1991 Topps Desert Shield - What We Know & How to Spot a Fake

[bsuttonosu]

Zach - First off, thank you for pulling this together in a post. As a player collector with a checklist of over 700 unique George Brett cards to run down I depend heavily on posts like these when researching rarer cards. Much appreciated.

A couple of questions...

"The tip of the bottom most palm leaf should point between the "R & A" in " O P E R A T I O N"; fake logos have the word " OPERATION" shifted slightly to the left."

In looking at the pictures, should this say that the word on fakes is shifted to the RIGHT? Thus making the leaf hit further left in the word between E and R on fakes versus between R & A on real cards?

I'm also wondering if there's variation in the intensity of fluorescing? I have both the base and record breaker Bretts. It's obvious on the base. Foil looks right and the red logo glows bright. On the RB, the foil looks the same, the red border on the back fluoresces but the logo not so much. Maybe it's just harder to see with the text over it on the RB versus the stat back.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by bsuttonosu

Zach - First off, thank you for pulling this together in a post. As a player collector with a checklist of over 700 unique George Brett cards to run down I depend heavily on posts like these when researching rarer cards. Much appreciated.

A couple of questions...

"The tip of the bottom most palm leaf should point between the "R & A" in " O P E R A T I O N"; fake logos have the word " OPERATION" shifted slightly to the left."

In looking at the pictures, should this say that the word on fakes is shifted to the RIGHT? Thus making the leaf hit further left in the word between E and R on fakes versus between R & A on real cards?

I'm also wondering if there's variation in the intensity of fluorescing? I have both the base and record breaker Bretts. It's obvious on the base. Foil looks right and the red logo glows bright. On the RB, the foil looks the same, the red border on the back fluoresces but the logo not so much. Maybe it's just harder to see with the text over it on the RB versus the stat back.

B,

Not all fake logos have the word OPERATION shifted to the left. The best faked DS cards I have seen show this trait though. The other Fake DS cards have other "tells" like fuzzy logos etc. Just to be clear....on legit DS cards, the tip of the palm leaf is pointy and almost looks like it is dripping....and will come down between the letters "R A" in OPERATION.

The red ink on the reverse of the card in the "40th Anniversary" logo will glow strongly. There will be different variations in the strength of its glow - but you should notice it glowing. It appears that when they first started printing with the brightener added to the red ink - making it fluoresce - there was some variability. Following is Joe 4Reals original pic of the glow backs. You can see the red trim on the card glowing really well and the 40th Anniversary logo. You can even see the red ink glowing through the back of an unopened pack.

Z

[Ltlbvr]

Just purchased a raw DS set on eBay. Thanks for the black light tip! Just one card that does not glow. See attached pic.

[jp1216]

Brian! Beauty of a set. What card failed the test?

[Ltlbvr]

Originally Posted by jp1216

Brian! Beauty of a set. What card failed the test?

Thanks Jon. It’s checklist #5. 656, I think.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Ltlbvr

Just purchased a raw DS set on eBay. Thanks for the black light tip! Just one card that does not glow. See attached pic.

Is it a legit DS card? Not all of them glow.

[hockeyhockey]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Is it a legit DS card? Not all of them glow.

double post

[hockeyhockey]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Is it a legit DS card? Not all of them glow.

and there are counterfeit ones that glow, too. there's tons of glowback 1991 regular topps cards, so the unwashed miscreants now use them to dupe people.

i started to build the DS set and realized that 20 cards i acquired were fakes. did a quick 180 and sold off all the legit ones. that's not a project i'd be comfortable building.

[GrewUpWithJunkWax]

Originally Posted by hockeyhockey

and there are counterfeit ones that glow, too. there's tons of glowback 1991 regular topps cards, so the unwashed miscreants now use them to dupe people.

i started to build the DS set and realized that 20 cards i acquired were fakes. did a quick 180 and sold off all the legit ones. that's not a project i'd be comfortable building.

Recently, I was close to buying my first DS, but wanted to research more. I was only looking to get 3 or so choice players, but never realized how many fakes were circulating, and then seeing the examples of slabbed fakes

I appreciate all the knowledge being shared, but I still have a ways to go before getting comfortable with spotting real/fake.

[bnorth]

Here are pics of the bigger names.

[Ltlbvr]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Is it a legit DS card? Not all of them glow.

Honestly, I need to learn more. It’s a checklist, so no gold stamp. Checklist #5. 656, I think. Any tips on authenticating?

[ALR-bishop]

I have a DS set and have CLs with it, but it is my understanding there are no differences between the DS checklists and the standard checklists. However, because of variations among the 91 checklists and the existence of DS uncut sheets, it is my belief that on at least 4 of the checklists you can determine if they are NOT DS checklists. Those being CLs 1,3,4 and 5.

Zach Wheat who started this thread is my go to guy on DS cards. You might pm or email him to see if he can offer more info on identifying DS checklists.

It is my understanding that that the DS CL 1s have Phil Bradley rather than Mookie Wilson as 727. That the DS CL 3 has Carl Nichols as 19 rather than 119. That DS CL 4 incorrectly has Keith Miller as 105 and Kevin McReynolds as 527. And DS CL 5 correctly has Palacios as 348, Lind as 381 and Lavalliere as 537.

See this CU thread for background

https://forums.collectors.com/discus...eld-variations

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Ltlbvr

Honestly, I need to learn more. It’s a checklist, so no gold stamp. Checklist #5. 656, I think. Any tips on authenticating?

I agree with Al. PM Mr Wheat and ask him he is a great guy.

[hockeyhockey]

PSA can call this desert shield but won't upgrade my randy johnson marlboros from obscured

https://www.ebay.com/itm/36358840907...cAAOSwdy5hcGI6