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HankronIf you plan on collecting T206s and Goudeys, the best thing for detecting problems in person is experience: buying, handling and examinging a vareity of the cards. As the the lower grade commons are affordable, you can gain experience, well, affordably. Once you are experienced, you will have an eye for what is genuine and for detecting most alterations in person.
I am working on issuing an authentication guide kit, which will include the printed and expanded guide once on my site, along with standard examination equipment and a variety of card, paper and printing samples. The samples will include geuine and reprinted cards so the collector can learn how to tell the difference, and will also possibly include items with alterations (I can never find a working pen when I need one, so we'll see). One of the major problems in issuing an authentication guide online or in print, is that the reader is miles away and can't ask inperson questions and we can't look at the same item at the same time. I thought the way to solve this problem would be to include with the book, a black light, microscope along with a wide varity of carefully picked out samples that are clearly labelled as to what it is and what they should be looking for. So, not only can the reader read about 1880s lithography and 1920s photoengraving, but he will have their own microscope and actual vintage printing samples to look at in their living room. Not only will the reader read about black light, but she will have carefully picked out paper samples to look at in their own living room ... I firmly beleive that with the kit, an inteligent and motivated beginner can learn the essentials to judging the authenticity of early baseball cards and early trading cards in general.