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Scott Forrestthere is a skill to determining whether or not cards are reprints, or even trimmed, and not everyone has the same ability to develop that skill.
I know collectors who are quite experienced, but who can be holding a genuine t206 in their hands and question its authenticity - the same is true for trimming, which is why some collectors have no choice but to rely on rulers and the measurements published in guides - as a result they miss out on deals. The fact is, production techniques in the early 1900's were nowhere near as sophisticated as they are today, and size varied...that ruler isn't going to do you much good, but studying the heck out the issues you are interested in, including the edges, is crucial.