Counterfeit Card Alert: 2020-21 Panini One and One Downtown #2 Luka Doncic

Posted on 1/9/2025

Several red flags stood out during the certification process that helped identify this popular Doncic insert as fake.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has blossomed into one of the NBA's most elite players. Since joining the Mavs in 2018, he has become one of the faces of the league. Last season, the Slovenian led the Mavs to their third NBA Finals appearance and their first since 2011. At only 25 years old, he already has many more accolades under his belt, including the Rookie of the Year award, five All-Star selections, five All-NBA First Team selections and the 2024 NBA scoring title, and he already holds the franchise records for career triple-doubles and most points in a season.

Doncic has also become one of the most collected players around today. His collectibles are highly sought-after and can be some of the most valuable basketball cards in the hobby. For example, in February 2021, a one-of-one autographed 2018-19 Panini National Treasures Logoman rookie card sold for $4.6 million, which was a record sale for a basketball card at the time.

As with anything with high value, some Doncic cards have fallen prey to counterfeiters attempting to profit off of fakes. A counterfeit of an extremely popular Downtown insert recently arrived at the CGC Cards grading room, and several red flags helped CGC Cards experts identify the purported 2020-21 Panini One and One Downtown #2 Luka Doncic as fake.

Front and back views of the counterfeit 2020-21 Panini One and One Downtown #2 Luka Doncic

The above images show just how advanced some counterfeits are, as it not only looks real at first glance but was also submitted in what seemed like the original packaging of an enclosed case and sealed with the Panini One sticker. At first glance, and particularly online, this is a tricky one to identify, especially considering this card should come from the manufacturer in a sealed holder. But upon further inspection, there are many ways to identify the differences between an authentic copy versus a counterfeit.

The discrepancies begin as soon as you zoom in and take a closer look at real and fake versions of the card. For example, on the front bottom of the card is the Downtown sign, the player's name and team name. When comparing the two examples, the counterfeit is much shinier, and the muddled text is a clear red flag. When zoomed in, you can see that each letter on the authentic version is clearly defined. The counterfeit text lacks definition and looks messy in comparison.

Top: Front bottom view of the counterfeit card
Bottom: Front bottom view of the authentic card

The back side of the card reveals even more red flags. Pixelation issues with the logos, grainy text and lines, cardstock discrepancies and color inconsistencies each stand out when sheened under a solid light source. Looking at the top-left Downtown logo on the back, it shows almost every inconsistency in one area. The cardstock is shinier, the colors are muted, the lines are grainy and pixelation is seen throughout on the counterfeit example.

Top: Back upper-left view of the counterfeit card
Bottom: Back upper-left view of the authentic card

In a similar fashion, the back upper-right area of the card, which includes the NBA logo, also shows many of the same issues. The authentic version's blue background color is much richer and consistent across the card. The border and lining of the logo bleed into the other colors, leaving less definition than on the real copy. In addition, the "NBA" text and the Jerry West logoman within the NBA logo are extremely pixelated, losing all definition on the counterfeit example.

Top: Back upper-right view of the counterfeit card
Bottom: Back upper-right view of the authentic card

Lastly, the black text on a simple white background at the bottom of the back side of the card shows even more red flags. It is clear that the cardstock is not the same, with it showing more of an off-white coloring instead of a consistent clean white background seen on authentic examples. Another look at the text on the card shows more ink bleeding into the background, muddling the font of the Panini branding and copyrights.

The same issues are also apparent on the small yellow and red Panini logo. The authentic version is much brighter and vibrant in color. Meanwhile, the black background behind the Panini logo is pixelated and splotchy compared to the smooth black ink that consistently covers the authentic card. Each of these red flags were apparent upon close analysis and helped identify the submission as a clear counterfeit.

Top: Back lower-left view of the counterfeit card
Bottom: Back lower-left view of the authentic card

Education is the most important tool when collecting cards. The more collectors know about the printing and manufacturing process of cards, the fewer mistakes will be made when buying cards. This example also highlights the importance of certification for any high-value card.

CGC Cards authenticates, grades and encapsulates authentic examples of cards, making the hobby a safer place for collectors, traders and sellers. To do this, CGC Cards uses world-class expertise, advanced technology, innovation and operational excellence to provide sports card collectors and dealers with accurate and consistent certification services. CGC backs these determinations with the CGC Guarantee, which adds significant confidence, liquidity and value to the hobby. To learn more about CGC's industry-leading services, visit CGCcards.com.

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