Sargon | 2 Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Does anyone know whether counterfeit hint books are something that are actually in circulation? I recently purchased a Phantasy Star 2 hint book from eBay, and noticed a few things that caused a bit of suspicion. The hint book is in almost perfect condition, which by itself is somewhat unusual for 30 year old printed materials. Compared to other images I had seen online, the colors seem just a bit off. The yellow backgrounds are more muted and the included screenshots don't look quite as sharp. The paper is also extremely thin, with a mass market paperback feel to it, and the text can be seen through the other side of the page. For comparison purposes, I pulled out my old Sword of Vermillion hint book, which was the same style of book with same proportions, printed around the same time. The same things I noticed when comparing to photos online were true when I compared to Sword of Vermillion. Some of the colors in the Sword of the Vermillion book are noticeably brighter, and also the game screenshots are much crisper. I can't really determine whether the paper is the same stock, but it is similar enough that I give that a pass. Overall, if the Phantasy Star 2 book is counterfeit, it is a very good counterfeit. The cover looks identical, binding is perfect, and pages are centered. I question whether someone would go through the trouble of painstakingly reprinting a book like this one, with such a limited potential customer base. On the other hand, I know the Chinese/Russian counterfeiters are getting really good at making accurate reproductions, and they might not have to sell very many at all to recoup their costs. I included a photo of one of the pages from my Phantasy Star 2 book, and an image of Sword of Vermillion for comparison. The one thing that comes across in those photos is the difference in screenshot quality. Am I just being paranoid? Maybe the differences can be explained by this simply being a different print run? Or is it completely feasible that someone is reprinting and selling some of the pricier guides and manuals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlternatorDelux | 61 Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 I know someone with that same Phantasy Star II book! I can take a look when I visit them on Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeGame | 760 Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 I could be wrong of course, but I dont see someone going through all this trouble counterfeiting an item that is not of huge value and without a huge demand… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargon | 2 Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 8 minutes ago, LifeGame said: I could be wrong of course, but I dont see someone going through all this trouble counterfeiting an item that is not of huge value and without a huge demand… That is my inclination as well, and I think it is much more likely that the book is legit, but then I see all the Russian counterfeit music CD's for sale on eBay and that gives me pause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWunderful | 2,927 Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 Do they ever reprint these? Like a 2nd edition if you will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargon | 2 Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 12 minutes ago, MrWunderful said: Do they ever reprint these? Like a 2nd edition if you will This particular hint book was a pack-in with the game itself. As far as I know, it was never reprinted or sold separately. Otherwise, that could certainly explain some minor differences in print quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulpa | 3,537 Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 I agree that we're not likely to see counterfeits on these. Maybe if Wata/HA start peddling graded copies of these for four or five figures. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWunderful | 2,927 Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 9 minutes ago, Tulpa said: I agree that we're not likely to see counterfeits on these. Maybe if Wata/HA start peddling graded copies of these for four or five figures. Early RPG guides are the new madden 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorEncore | 3,691 Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 Looks legit to me. Enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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