Posted By:
davidcyclebackOne simple thing to do is to look at and feel the back of the photo. If the back is supermooth and plasticy, it's definitely modern. Most modern (1970-90s) family snapshots have this plasticy feel, so you can compare. If, instead, the back is fibery, papery like regular paper, this is conistant with the photo being older. Some new paper is also fibery, papery, so it isn't proof of old age-- but papery/fibery is consistant ... The majority of modern Hall of Famers authentic signed 8x10 photos you find for sale on eBay-- ala 2001 Willie Mays signed reprint photo showing him in 1960, or Hank Aaron signed photo showing him in 1955-- have this plasticy paper on back, so they are quickly identified as modern photos. Most bidders in these auctions are bidding on the autograph and either know/assume the photo is modern or don't particularly care. MLB, NFL and NBA sell genuinely high quality 8x10 reprints of old timers for autographs. These photos not only are plasticy, but have the MBL, NFL, NBA stamps and/or holograms. A lot of the living HOFer and Old Timer signed photos are on these photos.
If you own a blacklight, you can quickly weed out most modern reprints, even those on papery photopaper-- as modern photopaper tends to fluoresce a certain way under black light.