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kingtal0n | I've been trying to find the login button on the website for like 10 minutes. that aside, I am concerned about the number of 0 feedback ebay users selling "mint never played dual lands" and the like. They can't be real, but how can I effectively tell? I already know about the bend test and water test, but over the internet when you have nothing but a scan to go by, what is the best way? |
jbark | If you cannot tell do not buy. I don't mean to be an ass if I come off that way. If you have trouble or little experience don't risk it. |
kingtal0n | So would you recommend buying only played cards then? I heard that the fakes would not handle playing stresses well. Is that true?
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mm1983 | Best way to buy Revised duals is to just buy them from someone in person locally if you are just going to buy from a 0 feedback person on Ebay. Online fakes of duals were not nearly as big of a deal 5+ years ago as it is now but when I was looking for duals I probably bought 80% of my duals in person. |
rats60 | quote: Originally posted by kingtal0n: So would you recommend buying only played cards then? I heard that the fakes would not handle playing stresses well. Is that true?
Buy them off of reputable online stores or high reference members here, i.e. people who know the difference between real and fake. |
kingtal0n | I am very very surprised there is no formal, official, how to tell fakes from reals website or link on this site. Somebody needs to put together a very detailed page about what the differences are IMO. |
stab107 | quote: Originally posted by kingtal0n: I am very very surprised there is no formal, official, how to tell fakes from reals website or link on this site. Somebody needs to put together a very detailed page about what the differences are IMO.
You could always take the initiative, do some research and create a post of your own for information purposes. |
thror | quote: Originally posted by kingtal0n: I am very very surprised there is no formal, official, how to tell fakes from reals website or link on this site. Somebody needs to put together a very detailed page about what the differences are IMO.
the problem with this, is once you make it, all the forgers have access to it. now they know exactly what you're looking for, and can make better. notice how they dont post this stuff for currency? __________________ "He fights you not because you have wronged him, but because you are there."<@Anusien> Pretty sure New Zealanders are the sheep shaggers <KIP_NZ> Anusien: I'm a kiwi and I've shagged a sheep <KIP_NZ> we kiwi's like our sheep
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kingtal0n | quote: Originally posted by thror: the problem with this, is once you make it, all the forgers have access to it. now they know exactly what you're looking for, and can make better. notice how they dont post this stuff for currency?
I do not think the "forgers" need other people to judge their "forgeries" for them to know how "off" they are. In other words, they are studying the original magic cards to make copies, so they already know how the real cards look. Its not like a very experience forger is going to create a fake, then distribute it around to the world and check for what other's think about their fakes before deciding what needs to be "improved"- as if we regular citizens are somehow better at detecting flaws than the person who originally created those flaws. I'll bet there is a unique way to tell, something along the lines of carbon dating for instance that can detect the half-life of an atom present in all the old magic cards that is impossible to replicate, unless one used old magic cards. In which case, imagine them stripping revised commons to re-print dual lands on. same paper, perfect ink; indistinguishable right? So maybe there is something in the ink we can check. A specific colour or atom there HAS to be. Quick, somebody find an acid that ONLY reacts with the ink used on cards from 199x-1995. We shall call it the MTG ACID TEST and sell kits on ebay for $28 shipped.
[Edited 2 times, lastly by kingtal0n on March 15, 2014] |
Tha Gunslinga | quote: Originally posted by kingtal0n: I am very very surprised there is no formal, official, how to tell fakes from reals website or link on this site. Somebody needs to put together a very detailed page about what the differences are IMO.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+identify+fake+magic+cards __________________ Don't send first, pay first, or simul-send to Canadian low-ref newer members.
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kingtal0n | quote: Originally posted by Tha Gunslinga: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+identify+fake+magic+cards
whoa, cool. So After reading over 100 pages of material I have come to the conclusion that there are indeed fakes (some being sold to stores in fact) that are so good nobody can seem to tell. this guy claims to have some to stores http://zoklet.net/bbs/showthread.php?t=257172 So now I suppose I will have to investigate each card thoroughly and if it passes every level of detail including high resolution scans and pixel quality... yeah. |
JesusChristMD | So your proof of fakes is a white supremacist forum where a random user, in a couple posts, kept claiming he sold them? Yet posted no pictures or proof? You should be dilligent in watching for fakes...but not because of that link. __________________ Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore"
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kingtal0n | quote: Originally posted by JesusChristMD: So your proof of fakes is a white supremacist forum where a random user, in a couple posts, kept claiming he sold them?Yet posted no pictures or proof? You should be dilligent in watching for fakes...but not because of that link.
Weeeel. Actually that post just summed up my long list of searching. From what I've seen so far, many fakes feel and look just like the real thing. I have confirmed this again and again. Even some of the lettering and ink used, down to the spacing, is almost perfect. Almost. You would literally have to hold a real next to the fake at a very high power microscopic resolution and go pixel to pixel, and even then, there is no guarantee since many of the real cards are not identical anyways. It comes down to subtle ways the ink is used, such as the black colour of the font, or the direction crosshatch in the colours of the back. At least I know 101 ways to tell, so I will risk buying a few, and put them to the test. |
paragondave | quote: Originally posted by JesusChristMD: So your proof of fakes is a white supremacist forum where a random user, in a couple posts, kept claiming he sold them?Yet posted no pictures or proof?
seems legit
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JesusChristMD | quote: Originally posted by kingtal0n: Weeeel. Actually that post just summed up my long list of searching. From what I've seen so far, many fakes feel and look just like the real thing. I have confirmed this again and again. Even some of the lettering and ink used, down to the spacing, is almost perfect. Almost. You would literally have to hold a real next to the fake at a very high power microscopic resolution and go pixel to pixel, and even then, there is no guarantee since many of the real cards are not identical anyways. It comes down to subtle ways the ink is used, such as the black colour of the font, or the direction crosshatch in the colours of the back.At least I know 101 ways to tell, so I will risk buying a few, and put them to the test.
So again, your confirmation is random person posting on the internetz?
__________________ Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore"
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majicman | My advice...Acquire some real ones from people who are legit and use those samples to distinguish between fakes and forged copies. I remember cracking revised packs in 1994. Truly disappointing if you opened them vs. Unlimited as the washed out look may of prompted you to think, could these be fake? Good luck...Greg
[Edited 1 times, lastly by majicman on March 17, 2014]
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kingtal0n | quote: Originally posted by JesusChristMD:
So again, your confirmation is random person posting on the internetz?
everybody on the internet is a random person. And no, I've encountered several well informed postings where the author had purchased a fake from ebay, scanned it, and thoroughly examined it to prove it was fake. Most often the light test and ink tests are what gives the card away. |
kingtal0n | quote: Originally posted by majicman: My advice...Acquire some real ones from people who are legit and use those samples to distinguish between fakes and forged copies. I remember cracking revised packs in 1994. Truly disappointing if you opened them vs. Unlimited as the washed out look may of prompted you to think, could these be fake? Good luck...Greg
I've opened quite a few revised starter decks but never an unlimited anything. I will certainly take your advice and attempt to trade with knowledgeable individuals on this site, thanks.
[Edited 1 times, lastly by kingtal0n on March 17, 2014] |
stab107 | quote: Originally posted by kingtal0n: everybody on the internet is a random person. And no, I've encountered several well informed postings where the author had purchased a fake from ebay, scanned it, and thoroughly examined it to prove it was fake. Most often the light test and ink tests are what gives the card away.
Do you have a link? |
kingtal0n | several places i found helpful (there are many in my history but this was coming up first) this was the best one: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-general/332174-card-authentication here are some other randoms I pulled from history http://classic.magictraders.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/024794.html http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?27363-Chinese-fakes/page54
[Edited 1 times, lastly by kingtal0n on March 17, 2014]
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stab107 | Wow, that thread on MTGS is gold. Thanks for the link. |
JoshSherman | Since no one answered your first question: There isn't a login button, per se. When you come to the forum main page, you can log in to your private message inbox. If you have cookies enabled in your preferences, which you can also find a link to on the front page if you're logged in, then they can be set up to store your password for a year. Then you shouldn't have to log in, but sometimes you do anyway, depending on how you have your browser set up. __________________ *My LJ*Letter Bombs!*FB*Logout- MM is a copycat! (So am I)*CKGB
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kingtal0n | Thanks everyone who helped. Just an update, I've done quite a bit of 60x and 100x inspection of some older (1993~) mtg cards, the ones I am interested in. I am quite relieved to see that the way ink is distributed is VERY proprietary. Combined with all other aspects of card authenticity, such as weight, size, wear, and a other distinguishable features I feel confident that I could spot a fake if I had it in my hands (and under microscope). A microscope seems like the tool of choice for this. Here are some pictures at 60x on a dual land using a cheap microscrope (have much better quality at school)
a link to the album (cannot post pictures here??) http://s23.photobucket.com/user/draglarry/library/d2
[Edited 5 times, lastly by kingtal0n on March 28, 2014]
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Pail42 | quote: Originally posted by kingtal0n: a link to the album (cannot post pictures here??) http://s23.photobucket.com/user/draglarry/library/d2?sort=3&page=1
"This album is Password-Protected" |
kingtal0n | quote: Originally posted by Pail42: "This album is Password-Protected"
should be good now |