How to tell a fake Downtown?

kosmo886 · 03-24-2025, 04:25 PM

I am a bit concerned that I just received a fake Downtown, but I've never felt an original. How do I tell? Overall the card looks pretty sharp and solid. Here is why I am concerned though:

-The card stock feels a bit flimsy compared to the regular Donruss cards.
-The back feels more satin/matte than a regular Donruss card, which is quite glossy.
-under a magnifying glass, I can see some speckles on the printing around logos

starfox · 03-24-2025, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kosmo886

I am a bit concerned that I just received a fake Downtown, but I've never felt an original. How do I tell? Overall the card looks pretty sharp and solid. Here is why I am concerned though:

-The card stock feels a bit flimsy compared to the regular Donruss cards.

-The back feels more satin/matte than a regular Donruss card, which is quite glossy.

-under a magnifying glass, I can see some speckles on the printing around logos

A jeweler's loupe should usually tell the story. Under it, a card looks different; it looks nothing like it does to the naked eye.

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slyguy · 03-24-2025, 06:55 PM

Here's how you tell: they're too low valued to fake.

The Donruss ones look like crap. Consistently... like crap.
The optic ones look pretty sharp.

As with any card, simply compare a real one side by side.
Go to a LCS if you have to.

Davis · 03-26-2025, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kosmo886

I am a bit concerned that I just received a fake Downtown, but I've never felt an original. How do I tell? Overall the card looks pretty sharp and solid. Here is why I am concerned though:

-The card stock feels a bit flimsy compared to the regular Donruss cards.
-The back feels more satin/matte than a regular Donruss card, which is quite glossy.
-under a magnifying glass, I can see some speckles on the printing around logos

Get another one from the same set and compare. My guess is that it is a legit card. The flimsy stock and matte back is normal

Floridacardguy · 03-26-2025, 01:53 PM

Get it graded and see if it comes back fake

starfox · 03-26-2025, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slyguy

Here's how you tell: they're too low valued to fake.

The Donruss ones look like crap. Consistently... like crap.
The optic ones look pretty sharp.

As with any card, simply compare a real one side by side.
Go to a LCS if you have to.

Low valued? Even the Donruss Downtowns go for good money now days. We know the Optic version is nicer, but why act like the Donruss version is nothing? It's just not true.

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Floridacardguy · 03-26-2025, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starfox

Low valued? Even the Donruss Downtowns go for good money now days. We know the Optic version is nicer, but why act like the Donruss version is nothing? It's just not true.

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Pay no attention to this clown Slyguy, he is the king of bogus and incorrect info- carry on

Siberian13 · 03-26-2025, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floridacardguy

Get it graded and see if it comes back fake

they grade fakes all the time.

kipgen · 03-26-2025, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starfox

Low valued? Even the Donruss Downtowns go for good money now days. We know the Optic version is nicer, but why act like the Donruss version is nothing? It's just not true.

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If there's an option to buy either/or I always go for the donruss anyway

Looks better without the dumb lasers flying around all over the card

weeds73 · 03-26-2025, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipgen

If there's an option to buy either/or I always go for the donruss anyway

Looks better without the dumb lasers flying around all over the card

100% agree. Plus, the Donruss versions tend to have lower pop and are more condition sensitive.

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ThatGuyPal · 03-30-2025, 10:35 AM

The real answer is it's basically impossible, as mentioned hired graders grade fakes quite often.

Posting a pic could help as some here are really good at recognizing inconsistencies, beyond that was it private sale or Ebay? Downtowns have value but I'd lean more real if Ebay as it likely got authenticated, again no guarantee but I mean risking it for a Downtown would be kind of surprising. Finally I'd just suggest viewing others as mentioned, if you see three others and they all look uniform except yours prob fake, if all four seem similar it's likely real.

03-24-2025, 04:25 PM	#1
kosmo886 Member Join Date: Feb 2025 Posts: 26	How to tell a fake Downtown? I am a bit concerned that I just received a fake Downtown, but I've never felt an original. How do I tell? Overall the card looks pretty sharp and solid. Here is why I am concerned though: -The card stock feels a bit flimsy compared to the regular Donruss cards. -The back feels more satin/matte than a regular Donruss card, which is quite glossy. -under a magnifying glass, I can see some speckles on the printing around logos

03-24-2025, 06:55 PM	#3
slyguy Banned Join Date: Jan 2025 Location: SW USA Posts: 1,057	Here's how you tell: they're too low valued to fake. The Donruss ones look like crap. Consistently... like crap. The optic ones look pretty sharp. As with any card, simply compare a real one side by side. Go to a LCS if you have to.

03-26-2025, 01:53 PM	#5
Floridacardguy Member Join Date: Dec 2022 Posts: 8,042	Get it graded and see if it comes back fake

03-30-2025, 10:35 AM	#11
ThatGuyPal Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Posts: 3,688	The real answer is it's basically impossible, as mentioned hired graders grade fakes quite often. Posting a pic could help as some here are really good at recognizing inconsistencies, beyond that was it private sale or Ebay? Downtowns have value but I'd lean more real if Ebay as it likely got authenticated, again no guarantee but I mean risking it for a Downtown would be kind of surprising. Finally I'd just suggest viewing others as mentioned, if you see three others and they all look uniform except yours prob fake, if all four seem similar it's likely real.