Amazing 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken find

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by butchie_t

Ben,

I am unpacking things and came across the signed 89F Billy Ripken.
He did not quite cover up the bat handle but did come close.

Very cool, thanks for posting it.

Weirdly Billy did a signing recently and signed the FF version for the low price of $75 each. Usually he won't sign it.

[jacksoncoupage]

http://1989fleerripken.blogspot.com/...vered.html?m=1

Im only seeing this now. Seems like a huge development for this card.

Forgive me if this collector is a regular here and Im late to the party.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by jacksoncoupage

http://1989fleerripken.blogspot.com/...vered.html?m=1

Im only seeing this now. Seems like a huge development for this card.

Forgive me if this collector is a regular here and Im late to the party.

Depends on how you look at it. To me it is just a large find of counterfeit cards. It is a very cool find but it doesn't change what the card is. Just my opinion on this "Mystery" card. I am not a expert but did recently stay at a Holiday Inn Express for multiple nights.

[jacksoncoupage]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Depends on how you look at it. To me it is just a large find of counterfeit cards. It is a very cool find but it doesn't change what the card is. Just my opinion on this "Mystery" card. I am not a expert but did recently stay at a Holiday Inn Express for multiple nights.

I remember seeing Donovan (or maybe Jon) first mention this card many years back and my initial thought was that it had to be a counterfeit (cashing in on the FF craze, likely in 1989), but whoever it was who first broke news of it really made a compelling case for it being some oddity produced by/for Fleer.

Is the general consensus now that these are, in fact, fakes?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by jacksoncoupage

I remember seeing Donovan (or maybe Jon) first mention this card many years back and my initial thought was that it had to be a counterfeit (cashing in on the FF craze, likely in 1989), but whoever it was who first broke news of it really made a compelling case for it being some oddity produced by/for Fleer.

Is the general consensus now that these are, in fact, fakes?

I have heard some very compelling stories but it doesn't change that they are extremely obvious fakes IMO.

There are so many differences in ways that make no sense in printing that Fleer would have never done this for any reason.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I have heard some very compelling stories but it doesn't change that they are extremely obvious fakes IMO.

There are so many differences in ways that make no sense in printing that Fleer would have never done this for any reason.

The backs seem to definitely give it away that it is counterfeit. The poor clarity in separation of text and the grey scale. The large disparity in orange tint colors seem to give it up as a copy also.

I am with you, not the greatest fake but makes sense that people would have been producing fakes during the craze and the extras pop up years later.

[jacksoncoupage]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I have heard some very compelling stories but it doesn't change that they are extremely obvious fakes IMO.

There are so many differences in ways that make no sense in printing that Fleer would have never done this for any reason.

I think everything you laid out in your statement on Jon's site makes a lot of sense. My initial thoughts on it back when it first turned up (2010ish?) seemed like an obvious counterfeit. And now it appears that another 1500 or so have turned up. Go figure!

[jp1216]

The first "Mystery" FF card was identified over 20 years ago. It was the only known example for nearly 10 years - and yes - there were a few of us looking. By 2010 one or two would appear on eBay. That continued +/- until this huge discovery.

The "Mystery" FF has many differences compared to the original. Many of those are better on the "Mystery" card. Unlike any fake I've ever seen before. I still feel like these were professionally made and not like 99% of other fakes out there. By who and why? Who knows.....