Is this 1915 CJ Merkle Authentic?
 

Is this Merkle authentic? The color seems weird, maybe it’s just the light and photo. Anyway, any input would help
Thanks!

I agree with your gut, I don't like it. Here it is on the left next to a PSA example on the right ...

Oh yes Rob….night and day, thank you very much. He wants $149 on eBay, but said he’d take $80. With your comparison, it almost looks like it is painted with watercolors….weird

Paper looks too thick. You can see it with crease.

.....but after seeing better pics, I think this might be legit.

Agreed, thank you

..
 

It’s 100% real. The dead giveaway is the texture of the cardstock on the back.

Oh boy…….but the look of it, the coloring doesn’t give you pause next to the PSA one?

…
 

Not at all, alot of the 15’s had a deep red back. I’ve seen/handled a lot of CJ’s that look like that. Plus the sellers photo doesn’t seem to be the best. I’d bet a $100 bill it’s genuine!

Ok….two against, one for…..when I questioned the seller, he did say the paper was thin not thick…..anyway…who knows.

still don't like it
 

left = subject of conversation
middle = another random PSA 1915 example
right = my 1914 example

Maybe their scanner settings are wacky, but:
1) The "BALL PLAYERS" mismatch
2) The red background mismatch
3) The white in the uniform and borders mismatch
4) The name/team mismatch

Maybe ask for another scan/pic?

New images
 

Here are some new images from the seller….

Comparing the back of the subject vs my only 1915 CJ (not a Merkle), but look how bold and exact the Merkle printing is. Zero wear though the rest of the card is sooo dirty and worn. Still don't like it.

Fake

But even real trimmed like that makes it worth $5

It’s not a 1914 HOF that would be worth something cut up…that’s only worth shipping fee

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Card stock and printing are way off, looks like a Dover re-print to me.
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I still stand behind my first take, 100% real. Just in rough shape and has been obviously trimmed.

I would pass on that one
The lettering on the front looks off to me

I really appreciate everyone’s input, again, what makes this site the BEST!
I am going to pass . The funky white hue of the card , esp on the back is very weird. None of the cards I’ve ever bought have photographed like that…..(They are more of a tan - white).
Thanks again guys , appreciate all of you!

Sounds like the seller is willing to take a $80 bill for it, so instead of betting you should be buying.

Brian (my vote is not real, and the back has a different color and looks like it has the texture of a paper towel)

Respectfully, you clearly haven’t handled many raw cracker Jack cards.

My $100 statement was merely backing my confidence in its authenticity. I have no use for cut up CJ, let alone a 15.

I have 9 CJs, all raw, and that one for sale is absolutely, 100% fake.

lol, sounds like you have 9 Dover reprint cjs.

lol, sounds like you don't know Jack.

Just a quick search I found this 15 in a Beckett holder. Although, this one is stained a lot, the texture is the same as the card in question.

The trimmed borders are too white

It is clearly a trimmed Dover reprint worth about two cents.

…
 

So the seller erased “ Dover Reprint”???

You’re clearly a novice.

I know nothing about CJ's but I would say fake for one reason. Both the Dover and TCMA reprints have "reprint" on the reverse at the bottom. This card has that cut off plus the three other sides to possibly take attention away from where reprint was cut off.
But then again, what do I know?

Tell you what, submit the card to any TPG of your choice, for which I will pay the submission cost. If it grades Authentic, then I pay you $100 and offer abject apologies for defaming your card grading skills. If the card fails the Big A test, then you send me a Benjamin. No apologies required.

Oh, you mean cut off like this one? The lack of knowledge on this is astonishing. I’m literally supplying all the evidence that it’s genuine….smh

No. Like some of the others I saw on ebay with Dover Reprint at the bottom and not the middle.

My apologies as I’m not well versed on the reprints, there was another year were they put the reprint label at the bottom. I stand corrected but still, the paper stock on the reprints doesn’t even look the same as the card in question. I’m truly baffled…

NOW we're talking ...

And its like I said, I know nothing about Cracker Jacks........except that I like the Carmel Corn and hate the peanuts.

What does this fellow just not seem capable of understanding? IT IS FAKE! The color is wrong, the stock is wrong, the trimming off is stupid, it's too thick! I could go on and on. Everything about it is wrong. Why are we even having a conversation about it? Will someone please try to get through to him?

Bet

One of the hardest things for reprinters/forgers etc. To copy is shadows. This is 1000% not original. Look at the shadows on his folded clothing, under his hat on his face. How crisp and realistic they are on the real example, how they make his clothing come alive and his face look real. And compare with how terrible and grainy they become on the reprint/fake. It takes really good printing equipment to make such fine details shine.

That's not mentioning everything else wrong.

O.K. then. Bet on. Submit the card to your grader, let me know the submission cost and I will reimburse you any way you wish. Show your submission copy here. Then we wait for grading and let the chips fall where they may. John Spencer

Card sold today
 

The card sold….best of luck to the buyer

I hope you’re a man of your word cause I’m about to make you eat yours. I received the card today and inspected myself. Like I already knew, it’s 100000000000% real. I will be sending to SGC soon. But don’t worry, you weren’t the only knucklehead who got it wrong that thought they needed to throw their two cents in about it being a Dover reprint. I can’t believe so many people rely on TPGs to tell them their cards are genuine. :confused:

I hope it is real, although everyone else here said it was not. He offered it to me at $70 delivered, but again, my gut told me it was fake( esp based on the seller’s several images he sent me). I’m still glad I passed on it and I guess we will see how it turns out.
Again, I really appreciated everyone’s input and didn’t think this was going to become a competition of sorts. Here we go…..

You can even see the “fake” caramel stains on the back…lmao

No bueno.

It's amazing how different the colors (red background, the borders, the uniform, and his face), the font (both the "BALL PLAYERS" at top and the name/team at bottom), the crease, and detail appear from the original ebay photo vs Roberto's scan. Night & day.

Original on left (that we all based our opinions on) vs Roberto's scan on the right:

Looks like you suddenly discovered a use for a cut up Cracker Jack.

Looking at YOUR scans, I think it has a good chance to be graded as authentic. Congrats if that is the case, and for being able to spot a potentially legit one from the seller's scans. I believe the seller had his scanner set to reprint mode. The side by side comparison scans posted above certainly showcase the difference a poor scan can make.

Brian (not a Cracker Jack expert, but I have handled close to 50 raw ones, so not exactly a newbie)

I think it's good and would pass it as trimmed 'auth', not worth $70, but a tpg decision is a coin flip and won't prove anything here. The pin hole looks naturally aged. I would give you like $15 shipped for it.

Yeah wow those scans night and day different. I think it's legit now based on new scan. Tough high number 1914's even in AUTH holders can go for hundreds, but since this is a 15 and trimmed up pretty good, I don't put much value on this example. <$100

Now everyone is reversing course….please go on and on about how this is fake?…maybe you should reevaluate what you think you know. So many keyboard warriors on here so quick to hurl insults when they have no clue.

I'm not changing my tune. Until it comes back as Authentic from a TPG, I most definitely am not going to say it's genuine just because you say it is.

Edit: in the photos originally posted it looked 100000000000% fake.

Looking over this thread, you yourself have been the worst offender in that regard.

And all about differences of opinion regarding whether an incomplete (and badly creased) card is fake or not? :rolleyes: I'll go for the Cracker Jack myself and leave such cards to others.

;)

Rob, I think you may have saved me $100. The 2 scans are like chalk and cheese. Look, too, at the difference in Fred's uniform striping between the 2 images. I never would have made the bet on the basis of the 2nd scan. John