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Highly Sophisticated Fake Autos And Patches On The Rise

fake chinese cards

There have long been fake autos and patches on the market, many of which have traditionally come from China. None of that is new. But the level of sophistication and attention to detail here is excellent. It is probably the highest level of fake patches I have ever seen. New evidence has emerged from China of a new generation of counterfeit auto and patch cards that are making the hobby rethink its approach to maintain the credibility and authenticity of the cards we buy and sell. Read on as we give you the story of the new generation of Chinese super fake patches and autos.

Why Now And Why China?

In April, the US Customs and Border Patrol intercepted containers brimming with counterfeit goods from China. A substantial stash of NBA rookies ‘ cards was discovered among the haul of designer clothes, shoes, watches, and sneakers.The estimated value of the seized goods in this operation is a staggering $400,000, a mere fraction of the colossal counterfeit sports cards market. This scale of the problem demands immediate attention and action.

It’s important to note that the issue of counterfeit goods, including those from China, is not a recent development. A report by the US government revealed that a staggering 75% of the value of counterfeit and pirated goods seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection originated from China or were transshipped from China to Hong Kong. This has been a persistent problem for over three decades, one that the US has consistently raised in its discussions with the Chinese government. This long-standing issue calls for a reevaluation of our approach to maintaining the authenticity of sports cards.

While the problem of counterfeit goods from China has historically been associated with designer clothes, bags, watches, and cologne, the landscape has shifted. Over the past decade, China has made its presence felt in the counterfeit sports cards business. This shift is not surprising, given the high value of sports cards and the potential for significant profits.

Given the lucrative nature of the sports cards market, it’s no surprise that counterfeiters are shifting their focus to this industry. While counterfeiting these cards is no easy task, it’s certainly less challenging than replicating intricate fashion items like handbags and shoes. This underscores the need for heightened awareness and vigilance on your part as collectors and enthusiasts.

The Fake Kobe Bryant Cards That Got Past PSA

Some of the fake patches and auto cards are so good they are reliably getting past the PSA safeguards. A user bought 3 Kobe Bryant 2015 Panini Replay cards on Blowout Forums. After realizing that something was off, he reported the following:


“First, I bought 3 cards that are definitely natural since they were very cheap (less than $5). I looked at the stamps on the cards and compared them to the stamps provided by 312.

The differences between real and fake stamps are easy to catch. Look at the “O” from “AUTOGRAPH” and “R, P, A” from “REPLAY.” We would also add that, as in many other forgeries, the print of the letters is far more transparent than the authentic ones. The fake ones have less of a differentiation between the letters. In addition, the emblems appear to be far shinier in the forgeries than they were in the case of the actual cards.

Kobe has always been a significant target for forgeries, and this new wave is no different. We have also seen very sophisticated Prizm and Pinnacle fake autos featuring “The Black Mamba.”

Most of the cards in question are Kobe ones. However, 2015 Replay Curry cards were forged similarly.

All 10 cards graded by PSA are fake, based on comparing the stamps on PSA-graded cards vs. actual stamps. PSA-graded card photos are obtained directly from the PSA website. Plus, there are lots of fake copies in sealed one touch.”

Not Just PSA

Of course, it isn’t just PSA that is falling for this. There are fakes here that were graded by the Chinese grading company GBTC.

These photos show the differences. This is helpful information regarding Replay cards. But can we expect to figure out the minor telltale signs in every card? When did collecting cards become so demanding in terms of details? Luckily, there is some help from an unexpected quarter.

The Sports Card Sleuths In China

A Chinese YouTube channel, @sportscardTV, has been diligently exposing the problem. Despite its modest size—just over 1,000 subscribers—the channel has produced over 164 videos, each meticulously revealing the prevalence of fake sports cards. While my Chinese skills may not be what they used to be, the channel’s work is straightforward and comprehensive, leaving no room for doubt.

The videos show how many cards from high-end releases have their patches altered to look more exclusive and rare, and they also show autographs added to the cards. The vast majority of the cards involved appear to be basketball items. However, Pokemon and other TCG cards are also involved. Some of the cards that have had this kind of treatment include:

  • Chris Paul Flawless
  •  DeAaron Fox Noir
  • Tyrese Haliburton Impeccable
  • Tyrese Haliburton Flawless
  • Vince Carter Immaculate
  • Kevin Durant National Treasures
  • Vince Carter Immaculate
  • Scottie Barnes Noir (RPA)
  • Tyrese Maxey Immaculate
  • Tyrese Maxey Elegance
  • Paul Reed Immaculate
  • Nikola Jokic Flawless
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Noir (RPA)
  • Lauri Markkanen Flawless (RPA)

Examples Of The New Generation Of Chinese Super Fake Patches And Autos

Look at the Chris Paul card as a notable example. At 3:17 in this video, pay attention to the patch. The counterfeiters change it from a plain white patch to a fancy one that resembles part of the team logo pattern. That (of course) raises the value of the patch card significantly. You can then see how they do a similar job on the Vince Carter Immaculate and other similar cards. If you look very closely, there are specific patterns they are using that repeat. But it’s tough to identify this without expertise.

YouTube video

You may also notice that while these are perfect cards, the counterfeiters are not focusing exclusively on the absolute BEST cards. Some of these are not rookie cards. Others are for good rookie players who are not yet superstars. This isn’t just Wemby and Luka cards. They know that the absolute most giant cards often get the most scrutiny and use that fact to their advantage.

At 00:13 in the video, you can see how well the counterfeiters imitate Yao Ming’s distinctive autograph. You can detect only a few very minor differences. But luckily, our friend at@sportscardTV has done so.

YouTube video

I was even more impressed by how well they forged the notoriously terrible penmanship of Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. Check it out from 0:50 in this video:

YouTube video

PSA Fooled By The New Generation Of Chinese Super Fake Patches And Autos

As in every new scandal about fake cards, this one includes serious fumbles by grading companies. We recently covered how badly the BGS graders fumbled on a PMG Jordan card filled in with a red Sharpie. In this case, many of the cards in question were slabbed by PSA.

One of the few videos here titled in English is called “Confirmed, PSA Reviews Multiple Kobe Replay Autos. PSA, You Are In Trouble Again.”

If there is anything we have learned in recent weeks, it’s that the graders are not genuinely protected against fake and altered cards. Indeed, it increasingly seems like they know less about detecting problematic cards than most serious collectors. It raises serious questions about why we spend so much on their services.

Meanwhile, @sportscardTV presented several autos and patches in PSA slabs. They had gotten by the company even when the job wasn’t great. Check out the Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum autos in this video, starting at 1:10. They look pretty bad, but they still managed to get graded authentically by PSA.

YouTube video

You would be wrong if you thought you were safe by sticking to baseball or vintage. The @sportscardTV channel also brings evidence of Frank Thomas Tiffany Topps cards with fake autos, graded by PSA.

However, we will say one good thing about PSA’s reaction to this problem. Once presented with the evidence, the company has been willing to decertify the relevant cards and admit their mistakes. Therefore, always check the number on the PSA site to see whether the cards match the pictures and if the certification has been maintained. Despite these efforts, we can no longer rely on PSA to detect fakes properly. We probably never could. But the new fakes are far too sophisticated.

Probstein Fooled By The New Generation Of Chinese Super Fake Patches And Autos

Another well-known hobby institution that seems to have been taken in by these fakes is Probstein. Several of the cards referenced in these videos have been sold through Probstein. That may be a coincidence, but that consignment outfit has been. It could be that those making these fake cards are taking advantage of Probstein’s reputation for not being particularly careful about the cards he sells through his consignment auspices.

In the video below, you can see some of Probstein’s cards. They include a Larry Bird Logoman signature and an Alpern Sengun One-of-One auto. Both have fake signatures. The Alpern appears to have had the sticker moved from another card to cover up the fact that this is a base card. Meanwhile, the Bird seems to be altogether forged.

YouTube video

Despite these issues, Probstein sold the cards on eBay. The Sengun card cost $220.50, while the Larry Bird auto fetched $780.

Another fake item sold through Probstein was a Nolan Ryan/Jerry Koosman rookie card—a reprint allegedly signed by the two players. While PSA determined that the card was a reprint, they authenticated the autos, and the card was then consigned to Probstein. The fake signatures on this one are compelling. Check it out at 1:50. The video compares them to the real thing. The card sold for $162.49 on eBay through Probstein.

YouTube video

But let’s not just pick on Probstein and their sales through eBay. Many forgeries of this type have been sold elsewhere. For example, many fake Panini Replay cards are sold on COMC.

What Makes The New Generation Of Chinese Super Fake Patches And Autos So Good?

One key factor that makes these forgeries so convincing is the access those making them have to Panini materials. They are not just copying but taking stickers and seals off other cards and seamlessly integrating them into others. The people involved also seem to possess a strong knowledge of patches and how to make them look better, adding to the challenge for grading companies.

We don’t think they have a supplier in Panini or anything like that. Instead, they reuse elements from the company’s releases to make the counterfeit elements more convincing. The Chinese counterfeit industry has a long history of outwitting detection and making increasingly more robust fakes in various fields. Unsurprisingly, they show the same level of excellence in sports cards.

Final Word On The New Generation Of Chinese Super Fake Patches And Autos

We learned a few things from the new revelations on more sophisticated fake cards coming out of China. First, the new fakes look much better and more challenging to detect than previous generations. Second, the grading companies have proved utterly helpless in the face of the deluge. But there is also good news. Like the United States, there are dedicated collectors and card operatives in China. And they do just as good a job (if not better) than we do here. We can learn a lot from them, and if we can pool our resources, we will all do much better at fighting fake cards. So, I guess we all better learn some Mandarin!

On a more serious note, I am starting to wonder if we are close to an era where the value of cards goes down due to these fakes. The number and ubiquity of these cards will make it far more challenging to trust that the cardboard we paid for is worth tens of thousands of dollars. The total impotence of the grading companies in the face of this problem is perhaps the killer blow here. So many cards, whether well or poorly altered, are getting through these controls that their authenticity seal is on the way to becoming meaningless.

Either way, it is up to us as consumers to be FAR more careful with what we buy and for how much.

Shaiel Ben-Ephraim

Shaiel Ben-Ephraim

Shaiel Ben-Ephraim is the emeritus editor of Cardlines. He continues to write for several hobby outlets, including this one and Cardbase. He collects primarily vintage baseball and soccer and has a weird obsession with 1971 Topps.

In his spare time, Shaiel is sobbing into his bourbon when the Mets lose and playing Dungeons and Dragons. In a past life, Dr. Ben-Ephraim was a political science professor, journalist, and diplomat. But cards are more fun.
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