Counterfeits coming from Italy

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Can you show an example of a Mira you think was fake? When I've looked on ebay Italy for Miras I see a bunch of $4 cards and a bunch recovered from albums.

A listing by eBay seller "comeravamo17" for a 1968 Mira album and stickers (item #302784423461) described as "Album figurine tuttosport imira completo con figurine da attaccare no panini lampo", which translates as a Mira Tuttosport album complete with stickers to attach not Panini or Lampo. The title added the word "anastatico".

I was underbidder on the lot. The buyer left negative feedback stating "Everything was reprints. Seller refused refund. Don't fall for the anastatic BS". The seller's response to the negative was "I specified several times that it was anastatic at the end but it did not return it"

Anastatic printing is a printing method but this ass-clown was using that word as code for reprint. I narrowly dodged getting cheated only because I was too cheap to top an E278 (about $300) bid.

What is scary isn't that the seller is a scumbag, it is that the cards and album themselves looked damned good on eBay. Scary good.

[Arazi4442]

Corason78 has now changed user ID to topazziostickers and still has several items for sale.

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by Arazi4442

Corason78 has now changed user ID to topazziostickers and still has several items for sale.

Yeah, it looks like it's the same person. I negged his other account (twice) and now he has to sell all his Platini and Cruyff fakes through his topazziostickers account.

[Collect Equity]

Great thread!!! As I mentioned in another thread, I was taken by a seller in Mexico who sent me a bunch of fake Mexican soccer cards. It really took the wind out of my collecting sales for a few months. It’s so important to be educated and wary.

A few questions on the topics in this thread:

1) Can someone show some examples of the different types of printing to look for with a loupe? Specifically, if I am buying cards from the 60s or 70s what kind of patterns should I see or not see compared to home made reprints? (Note: I don’t care about the specific card, just general examples). It’s hard for me to know what type of printing was and was not around in the 1970s, to be able to compare against.

2) Toppaziostickers is offering a Pele Sicker Verlag with back damage due to being taken from an album. I have always trusted back-damaged cards that appear album removed as a sign of authenticity. Can anyone confirm if they have seen counterfeiters fake back damage?

3) if you do buy a fake PSA card, isn’t there buyer protection of some kind?

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by Collect Equity

1) Can someone show some examples of the different types of printing to look for with a loupe? Specifically, if I am buying cards from the 60s or 70s what kind of patterns should I see or not see compared to home made reprints? (Note: I don’t care about the specific card, just general examples). It’s hard for me to know what type of printing was and was not around in the 1970s, to be able to compare against.

2) Toppaziostickers is offering a Pele Sicker Verlag with back damage due to being taken from an album. I have always trusted back-damaged cards that appear album removed as a sign of authenticity. Can anyone confirm if they have seen counterfeiters fake back damage?

3) if you do buy a fake PSA card, isn’t there buyer protection of some kind?

1. This is something you have to do yourself. I want you to get your loupe and examine some of the cards in your collection. Look at the printing dots, corners, edges, and the lettering on the backs. This is the only way you can become an expert. Then when somebody sends you a counterfeit, it will take you a few seconds to realize that something is wrong. It is something that will just come to you automatically.

2. Let me ask you a question: have you ever seen a counterfeiter on eBay, who has 75 items up for sale, and all 75 of them are fake? I haven't. Sure, you might find a few of them that are real, especially the low-priced ones. His Sicker-Verlag Pele might be real. However, that's irrelevant here.

3. You have to ask PSA about this.

[thelimey]

Here is a pretty flagrant auction of counterfeits; all 3 stickers, multiple copies & zero feedback https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rookie-Mi...8AAOSw3YpbnUph

[samosa4u]

You will notice that the item location is also in Argentiera, Italy. It's probably the same guy.

This guy is going to make thousands and thousands of dollars selling these fakes. Here is why:

- It is so easy for him to make multiple accounts.

- PSA can't tell a real one from a fake. A lot of them are going to get encapsulated and his buyers will be happy.

- The authorities in Italy probably don't give a sh*t.

- He probably has a closet full of them.