W517 Original vs. Reproductions

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Posted By: Scott

I saw in the 2005 Standard Catalogue of Baseball Cards that the 1931 W517 strip cards were re-printed in three card strip format in 2000. Is there a way to tell the original from the 2000 re-print--especially if one is buying the card online without being able to feel it? Thanks, Scott

[Archive]

Posted By: Paul

I got taken on these a few years ago. If the scan is of high quality, you can tell. The originals were printed on slightly toned paper, or paper that yellowed over time. To see if it's a fake, blow up the scan. The borders and the circle where the card number appears should be slightly toned. That's normal. If the card is fake, these regions will be made of dozens or hundreds of tiny yellow dots, all spaced apart from each other. That's how modern printing or copying equipment reproduces the aged, toned look of the originals.

The key is to look in an area that shouldn't have any printing. The borders and the circle where the card number appears are the best places to look.