A standard and often highly effective way to detect trading card counterfeits and reprints is by directly comparing the card in question with one or more known genuine examples. Granted, it is uncommon for the collector to already own duplicates, especially if it's a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth or 1965 Topps Joe Namath. However, good judgment is often made when comparing a card to … [Read more...]
The Forgers’ Credo: Give ‘Em What They Want
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in our series of special reports on Operation Bullpen, the infamous national forgery ring that was brought down by the FBI in 1999 but whose influence continues to be felt today.) In the third installment in this series I talked about Greg Marino and his father Angelo, both of whom have paid their debt to society and moved on with their … [Read more...]
The Beautiful Forgeries That Most Collectors Will Never Buy
By Kevin Nelson (Editor’s note: This is the third in our series of special reports on the infamous Operation Bullpen conspiracy and its effects on the hobby today.) In our conversations for my book on Operation Bullpen, Greg Marino told me that he thought that during his five years as the chief forger of the ring he had signed a million autographs. “I mean, I did a … [Read more...]
Operation Bullpen: The Case That Has Never Gone Away
By Kevin Nelson On October 13, 1999, the FBI crashed the party of a bunch of guys who found a way to make money fall from the sky. On that day hundreds of federal agents raided dozens of homes and businesses in six states and seized a mountain of forged memorabilia and a half-million dollars in cold hard cash, busting up what was the biggest autograph forgery ring in … [Read more...]