| As with any collectible, sports jerseys also have | | | | more real it is. |
| separate markets: one for the authentic jerseys and | | | | Check for the patches on the jersey. Sometimes, |
| one for the replicas. However, these markets aren't | | | | you might have to match the player with their active |
| distinctly marked any longer. They are now fused | | | | years. There have been reports of a jersey with a |
| together, making it more and more difficult to | | | | patch that says he was active in 2000, when in fact |
| determine whether or not a jersey is authentic. | | | | he wasn't. The anniversary patches all mean |
| Furthermore, since there are several different types | | | | something different, and some replicators confuse |
| of jerseys and not every type is duplicated the same | | | | one with another and slap on the wrong one. |
| way, there are separate rules for each one. Learning | | | | Authentic jerseys have more vibrant colors than the |
| how to tell if a jersey is authentic really isn't difficult, | | | | fakes. However, this can become quite difficult to |
| but it takes quite a bit of time before you know | | | | check for because replicas look quite decent when |
| exactly which questions to ask or which places to | | | | they aren't directly compared to an authentic. If the |
| check even prior to your seeing of the actual | | | | color looks a bit flat, this should be a first red flag for |
| product. | | | | you to proceed with caution. |
| For all jerseys, take a look at the numbers and the | | | | If all else fails, check for the official logo of the NFL, |
| patches. The numbers, if the jersey is authentic, | | | | NBA, or MLB. All official jerseys, no matter how good |
| should be sewn on. This applies to the entire number, | | | | or bad they look, will carry the logo as a sign of |
| not just the border. Also, some jerseys (example: | | | | authenticity. Usually the authentic jerseys originate |
| 49ers) will have certain shadowing on the authentic | | | | from the respective official store anyways, so |
| ones. These numbers will have shadows to the right | | | | there's no reason why the jersey shouldn't have that |
| and under the number. Fake jerseys will have the | | | | logo. |
| same shadowing plus an extra black border around | | | | It might seem easy, with only a few places to check, |
| the rest of the number. These numbers that have | | | | but you can also check for the inconsistency in |
| shadowing all around are probably also screen printed. | | | | material and a few other areas. Once you learn to |
| Jerseys that have sewn on numbers are more | | | | appraise jerseys very quickly, your eyes can |
| expensive to make. There's a joke flying around | | | | probably pick out the fakes from the real ones even |
| saying that the more expensive your jersey, the | | | | if you don't have the product, in situations like eBay. |