I acknowledge I’m not a professional autograph authenticator but hoping to hone my skills by posting guides like this that others can help contribute to.
See any issues here? Have a Brady fake auto that you got scammed on?
The 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle card is one of the most iconic vintage baseball cards in the hobby.
Oftentimes, the 1952 Topps Mantle or Mantle’s second year 1953 Topps card get all the attention but the 1951 Bowman Mantle is still his true rookie card.
Of course, as prices go higher, the more we need to worry about fakes. And there are no shortage of 51 Bowman Mantle fakes.
This guide should give you all the information you need to avoid getting scammed on a fake 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle cad.
As always, if you spot a suspect card and need some help or if you’re trying to sell an authentic 51 Bowman Mantle, feel free to shoot us a line at help@allvintagecards.com
While the majority of present-day card scams relate to more modern era cards that are easier to reproduce, there are most certainly counterfeit cards dating back to the Pre-War era.
How To Spot A Fake 1985 Prism Jewel Michael Jordan Sticker
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t even aware of this card a year ago, but I wish I was, as the 1985 Prism Jewel Michael Jordan Sticker has skyrocketed in value.
Recent sales of PSA 8 graded copies of the card have reached nearly $50,000.
The cards were inserted into vending machines, likely mostly outside of your local grocery store. And given that they are stickers, most kids that plopped the quarters into the machine to grab these were peeling them off to use them how a kid might actually use a sticker.
Hence, they are super rare to find intact and in good condition. PSA has graded only 87 copies of the card, with only 8 reaching a PSA 9 and only 1 garnering a PSA 10 Gem Mint.
I started to become more curious about the card when I started to get inquires from people that had one (or two) that they were trying to sell. Knowing how rare these are, to receive multiple inquiries on this issue, just seemed sort of strange to me.
And while the 1986 Fleer Jordan is heavily counterfeited, the 1987 Fleer card fakes are not as common. However they exist, and would expect more sophisticated scammers to start firing up the printing presses again to try and take advantage of novice collectors.
Thus, this guide is here to help you know the ins and outs of detecting a fake 1987 Fleer Jordan second year card.
Please, do let us know if you come across any fake ’87 Fleer Jordan’s, as your assistance can certainly help us in aiding fellow collectors.
Like anything else with dollars behind it, the scammers have come out in full force trying to peddle fakes for thousands of dollars to unwitting buyers. We’ve tried our best to educate collectors (here, here and here), but I keep hearing about swindles all the time.
While Jordan’s #57 Fleer rookie card has seen a monstrous rise in price, his sticker from the same set (#8 of 11) has also garnered a ton of collector demand, driving up its price by XX over the past year on average.
While scammers have focused on Jordan’s base card from the Fleer set, there are definitely fake Jordan sticker cards in circulation.
This guide will helpfully help you avoid buying a fake Jordan Fleer rookie sticker card.
PS – If this guide or any of other articles have helped you in getting scammed, please let us know in the comments below.
Back in May 2017, Spence purchased a purported PSA 10 graded Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card from Common Cents Coins in an eBay transaction worth $19,999.99.
How To Spot A Fake 1933 Goudey Ruth Or Gehrig Card
The 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth cards have been on absolute fire of late, with the Lou Gehrig cards (there are two) from the same set not too far behind.
I often get inspiration for new counterfeit resource guides from the questions coming in to me. And I’ve had a lot of requests for help of late in authenticating Goudey Ruth cards, with many of them ending up being outright fakes.
So, in yet another attempt to help fellow collectors avoid getting scammed, this guide is all you need to know in distinguishing a fake Goudey Ruth or Gehrig from the real deal. To note, the Goudeys can be among the toughest to distinguish in the hobby due to some better than average reprints.
Also, one quick point too. I’m not going to get every authentication question right. Especially when dealing with only photos. Sometimes, just the wrong angle or the wrong light can make a card look questionable from a photo. So, all of this to say, buy a loupe and read this article!
And…one last thing I need to get off my chest. Often times the game of authentication (especially when not done in person) is a game of weighing the red flags. For example, if a raw card is selling for only a small discount versus a graded copy, and there is even one small concern, forget about it. Why take the risk? And if you are dealing with the same question from a seller on eBay with questionable feedback…move on!
Of course, once again, if you have any questions on a Goudey Ruth or Gehrig you might have, feel free to email me at chris@allvintagecards.com.
While the majority of present-day card scams relate to more modern era cards that are easier to reproduce, there are most certainly counterfeit cards dating back to the Pre-War era. 
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t even aware of this card a year ago, but I wish I was, as the 1985 Prism Jewel Michael Jordan Sticker has skyrocketed in value. 
With Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card sales 
Michael Jordan’s Fleer Rookie card 
I’m slightly late on this one, but another collector alerted me to 
I’ve had the unfortunate experience of breaking the news to many eBay buyers that the card they spent many thousands of dollars on was fake.