Ginter flashlight trick years.

HeritageKing · 10-18-2025, 11:31 PM

Does anyone have a list of all the years where topps forgot to put in the rip card decoy sheets? I know the flashlight trick has been discussed before, but it would be nice to have a master list, as this product has been around since 2006.

dodgerfanjohn · 10-19-2025, 12:33 AM

No list but for the years that there were threads here, it’s pretty searchable. Just will take some effort.

blitzaceod · 10-19-2025, 01:00 AM

2008 for one

YouTheManNick · 10-19-2025, 09:39 AM

I've encountered a handful of rip cards that have been pulled apart, emptied and reattached. I wanna say four. Maybe five.

The one constant between them all is that not once did the dumb scammer think to replace what was inside with a decoy card.

Also. If you can get the card in hand, even if you can't tell with the flashlight, just try lightly pulling the card apart. Not with the rip strip. Every single tampered rip card I've encountered pulled apart with barely any effort. A true, untampered rip will stay tight.

Just this past National there was a 2019 Joey Votto rip in a case. I held it up to the light and couldn't tell. And the dealer was giving me crap for not trusting it. I was like "I'm sorry, but I don't." Then I suggested he try lightly pulling it apart. He did and it came right apart to reveal nothing inside. Boy was he pissed. Said it had been sold to his shop by a regular and that he was gonna have some words with him later.

Either way. Every tampered rip card I've had in hand pulled apart with very little effort and that should not happen.

So. Another thing to try if you're skeptical. Sorry for the super long reply.

HeritageKing · 10-19-2025, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YouTheManNick

I've encountered a handful of rip cards that have been pulled apart, emptied and reattached. I wanna say four. Maybe five.

The one constant between them all is that not once did the dumb scammer think to replace what was inside with a decoy card.

Also. If you can get the card in hand, even if you can't tell with the flashlight, just try lightly pulling the card apart. Not with the rip strip. Every single tampered rip card I've encountered pulled apart with barely any effort. A true, untampered rip will stay tight.

Just this past National there was a 2019 Joey Votto rip in a case. I held it up to the light and couldn't tell. And the dealer was giving me crap for not trusting it. I was like "I'm sorry, but I don't." Then I suggested he try lightly pulling it apart. He did and it came right apart to reveal nothing inside. Boy was he pissed. Said it had been sold to his shop by a regular and that he was gonna have some words with him later.

Either way. Every tampered rip card I've had in hand pulled apart with very little effort and that should not happen.

So. Another thing to try if you're skeptical. Sorry for the super long reply.

Wow good info. Thanks

dunquixote1 · 10-20-2025, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YouTheManNick

I've encountered a handful of rip cards that have been pulled apart, emptied and reattached. I wanna say four. Maybe five.

The one constant between them all is that not once did the dumb scammer think to replace what was inside with a decoy card.

Also. If you can get the card in hand, even if you can't tell with the flashlight, just try lightly pulling the card apart. Not with the rip strip. Every single tampered rip card I've encountered pulled apart with barely any effort. A true, untampered rip will stay tight.

Just this past National there was a 2019 Joey Votto rip in a case. I held it up to the light and couldn't tell. And the dealer was giving me crap for not trusting it. I was like "I'm sorry, but I don't." Then I suggested he try lightly pulling it apart. He did and it came right apart to reveal nothing inside. Boy was he pissed. Said it had been sold to his shop by a regular and that he was gonna have some words with him later.

Either way. Every tampered rip card I've had in hand pulled apart with very little effort and that should not happen.

So. Another thing to try if you're skeptical. Sorry for the super long reply.

I purchased a graded 2018 rip card. I cracked the PSA case it and it literally fell apart when I did that. I've ripped easily 50-100 rip cards and after that I decided to no longer trust any 2018 rip cards. These tampered rip cards can even get through PSA.

HeritageKing · 10-20-2025, 02:50 PM

Hmmm I would maybe pump the brakes on the widespread issues of tampered rip cards. Could there perhaps be something wrong with the glue that holds these cards? I still have a ton of unripped cards in my PC. Some from 2018 also. Maybe I need to check on them.

YouTheManNick · 10-20-2025, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunquixote1

I purchased a graded 2018 rip card. I cracked the PSA case it and it literally fell apart when I did that. I've ripped easily 50-100 rip cards and after that I decided to no longer trust any 2018 rip cards. These tampered rip cards can even get through PSA.

Geeze. That's a new one for me. What was inside of it?

I think 2018 might be even more prone to tampering due to the wood mini issue.

For reference - Base wood minis are mysteriously absent from the 2018 product. Except for EXT wood minis in rip cards. Which kinda adds a little extra juice to 2018 rip cards.

HeritageKing · 12-13-2025, 01:36 PM

I just noticed there is no black paper on the rip cards. I assume you
Can do the flashlight trick on these? Can anyone confirm?

dodgerfanjohn · 12-13-2025, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeritageKing

I just noticed there is no black paper on the rip cards. I assume you
Can do the flashlight trick on these? Can anyone confirm?

So on Reddit, a guy posted that he couldn’t see through with the naked eye, but when he scanned a specific rip card while shining a high powered flashlight on the other side, the scanner could pick it up. The mini was a Fernando tatis extended….he hasn’t opened to confirm but it’s so specific that I don’t see how it could be untrue.

dunquixote1 · 12-13-2025, 03:36 PM

Yes some years you can see through with a strong flashlight. They had been putting thin blanks in there for a minute to stop it. But looks like they didnt this year. You can also weigh them, use magnets, etc. Nothing is fool proof with double rips but single rips can be searched. The issue is that it takes a ton of dedication to do this and buying and reselling rip cards to search will eventually amount to a loss.

majestik101 · 12-13-2025, 05:22 PM

Flashlight? That's so 5 years ago, boomer.

CT scanner FTW

https://industrialinspection.com/car...nning-service/

10-18-2025, 11:31 PM	#1
HeritageKing Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,631	Ginter flashlight trick years. Does anyone have a list of all the years where topps forgot to put in the rip card decoy sheets? I know the flashlight trick has been discussed before, but it would be nice to have a master list, as this product has been around since 2006. __________________ #2 Topps Heritage Autograph Collector

10-19-2025, 01:00 AM	#3
blitzaceod Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Westminster, CA Posts: 1,773 blitzaceod blitzaceod	2008 for one __________________ Primary PCs: Kershaw, Betts, Griffey Jr and Jerry Rice Looking for 2013 Bowman Chrome Kershaw White Ice and Superfractor (Finder's fee for help with these) Also keeping an eye out for other Dodgers, 49ers, and Trout

10-19-2025, 09:39 AM	#4
YouTheManNick Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 2,615 trapjaw73 YTMN	I've encountered a handful of rip cards that have been pulled apart, emptied and reattached. I wanna say four. Maybe five. The one constant between them all is that not once did the dumb scammer think to replace what was inside with a decoy card. Also. If you can get the card in hand, even if you can't tell with the flashlight, just try lightly pulling the card apart. Not with the rip strip. Every single tampered rip card I've encountered pulled apart with barely any effort. A true, untampered rip will stay tight. Just this past National there was a 2019 Joey Votto rip in a case. I held it up to the light and couldn't tell. And the dealer was giving me crap for not trusting it. I was like "I'm sorry, but I don't." Then I suggested he try lightly pulling it apart. He did and it came right apart to reveal nothing inside. Boy was he pissed. Said it had been sold to his shop by a regular and that he was gonna have some words with him later. Either way. Every tampered rip card I've had in hand pulled apart with very little effort and that should not happen. So. Another thing to try if you're skeptical. Sorry for the super long reply. __________________ They're = they are. Their = possession. There = "I went there." Two = 2. Too = "Me too." To = "He went to the card show." Your = "your cards." You're = "you're welcome."

10-20-2025, 02:50 PM	#7
HeritageKing Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,631	Hmmm I would maybe pump the brakes on the widespread issues of tampered rip cards. Could there perhaps be something wrong with the glue that holds these cards? I still have a ton of unripped cards in my PC. Some from 2018 also. Maybe I need to check on them. __________________ #2 Topps Heritage Autograph Collector

12-13-2025, 01:36 PM	#9
HeritageKing Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,631	I just noticed there is no black paper on the rip cards. I assume you Can do the flashlight trick on these? Can anyone confirm? __________________ #2 Topps Heritage Autograph Collector

10-19-2025, 12:33 AM	#2
dodgerfanjohn Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 5,437 sternroolz	No list but for the years that there were threads here, it’s pretty searchable. Just will take some effort.

12-13-2025, 03:36 PM	#11
dunquixote1 Member Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 395	Yes some years you can see through with a strong flashlight. They had been putting thin blanks in there for a minute to stop it. But looks like they didnt this year. You can also weigh them, use magnets, etc. Nothing is fool proof with double rips but single rips can be searched. The issue is that it takes a ton of dedication to do this and buying and reselling rip cards to search will eventually amount to a loss.

12-13-2025, 05:22 PM	#12
majestik101 Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Socially Distanced Posts: 44,934 majestik101	Flashlight? That's so 5 years ago, boomer. CT scanner FTW https://industrialinspection.com/car...nning-service/ __________________ If you reply with...."last one on eBay sold for this"...then you should have bought it on eBay. "Watson alone sells for over $20" https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1182760