Advice on spotting fakes for a novice 2600 collector?

[orrimarrko]

I don't have anything to cite as an example, but I was wondeing if fake carts/labels/boxes was a big problem with collecting for the 2600.

 

With the Neo and some other systems, fakes are a pain in the ass.

 

So, I'm wondering what the experts here can offer in the way of advice for ensuring that you don't get ripped off.

 

Common things to look for? People to stay away from? Etc...

 

Thanks for any input.

 

Steve

[jetset]

Are you talking Ebay? Best thing to do is post a link here (unless it's a steal and you don't want to draw attention to it) and someone will tell you for sure.

Most times when a fakepops up on Ebay someone catches on and posts it here anyway...

[orrimarrko]

Are you talking Ebay? Best thing to do is post a link here (unless it's a steal and you don't want to draw attention to it) and someone will tell you for sure.

Most times when a fakepops up on Ebay someone catches on and posts it here anyway...

 

Not necessarily ebay (nore in general), but certainly ebay comes to mind...

[Lord Helmet]

The first thing I look at is the label. Most fakes I have seen have labels that are hand cut, so the edges are rough.

[sku_u]

Finding fakes in the wild is extremely unlikely. Even on Ebay they are rare. Reproduction carts are pretty easy to identify and are often pointed out almost immediately if someone's trying to pass one off as the real thing. Unless a game's extremely rare, the likelihood of someone even trying is non-existant since it takes time and effort to make a convincing fake.

[orrimarrko]

What about boxes?

 

Are there "repro" boxes out there? What titles should I be aware of?

 

Thanks,

Steve

[sku_u]

What about boxes?

 

Are there "repro" boxes out there? What titles should I be aware of?

 

Thanks,

Steve

 

Sure there are, but again they are time consuming and costly to create and not worth the effort for most people.

[NovaXpress]

The safest bet is to only buy from someone who lacks the knowledge to make a fake game even if they wanted to. That's why I buy all my Rarity 10s from CPUWIZ.

 

I just got hooked up with the ultra-rare "Kwadrun" misspelling!

Edited March 24, 2006 by NovaXpress

[A.J. Franzman]

The first thing I look at is the label. Most fakes I have seen have labels that are hand cut, so the edges are rough.

... in particular the rounded corners (if the original had them, and most did) are very difficult to get right in both radius and smoothness by hand.