? about game used jerseys

[ravens]

How can you tell hit marks on a nfl jersey are real and not placed. When the players gets hit what leaves the marks (paint from the field on the mask/helmet)? Over time does it harded up to look like dried up glue. Is there a website that shows how to tell real from fake. Thanks

[Neely8]

I'd say the ability to assess hit marks comes with experience and seeing and owning many jerseys. I don't think there is a true pattern of where hit marks occur on a jersey because I have seen them all over the place. Hit marks can take the form of scrapes, light facemask residue which may be colored depending on what teams were played in a particular jersey, impact marks which appear just as dings on a jersey, rips/tears, or repairs.

[sox83cubs84]

I'd say the ability to assess hit marks comes with experience and seeing and owning many jerseys. I don't think there is a true pattern of where hit marks occur on a jersey because I have seen them all over the place. Hit marks can take the form of scrapes, light facemask residue which may be colored depending on what teams were played in a particular jersey, impact marks which appear just as dings on a jersey, rips/tears, or repairs.

True, although I would add that the marks/rips/dings/etc. would have to make sense. I.e., a purple helmet mark on a jersey of a team that didn't play the Vikings or the Ravens in a given season wouldn't be normal (unless there's other teams with purple helmets that I've forgottten about). On another similar front, a friend of mine who is/was a big hockey jersey collector noticed a sweater with forged use...a tear on the sleeve was in the same spot front and back, meaning that whatever tore the sleeve would had to have pierced through his arm, also. Not real, in this case.

Dave M.
Chicago area