Question for the board re: t201's

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Posted By: Mike Taylor

Someone has offered to sell me some T201 Mecca double folders. I need to know if this particular issue has ever been done as a reprint set and if so, how do you tell the real from the fake/reprint?

A novice vintage collector wants to know,

Mike Taylor

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Posted By: MW

Can you post an image of the card?

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Posted By: Jason Duncan

I have a set. The reprints are on paper like material and are duller images. Be careful. If you posted a scan we could help.

Jason

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Posted By: Mike Taylor

Unfortunatly, I don't have a scan to post. The story behind this offer is that one of my informal network of friends who don't collect cards but look out for cards for me found out about them from a friend of his. Based on the description I got from my friend, I concluded that they were T201s and that they were in at least mid-grade condition. There are about a half dozen cards including a Falkenburg/Lajoie and the asking price is $150 for the lot. I'll be able to see the cards over the holidays and I'm looking for specific things to look for when I examine the cards.

1) Is the card stock similar to T205/206 card stock?

2) Is there a gloss or finish to originals or does the dullness of fakes refer to the quality of the image?

3) Can a fake be spotted by looking at the print/dot pattern under a magnifying loupe?

I want to believe I'm on to a good deal, but I'd like to be armed with some more knowledge before I make a decision.


Mike Taylor

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Posted By: hankron

Under strong magnification, the player images on the reprints will be made up of a fine multi-color dot pattern just like modern trading cards.

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Posted By: jay behrens

some clues to look for on real cards, almost all cards appear to have a "v" cut on the left and right edges. It seems the card were cut when they were folded over. Truely straight t201 is fairly uncommon. The few reprints I've seen, the paper stock is too white on the back. Legit cards should not have any gloss at all. It's been 15 years since I've had one in my hands, so that's the best I can do from memory, but I did put 3 sets together.

Jay

The difference between genius and insanity is acceptance.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Hankron: I have a 4X loupe. Is that strong enough to look at the print patterns or do I need something stronger?

Jay: Thanks for the tip! I looked at some scans of genuine cards on eBay and I see exactly what you mean about the V cut.

Thanks to everyone for the help,

Mike Taylor

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Posted By: hankron

I don't have a 4x loupe, so I don't know what you can see with it. In general, I recommend collectors getting a pocket microscope of 50x to 100x powers. Little hand held versions can be bought for cheap on eBay. However, to see the dot pattern you wouldn't need nearly that strength.

If needed, you can send me one of the cards with SASE and I will let you know if it's original or reprint. If the seller allows you to return them if they are reprints, this would solve all your buyer worries.
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Posted By: hankron

Take a microscope or strong glass and look at the player image of any Pre-WWI trading card. If the player image is made of up a tiny multi-color dot pattern just like on a 1980s Topps or color magazine picture it's a reprint or counterfeit. This is whether the card is an Allen & Ginter, T206, T3 Turkey Red, Old Judge or T200 Fatima.

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Posted By: martindl

Don't know about a 4X loupe, but a 10X loupe works perfectly to tell the difference between new and old.

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Posted By: Mike Taylor

I finally got a chance to look at the cards in person and decided not to buy them. As far as I could tell, the condition of the cards was nice and the dot pattern looked good when I viewed them under my loupe. However, none of the cards had the v-cut on them. Although I realize that they do sometimes come without the v-cut, I don't know enough to make a determination of authenticity and thus said no to the deal.

Once again thanks to everyone for their help,

Mike Taylor

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Posted By: Rob L

The only reprints of T201's that I know of were included in the book with a forward by Burt Sugar. Those are all on heavy cardboard type paper and are glossy. Has anyone ever seen a counterfeit or early reprint of these?

Rob L

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Posted By: jay behrens

Lee has a reprint of a t201 that I've seen, so they are out there. Having owned 3 sets of these cards, it was very easy to see this was a reprint right away.

Jay

Wow upside down is Mom. Mom upside down is what dad wants to see.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

A friend of mine bought a Walter Johnson reprint off ebay and had it for over a year before i had the unenviable task of telling him it was a fake.It looked enough like an old card to fool an inexperienced collector but not enough to fool someone who collects them.

I have 1 t201 just as a type card but ive looked at 100's between ebay and card shows so i knew right away while my friend who collects t206s and cards from the 50's obviously didnt know till i told him,and then i gave him a 2nd opinion from an expert just so he knew i knew what i was talking about