The Wayne Gretzky 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee #18 rookie card has been a prime target for counterfeiters for years. It’s Topps counterpart isn’t far behind, but his O-Pee-Chee carries much more demand.
Here are some tips for what to look for in an authentic and counterfeit Wayne Gretzky 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee #18 rookie card:
- Print Dot – Authentic cards contain a yellow print dot on Gretzky’s left shoulder. Every authentic version contains this blemish. WATCH OUT! Some counterfeits contain this dot too.
- Rough Edges – Most authentic examples have rough edges. The rough edges come from a metal wire being used to cut the cards from the sheets. Over time this wire would get dull resulting in the cards receiving a rough edge. Cards cut earlier will have smoother edges.
- Image Quality – Counterfeits will have poor image quality compared to an original card. The photo on most counterfeits are of low resolution and tend to be fuzzy.
- Blue Stripes – On the first print run the Gretzky rookie card will have light blue stripes going across the back. The second print run does not have the blue stripes.
- Blue Specks – Around Gretzky’s skates you should see very tiny blue specks. You do NOT want to see any red specks.
- Black Borders – The black borders should be solid. Counterfeits have been known to have breaks in the black borders.
- Fuzzy Lettering – If any of the lettering (especially “Wayne Gretzky” on the front) looks unclear and fuzzy, its most likely a counterfeit.
- Perfect Centering – Counterfeits tend to have great centering. Authentic examples are difficult to find with decent centering.
Filed under: Fake Card Info | Tagged: 1979-80, a, card, fake, gretzky, how, o-pee-chee, rookie, spot, to, wayne |
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