Need quick opinion on a W517 strip (large scans)
 

I don't know a lot about this issue, so I was hoping to get some expert opinion. Let's start with - are these legit? Any assistance would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance!


http://packgeek.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/w517a.jpg

http://packgeek.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/w517b.jpg

http://packgeek.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/w517c.jpg

http://packgeek.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/w517d.jpg

Not an expert by any means but of have the same strip of three (acquired from Lelands many years ago) and it looks good to me.

Are those large or mini variations? Either way, Nice pickup!

Thank you, Tom. I've heard of the W517's being counterfeited, but I wasn't sure if they counterfeited entire strips or just single cards.

Thank you. They're a little bigger than normal sized cards, so I'm assuming they're the large version.

Nice. It looked like it may have been in a four pocket page, judging buy the top photo, which would make it mini... Yes, the large are about the size of a regular card. Nice item.

-Matt

They should be approximately 3 x 4 inches.

comparison
 

a comparison piece (and a tough red one at bottom)

http://luckeycards.com/pw517stripof3andred.jpg

Minis are not numbered.... These have numbers on the front; therefore, they are the traditional W517s...

You guys rock!
 

I really appreciate everyone chiming in. So far, from what I can tell - they seem to be the real thing. I hate buying something that I don't know much about, for this very reason.

Will any of the TPG's slab the 3-card strips?

Maybe Beckett but this strip is 11 1/2 inches long. Probably too long for most holders.

Yeah, I was afraid of that. Thanks, Leon!

Agreed. I wish they could be slabbed as they are very awkward to store. I think mine is in a huge top loader like the size used for Life Magazines.

Just a note of caution, back 30 years ago or so someone in PA put out a reproduction of the entire poster. Many were cut up into the individual cards or strips. I believe they are for the most part distinguishable from the gray back as opposed to the originals, most of if not all of which have more of a brownish back. It's hard for me to make out the color of the cardboard from the scans.

The extent to which I am an expert, which I am not, stems from having been burned on some of there some years back.

Thank you for mentioning that. I had heard about counterfeits being out there - which is why I started this thread in the first place. I'll get some good scans of the strip this evening - and hopefully we'll be able to tell from those.

They're real, especially considering the backs. Also, the fakes have "w517" on the front bottom left of each card.

Thanks for the input. I sure hope you're right.

old thread
 

Jeff -

Your thread piqued my curiosity about some W517s I have. I found this rather interesting and informative exchange in ARCHIVE which you may find informative.

Apologies if you have already accessed and read it.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=86228

Cheers

Ken

That's a fantastic reference link, Ken. Thank you so much for sharing that - I had not seen it.

Wow! That thread brings back some memories! I probably still have those images sitting around that no longer show up within the thread. When I have a few minutes, I will try to add some pictures back into that thread.

Speaking of pictures, here are the scans of the strip in question. Let me know if this helps us verify one way or the other...


http://packgeek.files.wordpress.com/.../w517_pro1.jpg

http://packgeek.files.wordpress.com/.../w517_pro2.jpg

http://packgeek.files.wordpress.com/.../w517_pro3.jpg

http://packgeek.files.wordpress.com/.../w517_pro4.jpg

http://packgeek.files.wordpress.com/.../w517_pro5.jpg

Cards are good.

And by the way, w517s were not all made with the same type paper and the size can vary depending on which stock was used, including the size of the borders.

I added some pictures back into the thread above....