Pach Fake Fools
I think what we shall see introduced IF UD and ITG is listening (and Dr. Price is on these boards) is some sort of what to circumvent patch switching.
Take UD Ice. There were a few jersey cards that had the piece stuck between two pieces of plastic... so you couldn't even get at the surface.:| I am no patch switcher, but I can imagine that you need to get at the surface of the patch piece to switch a single color with a 32 color piece.
Here are a few recommendations to those out there that are wary about buying patches based on my experience :dance:
1) Look at the patch in great detail. Some of the faked patches out there aren't even from the right freaking jerseys (remember that strange Sid Crosby patch from the shoulder!). Look for marks around the edges of the patch window. I would imagine that taking out a patch isn't that easy to do. Also look on the edges... perhaps these cards are popped open somehow. I sort of want to take apart a crappy patch card of a ham-n-egger player to see how easy this is!
2) Look at the feedback. Someone with a lot of feedback isn't going to risk a reputation on something stupid like this... or are they? When is the last time you looked at the feedback rating of someone selling on eBay when the patch was super awesome? Ya, thought so.
3) On super limited stuff... look around. Compare your patch to others. Generally with UD, the more common the patch (ie the higher the print run) the better the patch will be. Remember that article on Beckett.com a while back that asked UD why there were so many single color (and white) patches on low numbered items? They said (whomever it was, and I am paraphrasing) that single color patches don't matter on something #/15 because the card is so rare. I beg to differ, but what can you do. So I would be suspicious of something really low numbered that is 15 colors. This is not a rule though...
4) Here is the bad one. Honestly, even if a patch comes from a reputable dealer (who may not have switched the patch) and even if the card looks good... someone out there still has the ability to make this sort of crap happen ("they have the technology"). I am sure you can fake BGS holders... does that stop anyone from paying $10 000 for a BGS 9.5 Gretzky OPC rookie? (Which is on eBay right now, incidentally) No. I am sure you can fake $100 bills. Does that stop anyone from picking one off the road? No.
5) Most fake patches that have been discussed have been from high end product (ie the cup, ultimate etc). Buyer Beware I suppose.
THE SOLUTION! :dance:
1) Document FROM THE FACTORY an image of each patch that is serial numbered.... it take a photo of all 99 Crosby THE CUP rookies when they come out (or came out). If someone has a question, simply go to the UD site and look up the card. I would imagine as sales of their big ticket items fall off UD will have to do something. I look foreword to that happening in the 2013/14 season.
2) Make patch switching as hard as possible. Die cut edges on the patch windows... foil... the UD ice plastic sandwich trick.... some sort of UV ink on the patch... I dunno! Something!
3) When you find someone who switches patches... take them off the market. Yes, it would suck to have to do away with a BGS 9.5 4 color Ovechkin Cup Rookie... but if it is fake then what the hell are you going to do. Charge the guy (or gal) with fraud. Put their names out on the boards. Make little voodoo dolls and stick pins in it.
... that is my 'off the cuff' rant at 2:30 am after 2 beer. :beer:
'night all!
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