specify identity, language, version, condition and whether it is an original or a POD copy. For the digital entry, specify which eligible ownership and how many copies the transfer includes.
A trade might legitimately involve only the physical object if both collectors understand that arrangement. Another might require both. The problem is ambiguity, not one universally correct deal type. A buyer expecting competitive digital collection rights needs different evidence from a collector buying an illustrated physical item for a binder.
Scanning reveals a state; it does not fix every state
If an original card is unowned, the official application can register it through the supported process. If it is already registered to another collection, scanning is not a permission to overwrite that ownership. Ask the seller to use the current official transfer process instead of promising that scanning after delivery will always solve it.
Imagine a hypothetical mailed trade. The physical card arrives in excellent condition, but its QR is registered elsewhere and no digital transfer was agreed or completed. The surface condition is correct; the digital issue is independent. Photographing the card does not transfer an account record, and a complete-looking physical product does not prove the account state.
Conversely, a digital transfer does not prove a physical card has been posted or that it matches the promised condition. Record each event separately. A screenshot of a collection entry is not delivery evidence for a physical parcel.
| What has happened | What you can establish | What still needs checking |
|---|---|---|
| Physical card received | Possession and inspectable condition | Promised digital ownership |
| Original unowned QR successfully registered | The supported ownership claim in your collection | Physical identity and transaction terms |
| Already registered QR scanned | Information and existing state | Transfer through the supported process |
| POD card scanned | Relationship to existing ownership | Whether ownership was part of the deal |
| Digital transfer received | Relevant collection entry | Any promised physical delivery |
POD copies do not multiply ownership
The publisher explains that a POD print receives a new QR based on the existing card, described as a child of that original. The new QR does not grant a fresh digital ownership. Printing several physical copies is therefore not a way to create several digital copies for separate transfers.
For a hypothetical example, a player has one eligible digital ownership and requests two physical prints from it. The two prints do not establish two independently transferable digital ownerships. A seller offering those physical copies should not claim that each new QR can simply be scanned as a new unowned original.
This also explains why a POD card may display as already owned. That message is not sufficient to label the physical card counterfeit or accuse a seller of theft. First establish what kind of print it is and what the agreement included. The relationship between a POD child and its original ownership is part of the official system.
Official deck checks concern ownership quantities
Altered's POD FAQ states that official deck checks examine the number of digital ownerships for the relevant card family, rather than requiring the exact parent represented by every physical POD QR. Do not interpret that as permission to play unlimited copies from one digital ownership. The quantity and deck-construction rules remain separate requirements.
For an original hypothetical practice list containing three copies of a relevant family, count the qualifying ownerships you hold under the current rules. Three physical prints alone do not establish three digital ownerships. Likewise, sufficient digital quantities do not excuse a deck that exceeds the format's copy or rarity limits.
Check the current event and official rules before submitting a competitive list. Account collection, card family, physical prints and legal deck composition are four related records, not a single yes/no authenticity test. This guide does not replace the publisher's current tournament procedure.
Keep a valuable QR out of unnecessary public photographs
Because an unowned original can be registered through its QR, avoid exposing a clearly usable unregistered QR in public listings or collection posts. Provide enough information to identify the offered card while reserving ownership-sensitive details for the appropriate verified process. A buyer does not need your account password to understand what is included.
For a local exchange, inspect the physical card and use the official app's current transfer or registration process as agreed. Verify the expected entry in your own collection rather than accepting only an image from the other person's account. Keep a record of the agreement and confirmation without publishing private identifiers.
For a remote exchange, establish the order of steps and a remedy for a mismatched state before sending. Do not assume that a postal proof can resolve a digital transfer or that a digital confirmation can resolve damaged delivery. Each issue has its own evidence and the applicable platform's support procedure.
Write an agreement that survives misunderstandings
A clear original example is: “One physical original card, Spanish-language printing, visible condition as photographed; its digital ownership is included and will be transferred through the official process.” For a POD-only sale, state: “One physical POD copy; no separate digital ownership included.” These are descriptive examples, not a legal contract template or a claim that every current marketplace uses identical terminology.
On a general collection or matching platform, include the distinction in the description. Do not assume a generic card catalogue entry automatically handles Altered digital transfers. TradeMatches can help describe a physical collecting want, but the official Altered system is where the relevant digital ownership must be verified and transferred.
Before treating the transaction as complete, compare physical identity and condition with the agreement, then confirm the intended digital entry and quantity. If either is missing, document that specific gap. An accurate claim such as “physical copy received, included digital ownership still absent” is more useful than saying the whole card is fake.
Frequently asked questions
Can scanning a registered QR give me its ownership?
No. The official guidance distinguishes scanning an already owned card for information from registering an unowned original. Use the supported transfer procedure for an existing ownership.
Does every new POD QR create another digital copy?
No. POD QR codes are linked to an existing ownership and do not create new independent digital ownerships.
Is a POD card showing as already owned necessarily counterfeit?
No. That can follow from the official POD relationship. Check the print type, account state and agreed transaction scope before drawing a conclusion.