cabala wrote in Spotting re-shrinked items?:I wanted to caucus the sage collectors of the community and see what their thoughts on spotting re-shrinked items are if any. I am an avid shrink collector (i know there are some eye rolls out there...lol) and although I dont belive I've ever purchased an item that was re-shrinked, obviously without opening said items it is not a fool proof determination. Beyond looking for obvious markers (item under shrink looks like hell but the shrink is perfect or bad seller reputation) is there any other advice that can be offered?

For example, I would think this could be a common occurence once TSR was in mass production mode but the last three, in shrink box sets purchased have the lid 180 degrees clocked from the bottom. The first box was an overly common 2nd edition item so i thought nothing of it. The 2nd and 3rd items are much older but still mass produced so not sure what to make of it. Probably quality oversight but you never know.

Thanks!!

It is more of a question of the type of shrink that is used. In the late 70's/early 80's I worked at a record store and we would reshrink records. Our 'shrink machine' was a large dispenser of a special plastic wrap and a hot-air blow dryer. The material would form a nice fit but it would be obvious that it wasn't the same as some of the wraps used for TSR modules or sets. Your best bet is to find or compile a listing of the different types of wrap used in different eras at TSR. Otherwise it is a matter of spotting defects under the wrap that shouldn't be there.

Hey thanks or the replies, very much appreciated.

Sadly or luckily, I haven't been around long enough (only 32 years) to recall the older modules and boxes in shrink and only get to see what I see now but looks like I am following good practices.

Mars, when good stuff on ebay is scarce I have looked at your shrink items several times, but I have most and am still in the "hold out for less money phase" on the rest!  

I guess having sets where the box lid is oriented one way and the bottom 180 degrees clocked didn't rasie any flags so that is good.

dwarf wrote in Spotting re-shrinked items?:


** expired/removed eBay auction **


This one may be a store reshrink (maybe a late reshrink from TSR ?), the large round hole is not typical of the air holes seen on shrink from this era. A back cover picture would answer the question almost surely.

I suggest asking for additional pictures showing the back cover so as to see if it has the horizontal overlap in the middle or not.

Well, looks like a re-shrink to me, see link below. Along with A4 posted in the same flickr album. The shrink is too stretchy and the back looks all wrong. These are the 1st two modules (A4, and I6) that I've ever purchased without any indications that it was original shrink. A4 has absolutely no air holes.

I6_front: I6_front | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
I6_back: I6_back | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

This got me thinking, does the same advice provided by Mars extend to box sets as well? *EDIT* I forgot there was a link to a box set in the pictures provided by Mars. I only have a few box sets where there is an actual seam in the shrink. Most of my box sets have only the typical air holes and several of those were purchased directly from a Xenos in the late 90's as they were closing down. I know they are original from TSR as they never sold, until the store closed, and were box sets released in that era.

The IM2 looks like the old-style crinkly shrink-wrap...

The other two look like really bad re-shrinks...

misterspock wrote in Spotting re-shrinked items?:I would've been afraid to bid on any that seller's stuff just in case.

That is pretty much my stance in general, if it doesn't look right then just stay away.

It is interesting because all three appear to have the overlapping seam on the back which generally indicates original TSR shrink although the rest of the shrink looks ratty and uncharacteristic. Of the few items I have which don't seem original there is no seam.

From my experience and from listening to others more experienced the general consensus seems to be that it can sometimes be difficult to tell although there are indicators which tend to suggest whether the item is original or a reshrink.

would it make sense to have close-up photos on here of what legit shrinkwrap looks like (over the years of product released) as examples of the seams, corners, sides and backs? Or would that make it easier for people who want to take advantage via re-shrinking to figure out how to make their fakes harder to spot? (I have no experience with the shrink machines and the process)

Well as an owner of a brand spanking new shrinkwrap machine for legitimate purposes I can tell you my experiences.

My machine was a lower end model (which suits my lower end company just fine). The hot wire seals the plastic and a hot-air gun shrinks it. It works very well but it doesn't look like factory wrap for a couple of reasons.

1) The shrink becomes to tight quickly even on low heat settings. This leads either to small holes made by stretched and melted plastic or, more often, trapped air that gives the items a balloon type feel (look too).

2) Modules are VERY hard to shrink well without a backing board. The heat on the first side invariably causes the booklet to curve even with a heavy cardstock cover.

3) The seams don't feel "right" when compared to factory shrinked products from that era.

4) On non-tsr stuff the modern shrink used by most small operations is not as thick or substantial as the "back in the day shrink". This was especially apparent on an original shrinked copy of AH Circus Maximus I picked up from the burntwires at GaryCon.

I am not awesome at shrinking but it would be a pretty hard thing to fake on more expensive products and hardly worth the time on the type of crap that moves on ebay all the time.

I can post images of what I mean if anyone cares enough.

Zach