Bought this card recently. Is it real or fake?

MeanGreenZen

I recently bought this raw 1968 Nolan Ryan card off EBay. Obviously, I paid less than it would cost graded, but it was still expensive.

How can I find out if the card is real or not?

If it is fake, I know that I can send it back and EBay protects me, but isn’t there some time limit on that?

I’m guessing if I send to PSA it will take a year to get back (it’s not valuable enough to pay for Express) and any consumer protection through EBay will have expired.

I’m thinking of taking it to a local card shop to get their take or sending it to a newer (and less expensive) grading service like Dallas Card Show Grading.

Anyone have any other ideas or tips?

addicted2ebay

looks well loved! some kid in the 60’s put in in his spokes.

magician45

Id just keep it and enjoy it as it would not get a high grade. It probably is authentic as generally the fakes are only made out to look in good condition. You can submit to a grading service to just authenticate it.

Kyser

I vote real.

DBesse27

I’m guessing real.

LarkinCollector

Send it back

ETA: No way those creases are "vintage" and the cardstock is inconsistently colored (too white on the scuffed corners/edges).

JBrules

I would send it back as LarkinCollector mentioned. The centering on the front of the card looks too good to be true (classic reprint sign) and the image quality seems fake to me. It could be real I guess but I doubt. I would want to know more about the sellers other cards he is selling etc...

PNWcollector

I wouldn't call myself an expert with 68s but I have quite a few and that looks legit to me.

Batpig

That creasing doesn’t look natural. That’s a red flag. When you see a card like that, try to imagine the circumstances that it would get creased in that way.

Kyser

Good eye Larkincollector. I always knew my vote was worthless.

ArtVandelay

definite fake.

76collector

I don’t like the uniform way the corners are worn either and like mentioned above the centering for that card is exceptional which is difficult (not impossible) to find. My advice is never buy a raw card for more than 20 bucks or so that is older than 1970 unless you are an expert in that issue OR you have some others from that set that you KNOW are real. None of us will be able to tell you for certain if that card is real unless we have it in hand and even then we could be fooled. If you have more 68’s compare the color, look at the card stock, look at the edges under magnification and smell the cards. Seems weird but it’s hard to make a reprint smell like a card that has been sitting somewhere for 50+ years. For what it’s worth my vote would be it’s likely not real but again that’s not worth much without seeing it in person.

Jeff

addicted2ebay

post the eBay auction link

it’s real imo I can see the 4 color off registration and it has hickeys / they only happen in the printing process when a chunk of ink builds up on the plate. What ever color you don’t see is where the chunk is. Nolan’s hat is missing cyan. The link would help to see what else they are selling. That can show a real red flag.

LarkinCollector

@Kyser said:
Good eye Larkincollector. I always knew my vote was worthless.

Not worthless, just indicative of how convincing some fakes can be. I fell for one and kept it at eye level on my desk for two years to remind myself to be wary of "great deals" ...

OAKESY25

_post the eBay auction link

it’s real imo I can see the 4 color off registration and it has hickeys / they only happen in the printing process when a chunk of ink builds up on the plate. What ever color you don’t see is where the chunk is. Nolan’s hat is missing cyan. The link would help to see what else they are selling. That can show a real red flag_

Agree with all this. Lets see the listing and if it is an experienced card seller or a newby who "just found this in an attic and has to list as a reprint per ebays policy"

LarkinCollector

Zero wear on the creases, nuff said.

MeanGreenZen

Original listing below. Thank you for your help.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184700903953

RufussCkingston

Well I would say if it is fake, at the least, the seller isn't in on it!

I will say that the holes in the letters and numbers look smaller than this pwcc image

blurryface

could be a senational milton badley. 🥁

(2 internet points awarded for getting either of those jokes)

pab1969

Fake. Just looking at it something doesn't seem right.

addicted2ebay

Seller looks good. Send it in and 6 months from now we will know what psa says. I still like it.

blurryface

2 things that strike me funny:

the creases. funny how ryan's side for the most part is nice and clean. almost as if they intentionally destroyed koos'.

the burlap pattern on the back. and why is it full? have seen my fair share of 68 ryans. never seen that. it's as almost like the ink couldn't dry fast enough when they were being spit outta the hp150whz.

not saying it is or it isn't. a card like that would STILL go in my bike spokes though. rather have the nostalgia there than that on display.

jay0791

For sure it is not a milton bradley. They are much brighter on back.
One of the oldest trick to selling a fake that is worth $1000+ is to make it look abused by rounding corners and adding creases. Less people have their warning cap on for a $25 card. From the creases it looks like a thicker card stock. Reprints are usually thinner. The stain on card could be real as it also has a small portion at the very bottom. Who would think to do that? I am assuming all defects would be done at the same time.
The "bleed thru" square matrix seen in the white on the back is a question for me. Would the original print on real card be printed with the border design on whole card? The the picture added later.
As stated the smell of the card can tell you everything. But again ryan cards have been reprinted/faked for a long time.

Here are my two Ryans

bobsbbcards

Real.

blurryface

@jay0791 said:
For sure it is not a milton bradley. They are much brighter on back.
One of the oldest trick to selling a fake that is worth $1000+ is to make it look abused by rounding corners and adding creases. Less people have their warning cap on for a $25 card. From the creases it looks like a thicker card stock. Reprints are usually thinner. The stain on card could be real as it also has a small portion at the very bottom. Who would think to do that? I am assuming all defects would be done at the same time.
The "bleed thru" square matrix seen in the white on the back is a question for me. Would the original print on real card be printed with the border design on whole card? The the picture added later.
As stated the smell of the card can tell you everything. But again ryan cards have been reprinted/faked for a long time.

Here are my two Ryans

>

i can assure you that suggesting that it was an actual milton bradley was not to be taken seriously. if you notate my spelling, i called it a "milton BADley". and just for kicks, the "senational" comment was that the ryan rc is actually an uncorrected error card, should anyone happen to actually read the back. but if this is an opportunity to show off actual milton bradley's, i'll take it:

or maybe it's a venezuelan? 😉

blurryface

and for informational purposes, i find an easier hint to whether a ryan is an mb or not is the tad bit of white along koosmans border. time, light and wear can effect cards appearances, as can be seen in my two examples. even the backs. but this little white line appears on an overwhelmingly majority of the ryan miltons:

2dueces

Fake

jay0791

Blurryface
I was not smart enough to pick up on that
Have to say those MB Ryans are awesome.
He was my Fav player and I don't have one. Nice !!!!

PNWcollector

@blurryface said:
2 things that strike me funny:

the creases. funny how ryan's side for the most part is nice and clean. almost as if they intentionally destroyed koos'.

the burlap pattern on the back. and why is it full? have seen my fair share of 68 ryans. never seen that. it's as almost like the ink couldn't dry fast enough when they were being spit outta the hp150whz.

not saying it is or it isn't. a card like that would STILL go in my bike spokes though. rather have the nostalgia there than that on display.

Here are two PSA-graded copies with the burlap pattern. And there are more on eBay. I think this is the real deal.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-Topps-Nolan-Ryan-PSA-8-ROOKIE/363324847382?hash=item5497d93516:g:~wQAAOSwcOBgURCo

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-Topps-Nolan-Ryan-ROOKIE-RC-177-PSA-6-EXMT/384023998322?hash=item59699d2f72:g:PFIAAOSwHWJgTkPO

blurryface

@PNWcollector said:

@blurryface said:
2 things that strike me funny:

the creases. funny how ryan's side for the most part is nice and clean. almost as if they intentionally destroyed koos'.

the burlap pattern on the back. and why is it full? have seen my fair share of 68 ryans. never seen that. it's as almost like the ink couldn't dry fast enough when they were being spit outta the hp150whz.

not saying it is or it isn't. a card like that would STILL go in my bike spokes though. rather have the nostalgia there than that on display.

Here is a PSA-graded copy with the burlap pattern. And there are more on eBay. I think this is the real deal.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-Topps-Nolan-Ryan-PSA-8-ROOKIE/363324847382?hash=item5497d93516:g:~wQAAOSwcOBgURCo

i'm wondering now if it's the actual paper stock that just coincidentally happens to look like the burlap front. after all, the burlap isn't on the full front, so a wet ink transfer theoretically shouldn't be possible, right?

and if that's the case, then i would tend to lean towards being real...

blurryface

side note: not sure if anyone laughs at the "investacard" dude on various social media outlets, but he has an eerily familiar resemblance to koosman.

Batpig

Serious question - does it smell right?

Ahmanfan

I think the card is real. The corner wear is not consistent with artificially aged cards. I’d be interested to see the submitted to PSA or SGC to see if it is the real deal or not. The consensus seems to be pretty split down the middle. Which is rare I would say.

Batpig

@Ahmanfan said:
I think the card is real. The corner wear is not consistent with artificially aged cards. I’d be interested to see the submitted to PSA or SGC to see if it is the real deal or not. The consensus seems to be pretty split down the middle. Which is rare I would say.

There are definite red flags but I’m wavering. I’d need to have it in hand to be sure.

jay0791

I didn't say
I think real

CreeperKat

I have a similar card that I am sending in. For mine, I compared the texture, weight, and color to other 1968 Topps cards that I have and it seems to be real.

MeanGreenZen

Thank you for the feedback everyone.

I sent the pictures of the card to a guy who owns one of the new grading services and he said it was a fake. And I physically took the card to the owner of one of the best card shops in Dallas and he said it was real.

LOL. I’m torn on what to do. Keep it and display it, send it to SGC (which seems to have the best turnaround times right now) or return to seller on EBay. I paid about $300 for it.

RufussCkingston

Wait, you paid $300 for "it" and 176 other Nolan Ryan cards..... So, are the 176 other cards worthless? Can I have them?

grote15

I vote fake as well. Color and registration look off to me.

addicted2ebay

It’s real dude, send it to beckett and if it comes back fake I’ll cover your grading / shipping fees. PayPal it to you.

Nathaniel1960

Real.

PNWcollector

@addicted2ebay said:
It’s real dude, send it to beckett and if it comes back fake I’ll cover your grading / shipping fees. PayPal it to you.

I want in on this too. I think it's real, and would be willing to throw you a $100 to help cover your loss since you'll be well beyond the eBay return period by the time it gets back from grading.

Norcal

There are definitely some trustworthy and awesome members on board, that’s for sure.

MeanGreenZen

Thank you for the offers and opinions on the card.
Of course I can’t accept, but I am going to send the card in for grading and will let everyone know how it turns out.
I took it to a second card shop and this dealer also said it is real.
If the grade comes back fake, I will consider it a hard-learned lesson. But I am feeling good about it.

professorpuck

This is the type of question to ask before you buy the card.

mexpo75

If in doubt, send it back for refund and buy a low grade slabbed one. After sending it in, you'll have over $400 and 6 months into it.