How to spot original shrink-wrap vs. fake...
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Post Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2002 8:45 pm 
 

It has always bothered me how many "SW" copies of rare modules are always poping up. Sure, part of that is due to the fact that collectable items are sold and re-sold over and over again. But, I think we could all benefit from sharring each other's experiences with spotting fake or "aftermarket" shrink-wrap jobs.   What makes it even more difficult is that so many early TSR items had many different types of SW. I'd love to hear from you about this.  ps. In the cigar business, we have this same problem with "pre-castro" cuban cigars. Although logic would conclude that very few cigars would still exist after 40+ years, there seems to be a steady supply of these rare and pricey cigars.

  


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Post Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2002 10:08 pm 
 

Hello   I tend to buy my SW stuff from dealers you can tell are selling an old store lot. Usually they list several items and have no idea how much they are really worth.  Most of the SW has a very distinctive characteristic about it. The plastic is almost always similar in its thickness, pliablity, color, age (I am not talking about cigars here :wink:). The seams are always similar if not in the same locations and often they have small relief or breathing holes in the front or back.  What I hate is when I end up with SW items that are color faded from the sun. Not all SW items are mint.  Adam


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Post Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2002 10:14 pm 
 

almost all of tsr shrinkwrap on the old stuff (from memory) was very crinkly (?) and did not stretch, not the new 'stretchy' sort of shrink wrop that occurs today. In Australia at least, most of the old boxed items were re shrinked from new as the distributer put in local advertising content.

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Post Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2002 12:39 am 
 

beasterbrook wrote:almost all of tsr shrinkwrap on the old stuff (from memory) was very crinkly (?) and did not stretch, not the new 'stretchy' sort of shrink wrop that occurs today. In Australia at least, most of the old boxed items were re shrinked from new as the distributer put in local advertising content.
 I agree. It's been years, but I distinctly remember the old pastel modules at my local game shop having a kind of "brittle", non-elastic and often loose fitting shrink wrap (as opposed to newer  ,"tight" elastic-style shrink wrap).  -Bazul

  


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Post Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 2:17 pm 
 

An interesting topic, any new words of wisdom on spotting shrinkwrap fakes etc?


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Post Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 1:41 pm 
 

Hi, I tried to do a guide to this a couple of years ago, but unfortunately didn't have enough shrinkwraps in sequence to make it definitive.

Basically, the pastel/geo shrink of 1978-1979 was crinkly and poor, often loose-fitting.  Around 1980 they went to the nice, smooth wrap with higher transparency, but often it was too tight and the modules from 1980-c1982 tend to curl.  After that quality improved.

Basically, if you have a module that's shrinked and chronologically similar to the one you're shopping for, look for the same kind of shrink.  If you can't tell in the pic and don't know the seller, it's best to assume that the shrink is not original, for bidding's sake.  Sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised, but other times you'll find a blatant re-shrink job.  (Admittedly, some sellers who aren't into the hobby can make the mistake of identifying a re-shrink as original.)

  


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Post Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 3:09 pm 
 

Favonius Cornelius wrote:An interesting topic, any new words of wisdom on spotting shrinkwrap fakes etc?

In terms of collecting, if you A) don't know the seller, or B) aren't totally familiar with the product line and exactly what it should look like, then assume it's a re-shrink. Sorry to be negative, but it's not like access to shrinkwrap machines is that difficult to find.

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Post Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 4:11 pm 
 

I can tell the shrink on Judges Guild items almost by sight now. Besides some of the TSR shrink I wouldn't know if things were original or not.

ShaneG.

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Post Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 4:14 pm 
 

I'm in two minds about SW.  One as a collector it has more value being a "virgin" copy, but as a nosy collector, I can't open it!

In reflection, I think I shall concentrate more on non SW products, so I can look at them.  Of course, if I had deep pockets I could have both but ...


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Post Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 11:31 pm 
 

You can identify real shrink from fake by the noise it makes when you remove it.  If it sounds like a thousand tormented souls screaming "Noooooo!", then it was real.  If it just goes "zip!" you're in the clear.  

Try it out and let me know.   :twisted:

This message has been brought to you by the Society To End ShrinkWrap (STEWS).

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Post Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 4:23 am 
 

deimos3428 wrote:This message has been brought to you by the Society To End ShrinkWrap (STEWS).


Shouldn't that be STESW? Anyhow, I have joined, followed, and shall continue in some regards removing SW.

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Post Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 11:50 am 
 

Plaag wrote:
deimos3428 wrote:This message has been brought to you by the Society To End ShrinkWrap (STEWS).


Shouldn't that be STESW? Anyhow, I have joined, followed, and shall continue in some regards removing SW.

Yes, technically you're correct, but that wouldn't spell anything.  We're in the same union as the Alliterative Acronyms Anonymous Association of America, and they apply a lot of political pressure.  :wink:

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Post Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:56 pm 
 

Do all early TSR (say 1981-1987) shrink have the mesh at mid back? That was my belief.. but I'd like to hear notable exceptions.

  


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Post Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:42 pm 
 

deimos3428 wrote:Yes, technically you're correct, but that wouldn't spell anything.  We're in the same union as the Alliterative Acronyms Anonymous Association of America, and they apply a lot of political pressure.  :wink:


You could change the society to:
"Society To End Wrapped-in-Shrink" {STEWS}!! :arrow:  :wink:

  


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Post Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:06 pm 
 

deimos3428 wrote:You can identify real shrink from fake by the noise it makes when you remove it.  If it sounds like a thousand tormented souls screaming "Noooooo!", then it was real.  If it just goes "zip!" you're in the clear.  

Try it out and let me know.   :twisted:

This message has been brought to you by the Society To End ShrinkWrap (STEWS).


I always get that sound when I TRY and remove the SW 8O


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Post Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:58 pm 
 

Wow guys.  Thread necromancy is one thing, but joke necromancy is the gift that keeps on giving. :)

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Post Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 11:10 pm 
 

if you remove the SW and open the module the interior paper should be super fresh and smell like it was just printed yesterday!


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Post Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:13 am 
 

thread bumpety!

ok, so this isn't fake but the auction title is/was misleading..

TSR - Firefight - Game of US/soviet Conflict == UNPUNCHED, COMPLETE, SEALED ==


** eBay auction listing blocked.  Please enable cookies in your browser for this site and for eBay! **

"The items in this box have not been played. The Box is in great condition with very minor shelf wear. The box has been shrink wrapped by seller to keep it dust free, after verifying that the game was complete. "

The guy shouldn't even bother to mention "sealed" in the auction title...

  
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