I'll never forget the feeling. It was a box from The Monsters Mischief Diary series. I wasn't expecting anything, just filling out the set. I sliced open the foil bag, and instead of the familiar vinyl of a regular figure, I saw it. The unmistakable, slightly different design of a secret. My heart did that little pitter-patter thing every collector knows. But the real confirmation, the trophy, was the small, stiff card that fell out with it: the Secret ID card.
That little card is everything in the world of high-stakes blind box collecting. And lately, I've been getting a ton of questions about it at PopNya, especially with all the hype and the crazy secondary market prices. People are searching for "pop mart labubu secret id" because they're either terrified of getting scammed or they've pulled one and want to know what they're holding.
So let's talk about it. Not the corporate spiel from Pop Mart's website, but the real, in-the-trenches collector and seller perspective.
First, What Exactly IS the Labubu ID Card?
When you open a blind box from most modern Pop Mart series and pull a "secret" or "chase" figure, you get two things other people don't: the unique figure itself and a special collector's card. This is the ID card. For regular figures in the set, you just get a small, flimsy paper card showing the whole collection. For a secret, you get a premium, credit-card-like ID that is specific to that secret figure.
It's your proof. Your certificate of authenticity. Your golden ticket.
This card typically has a beautiful render of the secret figure on the front and, most importantly, a QR code on the back, often hidden under a scratch-off panel. This isn't just any pop mart labubu id; it's the one that separates the common from the coveted.
The Confusing Case of the "Big into Energy" Secret: The "ID" Figure
Okay, let's clear something up that trips up a lot of new collectors. One of the most popular recent series is "The Monsters Big into Energy," which is a series of Labubu plush pendants. The secret figure in that specific series is literally named "ID."
Yes, the secret is a Labubu dressed up as a little ID card holder. It's very meta.
So when people search for "pop mart labubu secret id," they are often looking for two things: general information about the secret ID cards, OR they are looking for this specific plush pendant.
And let me tell you, the market for that little guy went absolutely bananas. I watched it go from a standard retail price of around $18 to hitting over $220 on StockX and eBay within a month of its release. It was madness. We got a few cases for PopNya, and the moment we announced we had the secret "ID" in stock (we sell our secrets open-box so you know what you're getting), it was gone in minutes. This is the kind of hype that makes understanding the authenticity of these items so important. If you're going to spend that kind of money, you need to be sure you're getting the real deal.
Real Talk: Why This Little Card Is a Big Deal
As someone who both buys and sells these, the ID card is non-negotiable when dealing with opened secrets.
For Buyers: If you are buying a secret figure from a reseller on eBay, Mercari, a Facebook group, anywhere, and they do not have the original secret ID card, walk away. I cannot stress this enough. The figure could be a very convincing fake, or it could be a regular figure that someone is trying to pass off as a secret. The card is your single best piece of evidence that the figure is legitimate. No card, no deal. Period.
For Sellers (like me): The card is my verification. When I'm sourcing products, especially from distributors or other collectors, the first thing I check for with a secret is the card. I inspect its print quality, the cardstock, and the condition of the scratch-off panel. It helps me guarantee to my customers at PopNya that what they're buying is 100% authentic. It also helps in identifying tampered cases. A common scam is for someone to buy a case, carefully open the boxes until they find the secret, take the secret figure and its ID card, replace it with a regular figure, and then try to return the case or sell the remaining boxes as "unsearched." It's a scummy practice, but it happens.
The struggle to get legitimate stock is real, and it's something I've written about before when discussing the challenges of sourcing LABUBU wholesale. The ID card is one of our few defenses against this kind of fraud.
The QR Code: Your Digital Trophy (With a Catch)
So what about that QR code on the back?
When you scratch it off and scan it with your phone, it typically prompts you to open the Pop Mart Global app. Once in the app, it will register that specific, unique code to your personal account, adding the secret to your digital collection. It's a cool feature. It feels official.
But here's the catch: A code can only be registered once.
This is a double-edged sword. If you're the one who pulled the secret from a sealed box, it's fantastic. You register it, and it's yours, digitally and physically. No one else can claim that specific code.
However, if you're buying on the secondary market, the seller may have already scratched and scanned the code. Does this devalue the figure? In my opinion, yes, slightly. A "virgin" unscanned card is always more desirable to hardcore collectors. When you're buying a pre-owned secret, you should always ask the seller if the code has been scanned. A trustworthy seller will be upfront about it. If they get defensive or vague, that's a red flag.
This is why, when you're looking for a specific figure, you need to be so careful about where you buy and how to spot fakes, because a scanned code is just one of the many little details to worry about.
A Collector's Playbook: How to Handle the Secret ID
Whether you're hunting or have already captured your prize, here's my personal playbook.
If You're Buying a Secret Open-Box: * Demand Photos of the Card: Don't just accept a photo of the figure. You need clear, well-lit photos of the front and back of the secret ID card. * Inspect the Photo: Zoom in. Does the printing look crisp? Or is it blurry and low-resolution? Fakes often have poor print quality. The colors might be slightly off. * Ask About the QR Code: Directly ask, "Has the QR code been scratched/scanned?" Get a clear "yes" or "no." * Check the Seller's Reputation: Look at their reviews. Have they sold other designer toys? Do other buyers mention authenticity? * Trust Your Gut: If the price is too good to be true for a hyper-popular secret, it probably is. A $200 secret selling for $50 is a massive red flag.
If You Pull a Secret Yourself: * Celebrate! Seriously, enjoy the moment. It's a huge thrill. * Be Careful with the Card: Don't just toss it aside. Put it in a safe place. Some collectors even use card sleeves (like for Pokémon cards) to protect it. * To Scratch or Not to Scratch? This is the big question. If you are 100% sure you will never, ever sell the figure, then go for it! Scratch it, scan it, and add it to your digital shelf. It's a satisfying feeling. But if there's even a tiny part of you that might consider trading or selling it down the line, maybe hold off. An unscratched card holds slightly more value and appeal in the secondary market.
The hunt itself is a huge part of the fun. I remember my own hunt for LABUBU in NYC, going from store to store, feeling the weight of the boxes, and sharing the excitement with other fans. That experience is something you can't buy on eBay.
The Dark Side: Fake ID Cards Are Now a Thing
I wish I didn't have to write this part, but it's the reality of a hyped market. Scammers are getting smarter. I have seen, with my own eyes, fake secret ID cards being produced and sold in bulk online. They are designed to be paired with fake figures to create a more convincing scam.
How to spot them? It's getting harder, but here are some tells I've noticed: * The Feel: Real ID cards have a specific thickness and a smooth, matte or semi-gloss finish. Fakes can feel flimsy, overly glossy, or have a rougher, cheaper texture. * The QR Code Panel: The scratch-off material on fakes sometimes looks "off." It might be a slightly different shade of silver or have a texture that flakes away messily instead of scratching off cleanly. * The Link: If you do scan a QR code and it takes you to a weird, non-Pop Mart URL or a generic QR code landing page, you have a fake. A real one should interface directly with the official Pop Mart app.
This is why it's so important to know how to get a LABUBU in the first place from reputable sources, whether that's an official store, a trusted retailer like us, or a vetted reseller.
Our Take
Look, the pop mart labubu secret id is an awesome part of the collecting experience. It adds a layer of verification and gamification to the hobby that is genuinely fun. In the secondary market, it's your shield. But don't let it become the only thing you care about. I've seen collectors get so obsessed with chasing secrets that they forget to enjoy the beautiful designs of the regular figures in a set. Kasing Lung's art is incredible across the board, not just on the 1/144 chase figure.
My honest advice? If you're new to this, don't dive straight into the deep end by dropping hundreds on a secret. Buy a few blind boxes from a series you love. Feel the thrill of the unknown. Fall in love with the characters. You can browse our LABUBU collection to see the amazing variety that exists beyond just the secrets. The joy of this hobby is in the art and the community, not just the resale value. The ID card is a tool and a trophy, but the monster is the real treasure.
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