The next BIG Comic Book swindle

[comicwiz]

Someone recently told me to beware of forged books. Swore they had seen some. I don't buy it because I haven't seen any, but this source is usually reliable. Is it even possible to counterfeit old books? Practically, is it financially viable? I'm pretty sure I could spot a forgery

 

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story. A guy around my parts got busted a few months ago for forging fake gold bullion. They found stamping equipment and fake holders/cases/boxes in his home which helped him make all the fakes he was selling across the country to appear as if they had been issued by the Royal Canadian Mint. He was also selling fake Krugerrands.

 

Apart from luring the buyer who doesn't know any better by making the price attractive when compared to what a reputable source selling genuine bullion, the enabler to such scams is usually they they go to some length to make it difficult for the buyer to detect a fake.

 

One thing that has been tried and not yet achieved is finding a way to simulate the density and weight of a gold. So one thing you find that might happen is people off-setting any discrepancy in a troy oz measured bullion by adding the weight on the holder or slab. Different strokes in other hobbies, but the one constant is the matter of making sure you know the ways to spot a fake from real.

 

I wonder if CGC has ever had a forged sub, and if so did they slab it duly noted on the label?

 

More likely the case that someone would tamper with a slab than fake one. PCGS has had run-ins with fake slabs (a problem that unfortunately persists with fake slabs coming from Asian markets), so it is never completely out of the realm of possibility. Regarding CGC, there have been NG assigned subs, and "counterfeit" marked on the label on well-known counterfeits.

[Samcro-migration]

Someone recently told me to beware of forged books. Swore they had seen some. I don't buy it because I haven't seen any, but this source is usually reliable. Is it even possible to counterfeit old books? Practically, is it financially viable? I'm pretty sure I could spot a forgery

 

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story. A guy around my parts got busted a few months ago for forging fake gold bullion. They found stamping equipment and fake holders/cases/boxes in his home which helped him make all the fakes he was selling across the country to appear as if they had been issued by the Royal Canadian Mint. He was also selling fake Krugerrands.

 

Apart from luring the buyer who doesn't know any better by making the price attractive when compared to what a reputable source selling genuine bullion, the enabler to such scams is usually they they go to some length to make it difficult for the buyer to detect a fake.

 

One thing that has been tried and not yet achieved is finding a way to simulate the density and weight of a gold. So one thing you find that might happen is people off-setting any discrepancy in a troy oz measured bullion by adding the weight on the holder or slab. Different strokes in other hobbies, but the one constant is the matter of making sure you know the ways to spot a fake from real.

 

I wonder if CGC has ever had a forged sub, and if so did they slab it duly noted on the label?

 

 

Holy mess! Thanks for sharing, did not know this problem was out there

[tinynascarfan-migration]

as far as past scandals go, the ones I know of involved price guide companies hoarding books and suddenly those books get hot and they unload them, then suddenly the price goes back down.

 

that could happen again, but more than likely books like NM 98 will adjust in price due to supply and demand, its a book that is widely sold to the same people speculating, not many collectors are buying that book for their collection, and every day more of them are being pumped out at 9.8.

 

so not really a scandal, I just see some price corrections coming down the road in the future, as we watch the rarer books start to soar and the more common books start to fizzle at least a little, NM 98 could be a book that holds most of its price due to the fact that its about the only thing marvel put out in the 90's worth a .

[MatterEaterLad]

Someone recently told me to beware of forged books. Swore they had seen some. I don't buy it because I haven't seen any, but this source is usually reliable. Is it even possible to counterfeit old books? Practically, is it financially viable? I'm pretty sure I could spot a forgery

 

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story. A guy around my parts got busted a few months ago for forging fake gold bullion. They found stamping equipment and fake holders/cases/boxes in his home which helped him make all the fakes he was selling across the country to appear as if they had been issued by the Royal Canadian Mint. He was also selling fake Krugerrands.

 

Apart from luring the buyer who doesn't know any better by making the price attractive when compared to what a reputable source selling genuine bullion, the enabler to such scams is usually they they go to some length to make it difficult for the buyer to detect a fake.

 

One thing that has been tried and not yet achieved is finding a way to simulate the density and weight of a gold. So one thing you find that might happen is people off-setting any discrepancy in a troy oz measured bullion by adding the weight on the holder or slab. Different strokes in other hobbies, but the one constant is the matter of making sure you know the ways to spot a fake from real.

 

I wonder if CGC has ever had a forged sub, and if so did they slab it duly noted on the label?

 

That's insane! I wonder if it was just a color copy or if someone went to the trouble of trying to actually offset print a counterfeit run?

[MK Ultra]

When 1984 Donruss baseball cards were hot there were tons of counterfeits made, I believe in China?

[Davenport]

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story.

Wouldn't a counterfeit comic slabbed in a counterfeit holder be the worst nightmare?

 

If the Label's barcode matched what's presented it could be years, decades or never, before someone cracked it out to notice paper textures or other tells.

[comicwiz]

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story.

Wouldn't a counterfeit comic slabbed in a counterfeit holder be the worst nightmare?

 

If the Label's barcode matched what's presented it could be years, decades or never, before someone cracked it out to notice paper textures or other tells.

 

No doubt. A slab or holder intentionally designed to remain sealed, especially one with a certification policy that invalidates the warranty of grade/service when breached, is definitely the enabler.

[slym2none]

Fingh has a shill account that actively participates in the PIF thread.

 

BWA-HA-HA-HA...

 

::

 

 

 

-slym

[Samcro-migration]

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story.

Wouldn't a counterfeit comic slabbed in a counterfeit holder be the worst nightmare?

 

If the Label's barcode matched what's presented it could be years, decades or never, before someone cracked it out to notice paper textures or other tells.

 

No doubt. A slab or holder intentionally designed to remain sealed, especially one with a certification policy that invalidates the warranty of grade/service when breached, is definitely the enabler.

 

But surely they would have to target a specific book to copy, because the barcode would be invalid otherwise when entered in CGC book label checker thing thats on the website?

[VintageComics]

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story.

Wouldn't a counterfeit comic slabbed in a counterfeit holder be the worst nightmare?

 

If the Label's barcode matched what's presented it could be years, decades or never, before someone cracked it out to notice paper textures or other tells.

 

No doubt. A slab or holder intentionally designed to remain sealed, especially one with a certification policy that invalidates the warranty of grade/service when breached, is definitely the enabler.

 

Joe, you're making it sound awfully pessimistic.

 

Any good system can be corrupted. It's a flaw found within all of creation and it's a reoccurring theme in nearly everything in existence. Someone, somewhere will always find a way to abuse something. That doesn't mean that the original concept is incorrectly executed.

 

 

[comicwiz]

When 1984 Donruss baseball cards were hot there were tons of counterfeits made, I believe in China?

 

Lots of fake Jordans, Gretzky's, Orr's and pretty much any RC which sells for big bucks. Even fake slabs have been spotted over the years. But there an abundance of "scam" threads/posts out there suggesting fakes have slipped through and have been slabbed to make the notion of being able to spot a fake 100% of the times practically irrelevant.

[slym2none]

 

Fingh has a shill account named Bathedinflames that actively participates in the PIF thread.

 

Fixed

Someone will believe that.

I doubt it.

 

 

 

I am laughing so hard people outside probably think there is an insane person on the loose.

 

 

 

 

-slym (sets up a slow-pitch right down the middle)

[Samcro-migration]

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story.

Wouldn't a counterfeit comic slabbed in a counterfeit holder be the worst nightmare?

 

If the Label's barcode matched what's presented it could be years, decades or never, before someone cracked it out to notice paper textures or other tells.

 

No doubt. A slab or holder intentionally designed to remain sealed, especially one with a certification policy that invalidates the warranty of grade/service when breached, is definitely the enabler.

 

Joe, you're making it sound awfully pessimistic.

 

Any good system can be corrupted. It's a flaw found within all of creation and it's a reoccurring theme in nearly everything in existence. Someone, somewhere will always find a way to abuse something. That doesn't mean that the original concept is incorrectly executed.

 

 

Here we go

[VintageComics]

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story.

Wouldn't a counterfeit comic slabbed in a counterfeit holder be the worst nightmare?

 

If the Label's barcode matched what's presented it could be years, decades or never, before someone cracked it out to notice paper textures or other tells.

 

No doubt. A slab or holder intentionally designed to remain sealed, especially one with a certification policy that invalidates the warranty of grade/service when breached, is definitely the enabler.

 

Joe, you're making it sound awfully pessimistic.

 

Any good system can be corrupted. It's a flaw found within all of creation and it's a reoccurring theme in nearly everything in existence. Someone, somewhere will always find a way to abuse something. That doesn't mean that the original concept is incorrectly executed.

 

 

Here we go

 

You just proved my statement.

[slym2none]

hmm

 

 

 

 

-slym

[Samcro-migration]

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story.

Wouldn't a counterfeit comic slabbed in a counterfeit holder be the worst nightmare?

 

If the Label's barcode matched what's presented it could be years, decades or never, before someone cracked it out to notice paper textures or other tells.

 

No doubt. A slab or holder intentionally designed to remain sealed, especially one with a certification policy that invalidates the warranty of grade/service when breached, is definitely the enabler.

 

Joe, you're making it sound awfully pessimistic.

 

Any good system can be corrupted. It's a flaw found within all of creation and it's a reoccurring theme in nearly everything in existence. Someone, somewhere will always find a way to abuse something. That doesn't mean that the original concept is incorrectly executed.

 

 

Here we go

 

You just proved my statement.

 

Yeah, and I only used up three words and a gremlin

[comicwiz]

Everything that is valuable can be forged/counterfeited. How good a fake is another story.

Wouldn't a counterfeit comic slabbed in a counterfeit holder be the worst nightmare?

 

If the Label's barcode matched what's presented it could be years, decades or never, before someone cracked it out to notice paper textures or other tells.

 

No doubt. A slab or holder intentionally designed to remain sealed, especially one with a certification policy that invalidates the warranty of grade/service when breached, is definitely the enabler.

 

Joe, you're making it sound awfully pessimistic.

 

Any good system can be corrupted. It's a flaw found within all of creation and it's a reoccurring theme in nearly everything in existence. Someone, somewhere will always find a way to abuse something. That doesn't mean that the original concept is incorrectly executed.

 

 

Hey Roy, it may sound that way, but I was making the statement in the general sense. Even the guy up in these parts selling fake bullion was sealing them in cases/holders. I think how he got busted was that someone took them to get appraised for resale, and that individual cracked open the cases to see they were fake. An assessment I'm pretty certain wasn't possible until the coins were liberated.

 

When I bought my first slabbed coin, I found it difficult to find any information on the weight of the actual holder for the specific coin I purchased. And that weight was crucial, as gauging total weight (coin plus holder) was one of the methods I used to make certain it wasn't a fake. Fortunately, it turned out to be real, and I can understand why the slabbing service/company would want to keep that info guarded, but with the amount of fake slabs, I also had to protect my interests.

 

Not bagging on slabbing companies in particular - this is a fact, especially when an inspection requires actually being able to hold, measure and inspect without any barriers to access, and unfortunately a holder or slab may interfere with performing proper DD.

[VintageComics]

Not bagging on slabbing companies in particular - this is a fact, especially when an inspection requires actually being able to hold, measure and inspect without any barriers to access, and unfortunately a holder or slab interferes with performing proper DD.

 

I guess it's kind of an ironic statement because the entire reason people buy graded books is because they trust what is inside.

 

The way to minimize risk is probably purchase from people you trust.

 

There is no perfect system but risk can be mitigated by who you deal with.

 

 

[VintageComics]

Yeah, and I only used up three words and a gremlin

 

I know you're a tough biker dude and all but if you don't like what I have to say, just put me on ignore rather than keep coming at me with a bunch of snark. You're not adding any value.

 

(thumbs u

[comicwiz]

Not bagging on slabbing companies in particular - this is a fact, especially when an inspection requires actually being able to hold, measure and inspect without any barriers to access, and unfortunately a holder or slab interferes with performing proper DD.

 

I guess it's kind of an ironic statement because the entire reason people buy graded books is because they trust what is inside.

 

The way to minimize risk is probably purchase from people you trust.

 

There is no perfect system but risk can be mitigated by who you deal with.

 

 

There is some truth to that. But I more often find myself buying individual items or large collections from people I've never dealt with before. Buyer beware warnings shouldn't be confused with a pessimistic outlook.