[thecatspajamas]

Bill, your original premise is excellent, and if all collectors moving into a new area of collecting did something similar, there would be far fewer fraudsters lining their pockets at the expense of inexperienced collectors.

Buying the "cheap stuff" first and becoming familiar familiar with the new area you are moving into is excellent advice, regardless of whether you are dipping your toes into pre-war cards, vintage photographs, autographs, game-used, whatever. Some of the wisest advice I have heard went something like, "You're going to make mistakes early on, so isn't it better to make a mistake on a $5 purchase than on a $5k purchase?"

As with anything, the more you handle of the real thing (regardless of value), the easier it will be to recognize the fakes. The only thing I might add is, why stop with one cheap exemplar to compare to? Pick up 2 or 3 or 4, in different conditions, and then you've really got something to go from. Like I said though, I think you have a great approach, and are far less likely to be taken advantage of as you slowly edge into deeper waters than those who dive head first into the deep end before they've had their first swimming lesson.

Edited to add: I think it was David Cycleback who I'm quoting, though he may have been quoting someone else...?