Posted By:
Benhere's an authentic example of a w551 Cobb
You have already touched on the main reason why these cards are obvious fakes- the printing on the captions. After you've seen and owned a few genuine prewar examples, you'll know that these large, rounded, block-like letters are a modern type-set (David, please help me put this more eloquently!).
You can also tell, albeit to a lesser extent, that these cards are fakes because of the smooth and often glossy card stock (this would be more obvious if you had the cards in hand). Genuine strip card examples DO NOT shine when light is reflected on them, and are NOT smooth to the touch. I think the best way to decifer between authentic cards and fakes is to own a few cheap ones, study them and get accustomed to their look/feel, and then move forward to the Ruth's and Cobb's when you feel more confident about what they should look and feel like. Hope this helps a bit, and by all means, if you have more questions, ASK AWAY- this board is an unbelievable information resource with many, many knowledgable collectors and hobby heavyweights reading and posting daily!