Are Type I Photos The Only Safe Bet In This Hobby?

[Bpm0014]

With all of the recent discouraging reports of fake signed T206 cards, trimmed cards, fake autographs, a rebuilt Honus Wagner T206 card, fake World Series Press Pins, etc. etc..... Are type I photos the only safe bet anymore? Is this the only segment of our hobby that's safe? This and maybe game used tickets. Anything else safe? Or no? Just thinking out loud.....

[ullmandds]

I think actual vintage baseball cards are pretty safe?

[Lordstan]

Any place money and desire intersect, fraud will likely occur. There is no totally safe space in collecting of anything.
We all just have to decide how much risk is acceptable in order for us to enjoy our reapective pursuits. The more risk averse one is the less they should collect anything, IMO.

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[slipk1068]

With all the recent depressing events, it is easy to have thoughts like this

[Leon]

How about 8 x 10 type 1s on movie lobby cards? There are lots of great things to collect. And my guess is most mid range vintage cards are fine too. But the ones with pointy corners.....a bit more suspect. (and I own a few)

[JeremyW]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but "type 1" photos rely on the opinions of the experts. It's not an exact science.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Leon

How about 8 x 10 type 1s on movie lobby cards? There are lots of great things to collect. And my guess is most mid range vintage cards are fine too. But the ones with pointy corners.....a bit more suspect. (and I own a few)

Sorry, Leon, those are well known to be repros. Just kidding! (I think.)

[Peter_Spaeth]

This scandal, too, shall pass, and we'll all go right back to oohing and aahing about the stuff in slabs and buying the same stuff we always do and trusting the TPG/As and assuring ourselves that while there's a ton of fraud WE somehow have avoided it and nothing will change. Not a knock on anyone, I'll do the same thing. Human nature.

[Hankphenom]

Photos have had their problems, too, with fake photographer and news service stamps, etc. And I think the process of breaking them down into Henry's four types has proven to have its limitations, also. As people have posted on the threads about the bogus signed T-206 and other cards, there were warning signs regarding the sudden appearance and increasing value of those, and after all, they have been exposed and hopefully everyone will learn something from that. In the end, when the dust settles, no matter whether this guy forged ten of these or a hundred, it will represent a very small percentage of the total universe of good ones. Do you suppose there's anything of value that someone out there isn't trying to reproduce or alter to cash in on? I'd guess that right now a "vintage" Superman lunch box is being manufactured as we speak. If all this scares you, stop collecting. If the probability that one or two percent of your collection is fake terrifies you, stop collecting. Or just collect things that have little or no value on any secondary market, you'll be safe then.