Topps presents: "THE VERIFIER"

[BBCgalaxee]

Kind of sounds like a tv show.

File this under "stuff found while cleaning out the back room of a card store"

When topps started placing those 3M stickers on the back of autos and game used, they sent dealers this little item to magnify (and verify) the sticker.

Honestly, I never used it because it strictly was a gimmick as there was no need to use it.

But as we all know from the "bowman originals" debacle, the stickers could easily be messed with, thereby providing no true authenticity.

 

[fordman]

CSI for sportscards. Looks like an LED light to highlight the sticker. or one could tilt the card in normal light and see the hologram on the sticker.

Fordman

 

[MansGame]

Hmmmmmm

 

[DaClyde]

I guess you can stick that in the same tool box that holds The Pinnacle Authenticator Lens for decoding Pinnacle marks (image from the post about this thing by [MENTION=2726]rsmath[/MENTION]). I bought one of those 1993 Pinnacle Joe DiMaggio sets just to get the decoder. Thankfully someone bought most of the set from my Sportlots store a week later. I'm still thinking of peeling the front off a Sportflics card to see if that works as well.

 

[rsmath]

Were the 3M stickers the square or triangular ones? I tried hitting a square sticker with my ultraviolet light source and didn't get anything. So either I'm looking at the wrong kind of Topps holographic sticker or my ultraviolet light doesn't provide the right wavelength of light to make the security feature show up.

If someone knew the wavelength needed, I probably have the right LED in my junk drawer that I can try. I probably even have a triangular topps sticker on one of the cards in my collection if it's just me looking at the wrong type of authentication sticker.

 

[jmc280zx]

Triangle ones were one 1/1s... The square ones were one autos...

 

[corockies]

This always reminds me of my Transformers from the 80's and the tech specs they had on the back of the box:

You got a red see-thru piece of plastic that showed the stats of the Transformer you just bought. Was totally amazing as a kid.

 

[GUCD231]

All they had to do was actually have a database that kept track of the serial numbers on the hologram sticker. Topps has stated the serial numbers on the sticker are "NOT" for tracking or corresponding purposes.......Brilliant!

 

[BBCgalaxee]

Yeah this was pure gimmick.

Ok, so the actual sticker can't be peeled, but nothing stops someone from cutting out the sticker, shaving the back gluing it on a bogus card. Been done countless times.

Now, if this wasn't a bs gimmick, the serial numbers on the stickers would have gone into a data base, placed online for collectors to authenticate if need be.

Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[rsmath]

is there a patent number listed on the box or device? Looking up the description of the patent may help find out what wavelength will make the "authentic issue" wording appear.

I can see the angle 1 and 2 features by eye on square stickers so I must be looking at the right type of sticker.