IMO, the two best pieces of advice in this thread are....From Steve B....3) "The very best way to avoid fakes is to handle and I mean physically without slabs or sleeves or anything a bunch of whatever you want to collect. I'd want to experience a few hundred 52 topps before I bought a Mantle. Or a bunch of T206s before buying a high grade HOFer. Rare cards are a bit tougher, but handling a good number of original old cards will give you a feel for what's real or not and just how old a printed item is"................ From Ted Z ....."Do not underestimate what a professional paper restorer can achieve with any type of BB card."....... I might add to Teds quote that ALL paper (comic books, World Series programs, tickets, etc) can be restored..... Wherever big dollars become involved (Baseball cards,Coins, Classic Cars, Real Estate, Mortgage brokers,etc) fraud will follow. If you don't understand what you are buying, don't buy it. There is no substitute for experience, in any field, and often times those who jump in over their head too swiftly, will have the quickest "education"
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