Finest Refractor Question

[slum22]

So I just purchased a 1993 Finest Refractor off of eBay. I have never held a 93 Finest Refractor in hand. Is it fairly obvious to tell the difference between a regular Finest card vs. the Refractor? I have a regular 94 Finest and a 94 Finest Refractor and those two cards are easy to tell apart. The 94 Refractor shimmers quite a bit more than the base card. Should the 93 Refractor do the same thing? I feel like in later years Topps would write Refractor somewhere on the back of the card. Is there an easy "tell" like this on the 93 version? I am getting the feeling that I am about to have to return a card in short order here. Thanks for any help on this.

Steve

[Rob 23]

The 93s weren't marked as refractors on the back of the card like following years but it should shimmer like refractors do.

There's one in this video by ultimatederon at 3:33 (the entire video is worth watching by the way if you haven't seen it)

https://youtu.be/Pedszp0XCVs

[SteveO21]

So I just purchased a 1993 Finest Refractor off of eBay. I have never held a 93 Finest Refractor in hand. Is it fairly obvious to tell the difference between a regular Finest card vs. the Refractor? I have a regular 94 Finest and a 94 Finest Refractor and those two cards are easy to tell apart. The 94 Refractor shimmers quite a bit more than the base card. Should the 93 Refractor do the same thing? I feel like in later years Topps would write Refractor somewhere on the back of the card. Is there an easy "tell" like this on the 93 version? I am getting the feeling that I am about to have to return a card in short order here. Thanks for any help on this.

Steve

The answer is YES. While the refractors don't have any signifying marks on them, the difference in appearance between regular base and refractor is completely obvious in hand.

[CastleBeachCards]

Go out in daylight and move it around with your wrist. If it doesn't pop with a rainbow effect..........it's a base card

[ThoseBackPages]

yes, really easy. always has been

very underappreciated cards. seeing them in person is so much better then online

[duron]

If it doesn't change colors in the light, it's not a refractor.

Has nothing to do with the gloss or shine.

[slum22]

Got it. I kind of figured that was the answer, but I wanted confirmation. Looks like I have to email an eBay seller. Thanks for the input guys. Much appreciated :)!

[Rob 23]

Yikes. Hope you get an easy resolution.

[Starman101]

Got it. I kind of figured that was the answer, but I wanted confirmation. Looks like I have to email an eBay seller. Thanks for the input guys. Much appreciated :)!

Yeah you have to be careful when purchasing these

Many ebay sellers have the regular base card listed as a refractor when it in fact is not one

Because it doesnt say "Refractor" on the back, it can be used as a "loophole" for scammers who can take deceiving pics to make the card appear like a refractor when it is not one

Same thing with the 97-98 Upper Deck Game Dated cards

Many Ebay sellers list these as the "Game Dated Version" when in fact is only a base card without the foil finish on the front :rolleyes:

[I only pull for]

Are all of the refractors from this set turning green? From what I've seen online lately it appears they are.

[indyguy]

Are all of the refractors from this set turning green? From what I've seen online lately it appears they are.

Depends on how much they have been exposed to, but "greening" is pretty common.

[SteveO21]

Depends on how much they have been exposed to, but "greening" is pretty common.

Exactly. There are still some copies of these cards that don't show any obvious signs of "greening" but they're becoming harder and harder to find. Even the best examples show slight signs of greening that some people may not even notice.

I've always thought the Dale Davis card from this set is a great case study on the signs of greening that might get overlooked by some collectors. Dale's a pretty dark-skinned guy so a card that is heavily "greened" it's pretty obvious...

https://img.comc.com/ebay-both/3fe5dc04-64d8-462a-9bd8-849e1b9edcd9.jpg

but even on a copy like this one below, where it appears at first glance to be nearly perfect colorwise, if you look closely you can see signs of a greenish hue to the areas on his skin that have a glisten from sweat.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hl8AAOxyjP1R5MUk/s-l1600.jpg

[slum22]

Yeah you have to be careful when purchasing these

Many ebay sellers have the regular base card listed as a refractor when it in fact is not one

Because it doesnt say "Refractor" on the back, it can be used as a "loophole" for scammers who can take deceiving pics to make the card appear like a refractor when it is not one

Same thing with the 97-98 Upper Deck Game Dated cards

Many Ebay sellers list these as the "Game Dated Version" when in fact is only a base card without the foil finish on the front :rolleyes:

Yeah, thanks for the heads up on the UD cards. As for this one, I bought it knowing it was probably a base card. The seller had it listed as a refractor for $29.95 BIN. I figured it was worth hitting BIN on the slim chance it was a refractor. If it was a refractor, I would be scoring the best deal I've ever gotten on eBay. If it wasn't the buyer stated in the listing they accept returns so there was little downside. I have already mailed the card back. I started a case explaining the problem and the seller agreed to the return so I am not expecting any problems. Just a small waste of time, but worth the roll of the dice. Would have been sweet to score a refractor for $30. I hear what you are saying about scammers. In this seller's defense, they don't appear to be card sellers. Their other listings were mostly a hodge podge of random stuff including some comics, so maybe they have a thrift store or something of the like. They probably copied someone else's listing and forgot to take out the refractor part, or didn't know the difference. Heck, I collect basketball cards and wasn't sure of the difference until this thread, lol.

[duron]

Yeah, thanks for the heads up on the UD cards. As for this one, I bought it knowing it was probably a base card. The seller had it listed as a refractor for $29.95 BIN. I figured it was worth hitting BIN on the slim chance it was a refractor. If it was a refractor, I would be scoring the best deal I've ever gotten on eBay. If it wasn't the buyer stated in the listing they accept returns so there was little downside. I have already mailed the card back. I started a case explaining the problem and the seller agreed to the return so I am not expecting any problems. Just a small waste of time, but worth the roll of the dice. Would have been sweet to score a refractor for $30. I hear what you are saying about scammers. In this seller's defense, they don't appear to be card sellers. Their other listings were mostly a hodge podge of random stuff including some comics, so maybe they have a thrift store or something of the like. They probably copied someone else's listing and forgot to take out the refractor part, or didn't know the difference. Heck, I collect basketball cards and wasn't sure of the difference until this thread, lol.

I give you credit for seeing the possibility of their cluelessness, I'd never go that far and would prob just name the seller. :p

[slum22]

I give you credit for seeing the possibility of their cluelessness, I'd never go that far and would prob just name the seller. :p

Lol, I guess I am more optimistic (or naïve) than most. I have been pretty lucky in my transactions on eBay. With thousands of purchases and sales, I have only run into a handful of scammers. The most egregious was one where a guy sold me a resealed 1979 Topps BB Wax box. Luckily, I had the box shipped straight from the seller to Steve Hart at BBCE for authentication and he provided me with a statement for eBay explaining the problems with the packs/box. Despite the arguments of the seller, eBay sided with me and I had my refund in short order. The other cases are folks selling trimmed cards frequently through consignment eBay auction houses. :mad: Overall, the percentage of bad transactions has been small and I try my best to not let these exceptions taint my feelings towards the hobby or people in general.

[duron]

Lol, I guess I am more optimistic (or naïve) than most. I have been pretty lucky in my transactions on eBay. With thousands of purchases and sales, I have only run into a handful of scammers. The most egregious was one where a guy sold me a resealed 1979 Topps BB Wax box. Luckily, I had the box shipped straight from the seller to Steve Hart at BBCE for authentication and he provided me with a statement for eBay explaining the problems with the packs/box. Despite the arguments of the seller, eBay sided with me and I had my refund in short order. The other cases are folks selling trimmed cards frequently through consignment eBay auction houses. :mad: Overall, the percentage of bad transactions has been small and I try my best to not let these exceptions taint my feelings towards the hobby or people in general.

I've made less than 60 combined purchases/sales on eBay, but had multiple issues on both sides. PayPal has always (rightfully) sided with me, but it all likely contributes to my added paranoia.