View Single Post
  #4  
Old 03-20-2008, 12:45 PM
Archive Archive is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 58,359
Default Why Are Ray-o-Prints So Worthless?

Posted By: davidcycleback

You can tell the originals.

However, the safest thing to do is to buy the photo with the original kit, or just the original kit. The kits are scarce and valuable. You'll see the kits once in a while. The kits have an envelope (with identifying text on outside), negative and frame.

The Ray O Prints allowed a kid to make his own photo card of athlete or celebrity. In modern times, people have used modern photo paper to make more photos. You can identify the modern photo paper, and old photos usually show distinct signs of wear, but, as noted, a collector can also buy the original kit knowing the kit itself is has value. No one's reprinted the kit.

Most modern photo paper will be thicker than old paper and in much higher condition. Also, a majority of photo paper fluoresces brightly under black light. Old photos, especially ones owned and handled by kids, are almost never found in mint condition. If you see a Ray O Print or any Pre-War photo card in Mint condition, I'd be suspicious. I'd seen a good number of Nrmt-Mt and Mint Ray O Print complete sets, which made me think there were many modern versions on the market. Also, there are several different Pre-War photo kit baseball card issues out there. All the other issues are rare, some rarely seen on the market, while the Ray O Prints are commonly found, and, as noted, commonly found in high grade.

Reply With Quote