There are several important steps you should take to verify that a baseball card is authentic and not a fake. Properly authenticating cards is crucial whether you are looking to purchase raw cards to add to a collection or sell valuable vintage cards.
One of the first things to check is the condition and feel of the cardboard stock the card is printed on. Authentic cards from the early 1900s through the 1980s were printed on thick, pulp-based paper stock that had a bit of texture to it. Replica or reprint cards may feel extremely thin and glossy in comparison. You can do a bend test as well – authentic vintage stock will have some give to it compared to fakes.
Carefully inspect the front and back images under good lighting. On the front, check for sharpness and clarity of any colors, logos and text. Fakes sometimes have blurry or pixelated images. On the back, examine small details like manufacturer’s logos and copyright information. Reprints occasionally miss small but important details. Also feel the surface – retro cards had a slightly textured coating versus a completely smooth fake.
Under high magnification or with a jeweler’s loupe, analyze things like color transitions, small dots that make up halftone colors and sharpness of edges. Modern printers can’t duplicate the slightly ragged, hand-cut edges of card images from the early 20th century. Authentics will show imperfections whereas a fake aims for perfection. Examine text for evenness, spacing and kerning which is hard to replicate exactly.
Check card registration by lining up the front image with any boxer or logo on the back. These were printed separately in the old days so a fake may not match up precisely. Vintage cards also had slight variations in centering front to back. Fakes endeavor for perfect centering. Also look for signs of aging on images, like dinginess, that match the stated age of the card.
Inspect holograms, serial numbers or other security features if the card is supposed to have them. Counterfeiters sometimes add fake but also poorly-made holograms or numbers that don’t stand up to scrutiny. Document irregular surface textures, embossing, etc. that are hard to replicate accurately on a fake.
For valuable vintage cards, carefully examine the edges under magnification for signs the cardboard stock was trimmed by hand rather than machine sliced. Authentics will show irregularities while replicas aim for perfectly straight edges. Also look inside the card at its structure – vintage cards differ in layering versus modern commons.
Consider having the card graded and authenticated by a respected third party company like PSA/DNA or BGS if it could be highly valuable. The grading process includes verification of printing technique, materials, image sharpness, centering and more factors authenticators know to check. A grade and “authentic” designation from these services adds confidence to a card’s authenticity.
Always be cautious of cards that seem too perfect condition-wise for their age. Examine stories of provenance for compelling supporting facts if purchasing an expensive vintage card without third party verification already. Ask questions, compare to known authentic examples and be wary of cards being sold outside normal hobby marketplaces until properly authenticated.
Following these thorough inspection and verification steps takes time but helps ensure only genuine baseball cards become part of a collection or offered for sale instead of poorly-made fakes. Properly checking all factors and having faith in the authenticity process protects collectors and prevents unwanted financial surprises down the road. With care paid to accuracy of details, many forgeries can be spotted but an occasional fake still slips through – so buyer and seller should take precautions.