51 Bowman Mantle help.
 

I recently bought a raw 51 Bowman Mickey Mantle from ebay for $1,400. I would never buy a raw car like this but the seller has 19,000+ stars and 100% feedback and I also bought a 33 Gehrig (beater) form them as well. I got both cards today and the Gehrig looks good but the back of the Mantle looks fuzzy, I am not sure if I should send it in to be graded or just ask for a refund. Let me say I think the front is okay and the card is on thick card stock but I just cant get over the back and was hoping for some opinions. Link is below.
-Thanks

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390344330712...ht_2448wt_1132

Hard to tell without seeing the card in person.

One thing to be mindful about positive feedback on e-bay, the dollar amounts of the seller's previous recent sales almost never approach even $100 so this is a totally different animal for them. Don't know the seller so nothing against them, just my observation as a long time e-bayer.

Have you got scans you've done? The ones he has don't look good at all, but that could be the scanner settings or resize settings.

If it has that striped look in person it's probably not good.

Steve B

Seller said it is 100% authentic and if it comes back anything different from the grader they will refund me for the card and the grading fees.... Will see how it goes. Thanks for the help!

Mantle
 

Get that card graded ASAP.....Doesnt look authentic and if it is ....the card looks to be trimmed thus the guarantee of authentic by the seller. Good Luck

I agree with the above posts... scans don't look good at all. That being said, your seller seems to be totally on the up and up. If it's a mistake, I'm not too concerned you won't be able to get your money back no questions asked. Just a hastle I'm sure you don't want to deal with.

'51 Bowman Mantle
 

I thought essentially the same things as those posted above. Agree with Jon...seems like a good seller and hopefully you won't have issues if it turns out to be fake. I have a fake mantle and the printing is "washed" or light in color and Mantle's face appears sunburned. Conversely, on the originals I have, the colors are deeper and his face is not "sunburned" in appearance.

Best of luck.

ZWheat

Unless it's somehow an effect produced by the scanner, I would be very suspicious of the fine cross-hatching on both sides. It gives the impression of a carelessly executed photocopy. Can't really tell without seeing the actual card up close, though.

Get it graded soon. There is just something that doesn't look kosher....

It sort of has the look of the "aged reprint" cards. It'd be interesting to see a hi-res scan and a photo in some bright sunlight for comparison, as it might just be weird scanner settings, as others have mentioned.

The card does have that yellow look to the front of it but I have seen that before. What made me want to return it was the back was very fuzzy and did not look like the other 51's I have or the PSA 4.5 Mantle I sold a few weeks ago. I sent it in to be graded last week and should have it back around Wed.

Card came back as a fake (Questionable Authenticity) I opened a case and hope to get refunded soon.