Tips for spotting Fake Exhibits please
 

I've recently really developed a liking to the Exhibits cards. Any tips or help on spotting fakes or so called "reprints"? I recently purchased a Hank Aaron, but when I received it, in hand, it was obviously a fake, the photo was pixelated, and the seller did refund me when I messaged them. But some others are not so obvious in my opinion. This listing thankfully says FAKE , but I definitely could've been fooled.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fox-3-Spahn....m46890.l49292

I've used this page:
http://keymancollectibles.com/exhibitdatechart.htm
To help determine which series or tear a particular card is from.
As I am going to build a collection of these, I would appreciate any tips for spotting fakes.

Thanks,
Jim

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

The standard counterfeits usually have a white or gray back, not the original cream color they were made with. They also normally have the front image like 10-20% larger than the original, meaning that some of it is now cropped differently along the edges. This is one thing that leads to the pixelated look you were seeing.

Thank you for thr info, much appreciated! And it makes sense now looking at the fakes, about the backs

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

The 'pixelated' look is actually a sign that the item was re-shot. Exhibits are half tone prints. A photo is annotated with artwork:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...Bohneproof.jpg

Then re-photographed through a screen that imposes very fine 'dots' over the image:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ize/Bohne2.jpg

If you want to counterfeit a half tone print and you don't have the original you reshoot the card itself. That will result in a loss of quality because a copy of a copy loses resolution. Hence the dirtier grainier look of a fake. It's a second screening of the image.

The other issue is card stock. 99% of the fakes do not get the stock right. I guess the polished tan stock that ESCO used is not readily sourced.

Thank you for the additional info, its much appeciated! I have a few exhibit cards on the way that I'm excited about (as long as they're authentic)

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk