Counterfeit Card Alert: 2019-20 Panini Court Kings Blank Slate #19 Ja Morant

Since entering the league at only 19 years old, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has become one of the league's most exciting young players. As one of the most athletic guards in the NBA and one of the highest-flying dunkers across the league, he's been a standout performer and a human highlight reel since being drafted No. 2 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Due to his popularity, many of Morant's most sought-after cards come at a premium. Autographed cards, serial-numbered issues and other rare inserts can be extremely valuable, like the 2019-20 Panini Court Kings Blank Slate #19 Ja Morant, which can easily be worth well into four figures in high grades. As is often the case with rare collectibles, counterfeiters have targeted this card due to its value in an attempt to profit off of fake versions. When one of these counterfeits passed through the grading room recently, CGC Cards experts picked up on several red flags that aided in detecting the fake.

Front views of an authentic and counterfeit 2019-20 Panini Court Kings Blank Slate #19 Ja Morant card.

With only a quick glance at an authentic card and a counterfeit version side by side, the fake card could pass as real without further analysis. Upon closer inspection though, there are numerous issues that stand out. For example, when looking at the front image of Morant, the canvas-like texture of the card stock is an initial red flag.

Front close-up view of an authentic and counterfeit card.

Both the authentic and counterfeit versions have a canvas-like texture on the front and back of this card. However, the canvas texture on the counterfeit version appears over the top of the player, text and logos, unlike the authentic versions. The canvas-like texture should not interrupt the player's image and is supposed to be in the background only.

When zoomed in on Morant's foot and the Court Kings logo, you can see the canvas-like texture covering the player's sock and shoe, which is inconsistent with an authentic copy. In addition, the foil used on both examples is different. On the counterfeit, you can see a gold finish, as opposed to the authentic example that refracts differently when sheened under appropriate lighting.

Zoomed-in view of Morant's shoe and Court Kings logo on an authentic and counterfeit card.

Further issues are seen when analyzing the text on the front of the card. Close-up views of "GRIZZLIES" running down the right side of the card show an imperfect printing of the letters. On the authentic copy, each letter is tight and defined. In comparison, the counterfeit copy has messy lettering: Each letter is rounded off instead of having tight, succinct lines.

Zoomed-in view of "GRIZZLIES" on an authentic and counterfeit card.

Turning the card over to the back side, there are other red flags that help identify the card in question as counterfeit. Other than more canvas texture issues, you can see that the text and logos are grainier and more pixelated. They are not as solid in appearance on the counterfeit example, when compared to the authentic version.

Back views of an authentic and counterfeit 2019-20 Panini Court Kings Blank Slate #19 Ja Morant card.

The drastic difference in color is also immediately apparent. Mimicking the back of a painting, this modern counterfeit displays a much lighter wood coloring compared to the richer dark wood grain on the authentic example.

Close-up views of the Grizzlies logo on the back of an authentic and counterfeit card.

Zooming in on the Grizzlies logo at the top of the back of the cards reveals almost every red flag in one small image. The comparison shows the canvas-like texture across the whole counterfeit, overlapping the logos and text. The text itself is blurry on the fake example and the coloring is much lighter on the blue grizzly mascot.

Close-up views of the NBA logo on the back of an authentic and counterfeit card.

Shifting focus to the bottom of the back side of the card reveals more of the same. Texture, coloring and blurry text issues are seen everywhere across the counterfeit example. These glaring red flags on the front and back of the fake led CGC Cards experts to an easy decision: The card in question is without a doubt a counterfeit.

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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