PWCC Selling Fake SGC 9.5 1991 Topps Desert Shield Griffey, 2 PSA Desert Shield Fakes

[3124508 on COMC]

Buyer beware of the following fake Desert Shield cards in PWCC's current auction. The Griffey has one of the newer counterfeit stamps that has been popping up over the last year or two. The other two are well-documented "shifted OPERATION" counterfeits that have been around for years. See below for examples of real vs. fake desert shield cards using some of the copies PWCC is selling this month.

Counterfeit stamps:
https://www.pwccmarketplace.com/items/2510623
https://www.pwccmarketplace.com/items/2525551
https://www.pwccmarketplace.com/items/2525535




Real vs fake composite:

[pip]

Why don't the TPGs hire a single person to do simple research before grading commonly counterfeited cards? One might get the impression that it just isn't that important to them. In this case, take a couple of minutes to google it.

[corndog]

I see multiple differences between the real and counterfeit stamp.
The very bottom of the shield.
The palm fronds.
The flag stripes.
The linear positioning of the stars.

Pip is right. They should not be grading cards they know nothing about.

[Bruins1993]

"Never get cheated"

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by pip

Why don't the TPGs hire a single person to do simple research before grading commonly counterfeited cards? One might get the impression that it just isn't that important to them. In this case, take a couple of minutes to google it.

Research apparently is as important as rulers and straight edges there.

[TarjetasBéisbol]

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

Research apparently is as important as rulers and straight edges there.

That is so true and easy to do! When people see that they can be easily duped like this they just keep sending the fakes.

[pip]

Maybe the TPGs can use this thread as their primer.

[rj.cataldo]

I had no idea there were people faking players like John Smiley. I have only one in my collection I bought for a few bucks on COMC for my 2005 White Sox rookies. Looking here it might also be a fake.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[3124508 on COMC]

Real. Similar to the last example in the OP. Light on foil compared to many.

Originally Posted by rj.cataldo

I had no idea there were people faking players like John Smiley. I have only one in my collection I bought for a few bucks on COMC for my 2005 White Sox rookies. Looking here it might also be a fake.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[superdan49]

Originally Posted by pip

Maybe the TPGs can use this thread as their primer.

A resource like this would be helpful for them. At minimum, TPGs should be earmarking sets like this one for special scrutiny.

[ken161]

Originally Posted by Bruins1993

"Never get cheated"

One or two bad cards will occasionally make it past the PSA goalie (Hardy Åström). But those occasions are few and far between. If PSA & PWCC both vouch for a card, then I'm breaking out the checkbook. Deep down, I know I will never get cheated.

[lauriontj]

There is a really good article floating around that talks all about this set and compares the real and fake ones. I’ll see if I can find it

[MoreToppsPlease]

Never felt comfortable about parallel cards that are only differentiated by the base by a stamp.

[rjp087]

I'm surprised there aren't any Stadium Club 1st Day Issue/Members Only fakes after seeing this...

Yikes!

[charnick]

Originally Posted by pip

Why don't the TPGs hire a single person to do simple research before grading commonly counterfeited cards? One might get the impression that it just isn't that important to them. In this case, take a couple of minutes to google it.

I was offered a position in the research department, but the pay was obscenely low. Their hiring practices felt very poor and not at all geared towards bringing on properly knowledgeable talent.

[Lonewolf]

Cue the TPG cultists to defend this...

[3124508 on COMC]

Looks like these have been taken down.

[superdan49]

Another Fake Stamp Griffey

Here's one missed by PSA this time, a Ken Griffey Jr. 1991 Desert Shield card graded PSA 9. The card bears a fake Desert Shield stamp.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1991-Topps-.../143799061828?

[superdan49]

Update: Seller removed the above Griffey card from eBay and will be sending card back to PSA, which will be reviewing the authenticity of the Griffey. A sincere thanks to this seller.

[Archangel1775]

I have to admit, its tough to tell without being seriously educated about nuances of the real and fake stamps.

[3124508 on COMC]

Originally Posted by Archangel1775

I have to admit, its tough to tell without being seriously educated about nuances of the real and fake stamps.

The ones in the OP are all pretty bad fakes. The good fakes are primarily on the Chipper cards.

[pip]

Originally Posted by Archangel1775

I have to admit, its tough to tell without being seriously educated about nuances of the real and fake stamps.

Disagree. Study the SHAPE of the shield and the leaves on the palm tree. Distinct differences can be determined in less than 5 minutes, even with a small sample size.

[Archangel1775]

Originally Posted by pip

Disagree. Study the SHAPE of the shield and the leaves on the palm tree. Distinct differences can be determined in less than 5 minutes, even with a small sample size.

Thank goodness I'm not a grader

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by Archangel1775

Thank goodness I'm not a grader

Technically speaking, this is more of a research issue - research that’s not being performed - rather than a condition issue.

Although a fake stamp is kind of like a huge mark on the card...

In any event, it’s not tough to get something past PSA “goal keepers”.

[Bruins1993]

In my opinion, buying raw (trimmed or untrimmed) cards to enjoy at fraction of the price is looking better everyday compared to potentially spending thousands of dollars on slabbed fraud endorsements from a TPG with a CEO that has a catch phrase of "Never Get Cheated"...