Card of the Day: Mickey Mantle 1963 Topps Plaque

Card of the Day: Cookie Rojas 1963 Topps #221

Card of the Day: Hank Aaron 1963 Topps #390

Card of the Day: Nub Beamer 1963 Topps CFL #4

Card of the Day: Tony Taylor 1963 Topps #366

Product Highlight: 1963 Scanlens VFL

Have you ever heard of Scanlens?  No.  Then you haven’t been keeping up with your Victorian Football League (VFL) vintage card knowledge.  Scanlens was an Australian company that began to insert trading cards within their candy and chewing gum packs in the 1930s.  They produced their first VFL set in 1963.  This set consists of only (18) cards, and is the Holy Grail to VFL collectors.  Several other manufacturers of VFL cards popped up, but Scanlens vintage cards are by far the most popular.

The 1963 Scanlens VFL set contains the following players:

• Ted Whitten #1
• Ron Evans #2
• Allen Aylett #3
• Ken Fraser #4
• Bob Skilton #5
• John Schultz #6
• Haydn Bunton #7
• Brendan Edwards #8
• Verdon Howell #9
• Neil Roberts #10
• Alex Epis #11
• Graham (Polly) Farmer #12
• Graham Arthur #13
• Len Fitzgerald #14
• Bill and Matt Goggin #15
• Ron Barassi #16
• Murray Weiderman #17
• Bob Johnston #18

The hardest card to find from this particular set is Graham (Polly) Farmer #12.  For some reason it just doesn’t surface that often.  Many collectors believe they were heavily damaged during the printing process, and got thrown out.  Another rumor suggests that a Scanlens employee stole stacks of Graham (Polly) Farmer cards, and stored them in a drawer at a railway station.

You can’t help but notice how the design looks very similar to 1959 Topps Football.

In 1963 Scanlens issued three sets – VFL, NRL, and a soccer set.  Each set contains (18) cards.

Card of the Day: Claud Crabb 1963 Topps #168

Card of the Day: Willie Wood 1963 Topps #95

Card of the Day: Larry Garron 1963 Fleer #1

How To Spot A Fake Pete Rose 1963 Topps Rookie Stars #537

Have you ever wondered what the first well-known card to be counterfeited is?  If so, the answer is the 1963 Topps Rookie Stars #537 card.  It contains rookies of Pedro Gonzalez, Ken McMullen, Al Weis, and most notably Pete Rose.  The inclusion of Pete Rose is the real value driver here.

In the earlier 1980’s, a wave of counterfeit Pete Rose rookie cards found their way into the market.  A large chunk of these counterfeits were confiscated, stamped “COUNTERFEIT ORIGINAL REPRINT” on the reverse, and found their way back into circulation.  It became such a big deal that some people actually seek the counterfeits just because they make an interesting conversation piece.  These counterfeits were so well-made if the individual pulling the scam would’ve sold them at multiple card shows instead of dumping them all at one spot there is a good chance they might have gotten away with it.

Its important to note that not every counterfeit Pete Rose rookie card will have this stamp.  Lots of non-stamped counterfeits are still out there attempting to fool uneducated buyers.

Here are some tips for spotting a counterfeit Pete Rose 1963 Topps Rookie Stars #537 card:

• Black Line (Outside Hat) – Many counterfeits contain a thin black line around the outside of Pete Rose’s white hat.  Authentic examples do NOT have this line.
• Missing Black Line (Cincinnati logo) – Its difficult to see, but on an authentic example there is a black line around the Cincinnati logo on Rose’s hat.  Counterfeits tend to be missing this item.
• Thin Card Stock – Counterfeits tend to be printed on much thinner card stock compared to the real thing.  While looking at the card’s reverse, hold it up to the light.  If you’re able to see the four circles on the other side it certainly is a counterfeit.  You wouldn’t be able to see through the card if it was authentic.
• Red Tint – On some counterfeits the faces can have a red tint.
• Light Colored Back – The back on a counterfeit usually has a lighter tone versus an authentic card.
• Pixelated Heads – Upon close inspection you’ll notice the player’s heads are quite pixelated on a counterfeit.  A genuine example won’t have this.
• Perfect Centering – Not that there aren’t authentic examples with good centering, they’re just difficult to find.
• Lack of Frontal Upper Edge Wear – The upper portion of the card on the front has a blue color that reaches the edge.  That part of the card is notorious for chipping.

Authentic front:

Authentic back:

Counterfeit front:

Counterfeit back: