I think as others have said, it is always useful to buy raw commons from that set, so that you can familiarize yourself with the paper, etc of that set. You will be able to discern between many of the reprints and forgeries out there. However, it's not foolproof as the sportscollector thread showed in that it will still be very difficult to determine alterations on the cards without going to a TPG. The problem with going to a reputed dealer is that there are very few who list their inventory at VCP. You will need to determine if you would be willing to pay the additional premium for that additional eye check and peace of mind.
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