Is this Gehrig card a reprint?

[tonyo]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new member and have been reading posts for maybe 3 or 4 weeks now. I have a modest post-war collection and budget, but have recently taken interest in pre-war mainly 1933 goudey and starting to look at some t cards.

1st question for the experts:

I'm starting to think this eBay Gehrig may have a chance to stay in my price range (probably not) by the time the auction ends in a couple of hours.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

The seller has a Ty Cobb card that he claims is an old-looking reprint that doesn't say reprint on it anywhere. Made me wonder about the Gehrig, but the seller doesn't make the same claim on this listing.

Looking at the scan, and comparing it to a graded Gehrig on eBay, there is a difference in the location of his cap relative to the white border.

The question is: Would this printing descrepancy occur in authentic cards, or is this a possible sign of an old-looking reprint?

thanks for your input!

Tony

[Matt]

Originally Posted by tonyo

Looking at the scan, and comparing it to a graded Gehrig on eBay, there is a difference in the location of his cap relative to the white border.

The question is: Would this printing descrepancy occur in authentic cards, or is this a possible sign of an old-looking reprint?

Welcome to the forum! Reprints often suffer from inexact cropping issues as you have spotted here on the Gehrig. Goudey Ruth/Gehrigs are some of the most counter-fitted cards out there and you'd be wise to only buy ones you could examine in person or that have already been authenticated by a reputable third party grading service.

[Leon]

He guarantees it to be authentic. I have known the seller for several years.....He is good for his word from what I have seen. I don't know if this particular card is good or not.....

[Ladder7]

Ive bought several of these over the years

It's counterfeit, but the wear is remarkably done.

[tonyo]

Thank you Matt, Leon, and Ladder for the input.

I'll probably pass on this and hope I get a chance to buy (afford) a reasonable Gehrig once my Goudey collection becomes more formidable.

Matt thanks for the good advice. I'll definately follow it if I ever graduate to spending real money on a Ruth or Gehrig or the like.

So Ladder what about this particular card makes you sure it's a counterfeit?

Leon, thanks for the endorsement for the seller. Interesting. I saw his claim of "authentic" , but he also says this card has no creases http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290348436161
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and think that maybe he just got in a hurry on the listing. Maybe a little "cut-n-paste happy" or a "sell similar item" hurry. I've done that before on the few measly cards I've listed on ebay.

Hopefully I can chime in on some other topics here and there.

I've enjoyed the boards, learned a lot, and kindled a flicker for pre-war!

Tony

[Leon]

Originally Posted by tonyo

Thank you Matt, Leon, and Ladder for the input.

I'll probably pass on this and hope I get a chance to buy (afford) a reasonable Gehrig once my Goudey collection becomes more formidable.

Matt thanks for the good advice. I'll definately follow it if I ever graduate to spending real money on a Ruth or Gehrig or the like.

So Ladder what about this particular card makes you sure it's a counterfeit?

Leon, thanks for the endorsement for the seller. Interesting. I saw his claim of "authentic" , but he also says this card has no creases http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290348436161
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and think that maybe he just got in a hurry on the listing. Maybe a little "cut-n-paste happy" or a "sell similar item" hurry. I've done that before on the few measly cards I've listed on ebay.

Hopefully I can chime in on some other topics here and there.

I've enjoyed the boards, learned a lot, and kindled a flicker for pre-war!

Tony

No doubt his descriptions leave a lot to be desired. Probably a good choice to wait for another....

[Anthony S.]

Tony,

One frequently seen indicator that a card is a reprint being passed off as an original card is the wear pattern at the very bottom center on back of the card. If you'll take a gander at the back of that Gehrig (use the enlarge option that Ebay provides), you'll see that right below the phrase "Indian Gum" the wear pattern is especially strong and deep. As if someone took a pencil eraser and erased vigorously on that one spot, which is likely what happened. The reason for that worn spot is that that was where the word "reprint" originally appeared on the card before some enterprising weasel erased it.

Now this isn't a foolproof method to detect fakes, as some fakes are photocopies of original cards, but in the case of cards from reprint sets being altered, the heavy erasure at the bottom middle on the back is a common indicator that you're being duped.

Edited to add scan of the bottom back of the Gehrig card in question:

[fkw]

Doctored Reprint. besides the overall color and border being too white... the easiest way to tell is the Button at top of hat is missing where is was cropped in design of the reprint.

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