How To Spot A Fake Jordan 1984-85 Star ROY #288
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Michael Jordan’s 1984-85 Star Rookie Of The Year (#288) card is a common target of counterfeiters.
This guide is designed to educate collectors on the difference between a real and a fake.
There are a few things to note on the authentic 84-85 Star ROY card, as outlined below. Notice the wider border on the left-hand side of the card versus the right. This is extremely common on these cards; finding one entirely centered would be out of the norm. If you do, there’s a good chance it is fake or it has been trimmed.
Here’s a comparison of a typical fake (which you’ll notice is perfectly centered) versus the real card. Some fakes I’ve seen are also off-center the opposite way, meaning they have a wider border on the right- those would be a clear indication of a fake.
In comparing the backs of a fake versus an original, we can see in the fake (on the left) the graininess of the background color and the lack of smooth colors on the background. The text is also much bolder on the fake card and doesn’t have the smooth print on a real Jordan card. We can also see this in the two logo areas, where the NBA ball has a much bolder print, as does the NBA logo on the right-hand side.
For such a valuable card, I still recommend examining it in person first, if possible. Under magnification, the key areas to focus on include the front area where Jordan’s name is and the dark black borders on the front of the card. This is what the text on a real card should look like:
You know you have a fake in your possession if you have any blotchiness or fuzziness in the text.
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