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How Can I Tell If My Mickey Mantle Card Is Real?

Unlike experts, many amateur sports card collectors don't know how to spot counterfeit baseball cards. Collectors who purchase vintage cards of famous players need to be especially careful. Mickey Mantle is a baseball legend and his cards are very valuable, making them a prime candidate for counterfeiting. Counterfeit cards will always exist, so you need to learn how to tell if your Mickey Mantle card is real or fake.

Things You'll Need

Magnifying glass
Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards

Instructions

- 1
  Find your Mickey Mantle baseball card in the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards using the chronological or alphabetic index and the player's name, the card date and the sports card company name. This catalog lists over one million baseball cards, including every authentic Mickey Mantle card. If you cannot find your card in this catalog, it isn't authentic.
- 2
  Examine the card stock used to make your Mickey Mantle card. Compare it to authorized copies of the same Mickey Mantle card or cards of the same set. Ensure the weight and texture of the card is the same.
- 3
  Examine how the card has aged. Original Mickey Mantle cards were printed in the 1950s and 60s. If the card looks like it was recently printed, it is likely a fake. If there are signs of fake aging, such as coffee stains, uneven fading, or artificial roughing of the edges, it is likely a fake. Authentically aged cards will be evenly faded, while roughed edges and creases in the card will also look aged, and not appear fresh like they have recently been created.
- 4
  Examine the card's design. Ensure that the font types and sizes, border, colors and other design aspects on your card match those found on authorized copies of the same Mickey Mantle card. Card forgers sometimes make mistakes on small, crucial details.
- 5
  Examine the card with a magnifying glass. Look for ink jet dots instead of lines. If your Mickey Mantle card has ink jet dots, the card has likely been printed cheaply and is a fake.
- 6
  Compare the color of your Mickey Mantle card to a certified copy of the same card. If the color is too dark or bright, or simply incorrect, the card may be a fake.
- 7
  Measure your Mickey Mantle card and compare its dimensions to a certified copy of the same card. Find the measurements in the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards if you do not have access to a duplicate Mickey Mantle card.
- 8
  Bring your Mickey Mantle card to an expert or have it authorized by a sports card authorization company, such as Sportscard Guarantee or Professional Sports Authenticator. Sports card and memorabilia stores and expos are good places to find sports cards experts.

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