How can you recognize a fake Arsenal shirt from 2012/14? 8 differences
The 2012/14 Arsenal home shirt is one for which many counterfeit versions are in circulation.
In a direct comparison with an original, various discrepancies can be found. The Arsenal logo, for example, is not quite right, the red color differs, and differences are also visible in the various labels.
With the counterfeit shirt used for this comparison, even the product code is correct. Checking only the product code is therefore not sufficient.
To show the differences, we placed an original and a counterfeit side by side.
- 1. Examine the Arsenal logo
- 2. Examine the Nike logo
- 3. Check the size indication
- 4. The AFC print on the back of the collar
- 5. Color
- 6. Nike Authentic label
- 7. The care label
- 8. The product code on this counterfeit shirt is correct
- How do you check an Arsenal home shirt from 2012/14?
- Checking only a product code is not enough
- BUY AUTHENTIC VINTAGE ARSENAL SHIRTS?
1. Examine the Arsenal logo
You can often see the first differences immediately in the Arsenal logo on the chest.
On counterfeit shirts, for example, the shape of the club logo is incorrect. Details in the logo, such as the cannon or lettering, also almost never match exactly.
Pay attention to, among other things:
* the shape of the entire logo;
* the lettering;
* the cannon;
* the proportions between the various elements;
* the small details in the finishing;
The shape, lettering, and cannon in particular clearly differ from those on the original.
2. Examine the Nike logo
The Nike Swoosh is also an important point to check.
On the counterfeit shirt, the Nike logo is too round. As a result, its shape differs from the Swoosh on the original shirt.
The difference is not enormous, but it is clearly visible in a side-by-side comparison.
When checking a Nike logo, therefore, do not look only at its placement or color. The exact shape and proportions are at least as important.
3. Check the size indication
Differences are also visible on the inside of the collar.
On counterfeit shirts, the size indication is often printed too thickly. The text looks bolder than on the original.
There is a gray strip below the size indication. On the original shirt, some text is still visible in it.
On the counterfeit shirt in this comparison, this strip has been colored in. As a result, the text that should be there is not clearly visible.
4. The AFC print on the back of the collar
On the back of the collar is the abbreviation AFC with dots/circles around it.
Here too, there is a clear difference between the original and the counterfeit shirt.
On the counterfeit version, this printing is too thick. As a result, the letters are not only heavier, but the entire AFC print and the dots also appear larger.
When comparing them, pay attention to both the thickness and the dimensions of the letters.
5. Color
You can see another difference when the two shirts are laid completely side by side.
The counterfeit shirt has a brighter shade of red than the original.
In individual sales photos, color is not always reliable. Lighting, camera settings, and image editing can change the color of a shirt.
Therefore, do not use color as the only evidence that an Arsenal shirt is fake. Consider it one of several checkpoints.
6. Nike Authentic label
The Nike Authentic label is located at the bottom right of the shirt.
At first glance, the label on the counterfeit shirt looks quite similar to the original. However, when you look more closely, there are several differences.
On the counterfeit shirt:
* the text is darker;
* the font does not completely match;
* the label is heat-pressed onto the shirt.
That last difference in particular is important on this example.
The Nike Authentic label is stitched onto the original shirt. This is not the case with the counterfeit version in this comparison.
Therefore, do not examine such a label only from the front. Also check how it is actually attached to the shirt. This is an important detail. On the original shirt, it is always stitched onto the shirt.
7. The care label
A care label can contain many small details and is therefore always worth checking.
In the counterfeit shirt in this comparison, the letters in particular stand out.
These are lighter and narrower than the letters on the original shirt's care label.
Without comparison material, such a difference can be difficult to spot. With both labels side by side, the difference in printing becomes much clearer.
Therefore, check, among other things:
* the thickness of the letters;
* the color of the letters;
* the font used;
* the spacing between elements;
* the label's overall finish.
8. The product code on this counterfeit shirt is correct
The product code is often one of the first things checked when determining whether a football shirt is authentic.
But this is an important pitfall.
The code on the counterfeit shirt in this comparison matches that of the original shirt.
Someone who checks only the code could therefore mistakenly think that the shirt is authentic.
A matching product code is therefore not sufficient to establish the authenticity of a football shirt.
Counterfeit shirts can copy existing codes from original shirts. Always look beyond just the code.
How do you check an Arsenal home shirt from 2012/14?
Never try to determine whether a shirt is authentic based on a single detail.
Check different components and see whether they together present a logical picture.
With this Arsenal home shirt from 2012/14, you can at least check the following:
* the shape and details of the Arsenal crest;
* the shape of the Nike Swoosh;
* the size indication in the collar;
* the grey strip below the size;
* the AFC print on the back of the collar;
* the shade of red of the shirt;
* the Nike Authentic label;
* how this label is attached;
* the care label;
* the product code.
It is precisely the combination of these features that matters.
The counterfeit shirt in this comparison demonstrates that clearly. The product code is correct, but the shirt differs from the original in several other places. There are, of course, countless different counterfeit shirts, each with different discrepancies. The points mentioned in this blog are a useful checklist for all counterfeit shirts when checking them.
Checking only a product code is not enough
A product code remains a useful part of an authenticity check. You just should not rely on it completely.
Even when the code matches, still check the club crest, brand logo, labels, printing, colour, and finish of the shirt.
The more original details you can compare with one another, the better you can assess what you actually have in front of you.
Also read:
How can you recognize an authentic Manchester United 2007-08 home shirt?
How can you recognize a fake Manchester United 1998-1999 shirt?
BUY AUTHENTIC VINTAGE ARSENAL SHIRTS?
Are you looking for an authentic vintage Arsenal shirt?
At Oldschool Voetbalshirts, you will find original vintage football shirts that have been carefully selected and checked for authenticity.
Every shirt is clearly photographed and honestly described, so you know exactly what you are buying.
View our vintage Arsenal shirts and discover the current selection.
