Posted By:
hankronFor collectors and sellers of early baseball cards who are concerned about authenticity issues (reprints, original, identification of new items), I would recommend the following:
1) Learn how to identify early color lithography. (The printing on a T206 or a Allen & Ginter is nothing like modern card printing)
2) Learn how to identify photoengraving. Tons of old cards were made with this printing (M116, Sporting News...), and this printing isn't used commercially any more.
3) Learn how to identify the modern half-tone lithography printing (multi-color dot pattern as appears on a 1988 Fleer or 2001 Time magazine cover). Quick way to identify many modern reprints, as an eary baseball card would not have this type of printing pattern.
4) Get a blacklight and learn how to use it. If you spread out a pile of questionable early cards, photos and prints on the floor of a pitch black room and shined your black light, you could pick out out many reprints before you turned the room light back on! Tell me that isn't cool.
5) Access the hobby's knowledge and gain experience: ala follow auctions, read books, buy a Standard Catalog, ask questions of others. In example, you don't have to be a print historian to know that Froy Joy Babe Ruths didn't come in blue or multi-color. You don't have to be a paper fiber expert to know to avoid AAA and PRO.
6) Use your brain. Think about things, use common sense. Read the seller's description and see if it is credible.
Also note, that if you've learned how to do #1-4, you've also learned how to examine early tobacco labels, premiums and similar items.