Please tell me no one here bought this fake

[nolemmings]

A very expensive lesson if you did:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...vip=true&rt=nc

[Brian Van Horn]

It wasn't me.

[ullmandds]

item is covered by ebay protection...whatever that means...so buyer should be ok!

[Cooper1927]

...but it was being consigned by a pretty divorcee who was getting back at her husband. How much more legit can you get?

[iwantitiwinit]

AGS = A good scam. Really who would pay $25k for that.

[bcbgcbrcb]

Saw it on e-bay yesterday, looked like a steal...........for the seller...........

[Leon]

Originally Posted by iwantitiwinit

AGS = A good scam. Really who would pay $25k for that.

It could happen. I have seen a lot dumber stuff. Don't get me wrong, this would have been a big mistake, but I have seen worse. Hopefully no one got burnt.

[FrankWakefield]

Reckon AGS will send an accompanying letter, attesting to the grading?

[brianp-beme]

Just in case you couldn't afford this one, the same seller has NINE reprints of this card with a $12.95 BIN. I'm not kidding.

Brian

Well if anyone here did I will be happy to retrieve your funds for a small fee since I am out here for the week

[DixieBaseball]

What ? What is everyone looking at ?

[Wymers Auction]

Maybe this sale was staged to make the reprints sell easier.

[peterose4hof]

I am the buyer. For years I have been buying PSA & SGC cards and paying to have them crossed over to AGS holders. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to buy this beautiful Ruth card; especially considering the $25 I saved on grading fees.

[glchen]

I'm not the buyer, but I've purchased genuine Ruth cards from this seller before, and I've always thought that he was honest. Besides it being in an AGS holder, what do the others see that is wrong w/ the card. The scans are fuzzy, unfortunately, but it does seem as if the foot is showing for Ruth. I've attached pictures of the card from the ebay auction.

[GasHouseGang]

This picture shows an authentic Ruth. You can find this picture and additional photos of fakes at the "Detecting Card Alterations and Reprints" link at the top of the page.

[ullmandds]

David...nice summary...subtle differences...DO YOUR HOMEWORK peoples!

[fkw]

most of us have seen the easy reprint with the very large gap between the thin line and image. This one in this auction is a new one to me, I dont think Ive seen the SN back with a small gap, yet the foot is slightly cropped too. the back has that slight blue tone and gives it away too, beside the foot and that little gap in line in corner...

the fake that fools some people is like this (link below), its almost perfect on front, it has the right gap and also that small gap in corner and shows the right amount of foot. its a blank back card (wrong card stock), the place I look is the caption is too bold, especially the number. On authentic cards the number is slight lighter than the name, and the caption print is crisp and not so bold.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1915-BABE-RU...item1c1d8ee733



authentic card

REA auction card

[nolemmings]

The dead giveaway is the card back. The advertisement faces the wrong way--no TSN m101-4 faces that direction.

This card is not a reprint, but a copy of a legitimate Ruth m101-4 front, and copy of a legit m101-4 back. I would wager that the card is re-backed, or backed in the first place as the case may be, and that having the card in hand would fool nobody for more than 7 seconds (other than AGS perhaps). Some evidence of re-backing appears along the top edge, IMO. Also, I believe it likely the staining on the reverse is indicative of the adhesive used to pair the two pieces together but if not, it is unnatural nonetheless, particularly along the left edge.

I am reasonably certain I know what card was used to generate this monstrosity-- it was sold by a major auction house in recent years. Since the dumbass who created this Frankenstein might learn of this thread and "correct" his work, I would remind others to use the usual precautions and observe the warning signs already mentioned in this and other threads.



Gary,

I make no comment on the authenticity of his other cards, but what do you think of a seller who auctions a dozen or more reprints of the Babe Ruth rookie with this in the listing:

"Several of these cards were even acquired by Babe Ruths' family - for their personal collection !!! It just doesn't get any better than that...... Period !!!"

Really, you think that Ruth's family is interested in these reprints, then chose these from the dozens that are on ebay every day, and then made a point of commenting on how they were kin of the Babe?

[joeadcock]

Odd, as he is seeling legit cards also.

[ctownboy]

Not odd at all. If a seller is trying to scam people what better way to do it than throw some worthless fakes/reproductions/fantasy pieces in with real, authentic items? Potential buyers look at the real items and let their guard down when looking at the fake stuff. They might have questions but seeing the authentic items gives them reassurance.

I do not know this seller or if this is what he is doing. However, I DO know another seller on eBay, who has three different ID's, who does this. I have complained to eBay for YEARS about this guy but they do nothing about it. So, he sells fakes, makes tens of thousands of dollars a year and buyers unknowingly get burned.

David

[joeadcock]

My comment regarding odd does not refer to the fact that it is happening, but rather the ethics involved in this. I very well know what you speak of.

Should have spoke more clearly. It is more a commentary on how some adults act: the inappropriate, unethical, immature and incredibly poor example to the young.

[phikappapsi]

My hunch, seller purchased his own card, through an alternate dummy purchasing account, and he'll use this sale to establish "credibility" as a seller of high end vintage.

I can't imagine any collector out there with a $25k single card budget, not doing their research on "AGS"

[glchen]

Thanks, Todd, for your insight. I never realized the flipped back. I really can't defend this seller anymore. It's too big of a card that's obviously fake.

On another note, it was interesting to see through his past sales that he sold a Ruth ball that was authenticated by Richard Simon, who I believe is a board member here. Link

[Brian Van Horn]

The card has been relisted:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1915-1916-M1...item3373e2b938

[HRBAKER]

I have receive a few e-mails regarding this AGS holder. Since I am not a grader nor an authenticator, I can only trust that the "professionals" at Authentic Grading Service, Inc. have done their job.

Please bid accordingly.... Thanks!

(this is a "private" listing)

[Leon]

I offered .50 and the system wouldn't take it. I upped my offer to .99 and it accepted it but got automatically rejected. It's past my ceiling. I am out.

[DixieBaseball]

I think if enough of us "report the item," ebay will pull it. If you scroll down 1/3rd of the way on the right below the seller id, you can report the item in 5 seconds. (I reported as listing is fraud) The seller may or may not be aware, but I always take the 5 seconds to report. If enough of us do this, I think Ebay will take a closer look, etc.

Just a thought... I wonder how many of us in this thread have reported it ?

[GasHouseGang]

I reported it to ebay and added a link to this discussion.

[npa589]

I just did too...

[tbob]

Originally Posted by npa589

I just did too...

+1

[Leon]

Now it's a bargain...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1915-1916-M1...-/220991970895



.
.

[Wite3]

Someone bought it for 11,000!! ouch!

[glchen]

BTW, the same seller (mdman221) who got away w/ the fake AGS Ruth rookie is back again, this time with an SSGA Ruth rookie: Link

[freakhappy]

I don't see the problem here. I mean, it's slabbed...think about it...it's the ultimate security for collectors

[Brian Van Horn]

One bit of relief (or diligence on the sellers end) I saw on the listing were the following words:

"This listing has ended. The seller has relisted this item or one like this."

[Rickyy]

SSGA isn't that the Coaches Corner grading service...

Ricky Y

[h2oya311]

State Street Global Advisers now grades cards?? Who knew?

[GasHouseGang]

How do you like this tripe he put in the description:

"Regarding the SSGA holder, I am not a grader nor an authenticator. I can only trust that the professionals at SSGA have done their job.
Professional grading is subjective and different 3rd party graders will often disagree over the grading on a single card. Such a disagreement is NOT a justifiable reason for a return."

Is it considered a disagreement if one company says it's real and the other says it's fake? I have to say these fakes are getting dangerously good. If it was in a really well made fake holder, it would be a real worry.

[jdl7860]

I love the line on his "me" page "buy the card, not the holder".
It is strange though that his fakes are fuzzy photos, but the real cards are scans?

[auggiedoggy]

Originally Posted by freakhappy

I don't see the problem here. I mean, it's slabbed...think about it...it's the ultimate security for collectors

AGS and SSGA. Household names in grading!

[glchen]

Sigh, it looks like someone actually bought that SSGA Ruth for $8500.

[nolemmings]

Sigh, it looks like someone actually bought that SSGA Ruth for $8500.

That's odd, because it's listed again:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1916-M101-5-...item233293dab5

Although maybe he has multiples of the same card and flip.

Oops, now ended since I started this post.

[Leon]

I just now offered $1.00 with this message...

Its not worth this much but if I can save someone grief, by not buying this fake, it's worth it.

I did notice the $8.95 shipping so gave some pause to my offer.....and it was automatically declined anyway. This seller is a scammer in my opinion.....

and Todd, that one ended but a new auction for it is relisted...and currently going

[Jay Wolt]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

That's odd, because it's listed again:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1916-M101-5-...item233293dab5

Although maybe he has multiples of the same card and flip.

Oops, now ended since I started this post.

Apparently he does, he sells them in lots of 10
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-1915-Babe...item23325564d0

[tbob]

That Ruth card has given a lot of buyers heartburn because of all the fakes out there. I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole. I overheard a conversation at the National this year between a guy who bought a raw Ruth rookie about a month before the show and was really proud of it, only to have his heart broken when a dealer at the show carefully examined and sadly shook his head and told the owner that he had purchased a fake. Ordinarily I feel comfortable with a card's authenticity if it is in an SGC or PSA holder but on this one particular card I'm taking a pass.

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by Jay Wolt

Apparently he does, he sells them in lots of 10
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-1915-Babe...item23325564d0

The Ruth cards shown for sale in lots aren't the same as the card being sold as a graded card. Those are much easier to detect as fakes. I wonder if someone took a real Ruth and put it in that stupid holder just to get photos. Then when someone buys it they get a phony in it's place. Just speculation.

[glchen]

Looks like this card sold "again," this time for 13K: Link

[Sean]

This time it's graded by SSGA. Whoever that is.