Vintage vs Modern Printing Techniques

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Posted By: runscott

Okay, I got some reaction to my e95 Reulbach scan which showed "hex" dot patterns. The experts apparently felt that 1909 caramel cards should display only various sized dots. I hate to mess with well-established mindsets, but the Reulbach is REAL, not a reprint. I wasn't aware of exactly when the "hex" dot patterns came into use, but I had seen them on other pre-wwI issues as well, so I assumed that sometime around 1909 the practice began.

However, thoughts to the contrary by one expert, and vague uneasiness by another expert (both of whom I have tremendous respect for) caused me to go through my collection looking for more such patterns. My e95 Wagner DID NOT show the "hexes", nor did my e96 Rucker. But both of my e103's showed hexes, and both are beat-up commons, one with vintage writing on the back. I am sure that all three are vintage. BTW, all of these cards have clean white borders with normal beat-up corners and vintage scrapes and scratches. The name/team printing also checks out vintage.

If anyone else has an e95 Reulbach, could you please check for the "hexes" and post your opinion here? Same for e103 collectors. Perhaps we are about to date a printing process that was thought to be "modern" but actually began prior to wwI.

Thanks,Scott

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Posted By: Wesley

I am not an expert, but I presume SGC knows how to spot reprints.

My SGC 4 E95 Reulbach has hexes on the face.

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Posted By: MW

Wes,

You are absolutely correct. SGC would EASILY spot and reject a reprinted E95 Reulbach.