things to look for in T206 authenticity?

[iggyman]

I don't think there's one obvious thing in particular, but most reprints are obvious to those that have handle a bunch of them. Thus, my .05 cents advice.......buy some beaters and then loupe them, feel them, take them to dinner, dream of them, smell them, and as some on this board have suggested "take a bath with them." Thus, short of putting T206 cards on your bicycle spokes, you really have to make a commitment before you start taking some chances on high dollar raw T206 cards.

Hey, just be careful out there, the T206 reprints are getting better and better all the time. As the years have gone on, you can see that some scammers have read this board and picked-up some valuable tips.

For the record the T206 in question is .99% authentic (can't guarantee that extra .01% without the card in-hand and a backlight).

Lovely Day...

[drc]

Are you saying .99% or 99%?

[drc]

A small detail to look for: On the original cards the stock is off white or maybe a light sepia. The face of the card (not the back) had a white coating put on it before the printing. Same is done for a lot of cards, with the white making for brighter graphics. On a damaged card, if a tear or an corner bump or such shows a distinctly whiter underneath than the face that suggests it's a reprint. As the stock under the front white surface should be darker not brighter.

Same rules applies to a 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle and other many other white bordered cards. The basic stock on a 51 or 52 Bowman is much darker than on a T206, and those cards have the same front white coating.

On the lower torn left of the Cobb it looks awfully white underneath.