[the 'stache]

David,

Definitely a fake, and I'll show you what I am seeing that made me immediately suspicious.

As soon as I saw the back of the card, it sent off red warning lights. Compare the back of this card to a legit copy.



The first thing that is obvious to me is the bottom of the card's back. Look closely. Compare the card's surface there to the rest of the card back. There's clearly been erasing done on the card's bottom, right where the word "reprint" would appear.

The second thing you need to do is look at the spacing of the card being offered. Compare it to the card on the right, the legitimate copy. Look how much extra "white space" there is around the fake card, especially at the bottom. Go online, and look at other examples of the 1934 Goudey Gehrig #61. I only have a couple '34 Goudeys, Luke Appling and Frankie Frisch, and the spacing is the same as the authentic Lou Gehrig back I've posted here for comparative purposes. When you're trying to determine if a card is authentic or not, you want to be looking at these kinds of things-the white space, the typography, any portion of the card surface that exhibits cleaning, erasing, or any other form of alteration. Look at the card's overall condition. A pre-war card should exhibit uniform wear. The corners should generally show the same condition, within reason.

Keep looking. There are plenty of other examples of this card out there. I would make it a point to buy from dealers/individuals who have a good reputation. And listen to your instincts, as you've done here. If something seems amiss, ask us to take a look at it for you. Over time, you'll develop your eye. But asking for a second opinion is always wise, imo.

Good luck!

Bill