1989 Fleer Randy Johnson #381 Marlboro Errors - 30 Years Later

[bnorth]

Anybody have any "tricks" they use to be able to see the sign better? As I have gotten older I find it way harder to tell them apart.

A couple things I do. Make sure to look at them in a room(or outside) that has as much sunlight as possible. At night with just lights on in a room they all look like box cards to me. The yellow line printing error Bill Ripkens are the same way. Can't see the line without good sun light.

I have also found taking pics with a 10X loupe of the sign area using my phone helps. Then up load them to my computer and compressing it to 25% of original size helps a lot.

Anybody else have any tricks they use?

Also, besides the 2 very light red tint and the 3 or 4 known blue tints what is considered the rarest version. I have been away from super collecting them for some time. Back several years ago the green scribble was considered the toughest.

[ALR-bishop]

Hey Ben, I have a few versions of this and and the Ripken card that I picked up years ago, but never got into collecting them to the depth you are talking about. Do you think all of these different versions are from the original printing process or were some created after the fact. I know some of my Ripkens are fakes, not sure about the Johnsons. Agree with you about old eyes, and that would keep me from getting back into these things to any greater degree

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Hey Ben, I have a few versions of this and and the Ripken card that I picked up years ago, but never got into collecting them to the depth you are talking about. Do you think all of these different versions are from the original printing process or were some created after the fact. I know some of my Ripkens are fakes, not sure about the Johnsons. Agree with you about old eyes, and that would keep me from getting back into these things to any greater degree

I have also seen a lot of fake/altered Bill Ripken cards. Never seen it in the Randy Johnson versions. I did think the 2 super rare Johnson versions might be altered cards. After some testing I was wrong.

[Statfreak101]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Hey Ben, I have a few versions of this and and the Ripken card that I picked up years ago, but never got into collecting them to the depth you are talking about. Do you think all of these different versions are from the original printing process or were some created after the fact. I know some of my Ripkens are fakes, not sure about the Johnsons. Agree with you about old eyes, and that would keep me from getting back into these things to any greater degree

Upon having done a good amount of research on the Johnson card and collecting of it, I have never seen anyone go to the extent of faking or reprinting this card. Surprisingly, this card still flies under the radar as of today! Which, is fine with me.

[ALR-bishop]

How many of the Johnson and Ripken variants ( and which ones ) do you guys think were intended by the manufacturer (as opposed to unintended differences occurring in the printing process )

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

How many of the Johnson and Ripken variants ( and which ones ) do you guys think were intended by the manufacturer (as opposed to unintended differences occurring in the printing process )

The only altered ones are the Bill Ripken cards. White Out cards IMHO they are all 100% fake. Show me one in hand and I can tell you within seconds how it was altered/made. I have never seen a single one that was not obviously altered from the way it left the printing press. Then there are the hole punch cards. Supposedly it was something Fleer actually done to a few cards. Problem is anyone with a hole punch can make one. I have also seen a ton of the fake saw cuts, but there are also a ton of real ones.

eBay is flooded with a ton of counterfeit Bill Ripkens of all variations and has been for over a year.

On both cards all the changes were intentionally done by Fleer. The printing process doesn't make alterations. Printing errors are way different that what went on with those 2 cards.

[hockeyhockey]

what's weird to me is that you can find a marlboro johnson in a wax box, and then find a blacked out johnson in the same box. maybe that's just normal, or maybe the box had packs from a different box.

[Statfreak101]

Originally Posted by hockeyhockey

what's weird to me is that you can find a marlboro johnson in a wax box, and then find a blacked out johnson in the same box. maybe that's just normal, or maybe the box had packs from a different box.

This is 100% accurate.

[Statfreak101]

Originally Posted by hockeyhockey

what's weird to me is that you can find a marlboro johnson in a wax box, and then find a blacked out johnson in the same box. maybe that's just normal, or maybe the box had packs from a different box.

I have opened many wax boxes from sealed cases and have found this to be true.

Just weird.