[ajmm14]

hi. is there a way to tell a fake 1981 topps football card? are they really slick to the feel. i bought a joe montana rookie off of ebay, but the card just doesn't seem right. the seller has also listed about 4 others with almost the same pictures. it's making me wonder.

thanks

[jplarson]

If it feels slick (or glossy) it may be a legit reprint or an unlicensed reprint (fake). Take a look at the back, does it seem brighter than it ought to? Check for dates around the back, see if you notice anything more recent than 81 to tell you if it's a reprint.

[djohn]

The easiest way is to get a common card and compare it to the Montana. I don't know of any 1981 Topps commons that were faked, so that would be an easy comparison to use. In general the general look and feel of all cards from 70s and 80s were the same, though some late 80s products added gloss. If the card doesn't feel the same as any other 70s and 80s commons, then it would be cause for concern.

[dmasci]

Did you pay a normal price that you would expect to pay for a Montana RC or did you get a great "deal"?
That may help you decide...

[rjcj2017]

In the last few years Topps has inserted reprints of the Montana RC into a few of its products ... but they have the bright, slick white card stock of the regular modern base cards.

So if your card is not actual cardboard stock, it's most likely a reprint.

I know they did RC reprints in the 2012 Topps set and he was one of them, as I pulled quite a few.