97-98 Topps Chrome Card Stock Curiosity?

[CollectorClueless]

I recently picked up this Kobe refractor via Ebay auction, and I have a couple of concerns that I am hoping somebody can help with. This card certainly looks legit when viewing the front, however there is an odd print line on the back of card, which runs vertical and from top to bottom. I was only able to find one other example similar to mine on the entire Web, but it too was a raw card. This was only 1 issue, but my biggest concern is the card stock thickness. I can't believe how thin this chrome refractor card is! I will go as far as saying that it isn't much more thick than one of those Panini stickers. By far, the thinnest card I have ever seen! Unfortunately, I have no other 98 Topps chrome ref's to compare it to.
Can anyone shine some light on the subject please, as I hope I haven't stumbled upon chrome refractor fakes? I have taken a few pictures but haven't figured out how to add then
yet.
Thanks
Denny

[jordan23]

Must be some printing error of some kind. They are definitely normal size, not thick as described.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I have had some of these in the past, and they are not supposed to have card stock similar to Panini stickers. Perhaps the seller didn't know, but sounds fake to me.

[pwaldo]

The refractors were the same thickness as the regular cards from Topps Chrome that year and every other year. It shouldn't be as thin as how you are describing. Maybe a fake from when the set came out? That's about the only time frame that I could think of that somebody would fake a second year Kobe refractor. This set was hot but I assume it isn't that collected now.

[CollectorClueless]

20130228_230356.jpgThis is obviously just a picture of the front of the card. I had 3 pictures (front, back, side), sized them for web page viewing, but cannot add due to "quota"?
This card, in my opinion, certainly looks legit from the front. It even has somewhat of a texture on the front. I had a random 2000 topps chrome base card that I compared it to, and the Kobe is thinner than the random base. As I mentioned before, the card also has an odd printing line that runs vertical on the back. I researched the completed listings on Ebay and saw another example of this same card with the odd print line on the opposite side of card. Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree here, but I am concerned as I have read many posts on the web that state the Chromium cannot be faked. I will try to add the other pictures when I get "quota" back.
Thanks for everyones feedback on this.

[pwaldo]

Do you have the link for the eBay auction that has the similar odd printing line on the back? From the picture the Kobe card looks legit to me.

[CollectorClueless]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/97-98-Topps-Chrome-Kobe-Bryant-REFRACTOR-MINT-2nd-Year-TUFF-SP-/111000666613?pt=US_Basketball&hash=item19d827c1f5& nma=true&si=NU0nBMWX2H%252F9C173QMYvYwHKl94%253D&o rig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Thanks for the response PWALDO!
I hope it is ok here to post links?
If not, I apologize in advance!
The print line is on the back and toward the LEFT side of card. Mine too is on the LEFT side, my mistake. However, the centering on the cards is different. With that in mind, somebody would be going above and beyond to create a subtle deviation (centering) of the same faked card. Then again, maybe I am making something out of nothing?

[basketball fiend]

get it slabbed by BGS. that for sure would answer your question.

[pwaldo]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/97-98-Topps-Chrome-Kobe-Bryant-REFRACTOR-MINT-2nd-Year-TUFF-SP-/111000666613?pt=US_Basketball&hash=item19d827c1f5& nma=true&si=NU0nBMWX2H%252F9C173QMYvYwHKl94%253D&o rig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Thanks for the response PWALDO!
I hope it is ok here to post links?
If not, I apologize in advance!
The print line is on the back and toward the LEFT side of card. Mine too is on the LEFT side, my mistake. However, the centering on the cards is different. With that in mind, somebody would be going above and beyond to create a subtle deviation (centering) of the same faked card. Then again, maybe I am making something out of nothing?

Yes you can post links here. Is the line the same on that Kobe as it is on yours?

Try http://imageshack.us/ for image hosting. You should be able to upload stuff there and then post the pics here.

[CollectorClueless]

The more I look at, the more I realize how similar they actually are. Centering as well! The ONLY difference that I can see is that my card has a small white mark right smack dab in the middle, backside of card fortunately. Its a very curious mark! Makes me wonder if a previous owner possibly used an eraser or something, also possibly questioning its authenticity??? Beginning to feel like Sherlock Holmes here, but I defitnitely want to get a definitive answer on it. The seller in which I purchased it from has sold many Chrome Ref's, Finest, etc of Kobe, so I almost feel obligated to get this figured out. Im not big on grading cards, Im old school, and like to keep it simple. However, I picked up a couple of cheap refractors, same make and year, on ebay this morning. Cant wait to compare the card thickness!
I will try again on the pics!