How to Tell a Fake Mitchell & Ness Jersey

Mitchell & Ness is a company that specializes in reproducing exact replicas of professional sports jerseys. Since their jerseys are identical to what the players wear, they are much different in detail than the more affordable screen printed sports jerseys that most fans wear. Like any highly priced item, Mitchell & Ness jerseys are subject to counterfeiting. To ensure you don’t get scammed by a dishonest seller offering you a price that is too good to be true, you can look for several key details that only authentic Mitchell & Ness jerseys have.

Feel the fabric of the jersey carefully. An authentic Mitchell & Ness jersey will feel heavy in your hands, and the material will be very sturdy. Knock-offs tend to be quite lightweight.

Examine the team's name--not just the player's name--to ensure it's a professional sports team. Mitchell & Ness does not make any college or high school jerseys. They don't even make older jerseys of current professionals who were once amateur players.

Look for details at the bottom left portion of the jersey. Verify that a label is embroidered onto the jersey that reads “Nostagia Co. Mitchell & Ness, Philadelphia, PA” alongside a small, embroidered label with the player name and the year the jersey style was worn.

Inspect the front and back of the jersey. Make sure it does not have any embroidery commemorating a championship or any milestone These types of jerseys are typically celebratory styles presented to players after a championship game or for novelty purposes for fans; however, they are not authentic styles. Mitchell & Ness does not make them.

Check the size tag. Make sure that it's a numbered size (typically between 40 and 64). If the jersey has a lettered size, it's definitely a counterfeit because authentic Mitchell & Ness jerseys are more precisely sized.

Tips

Prior to shopping for a Mitchell & Ness jersey, check the company’s Website for authorized retailers in your area to take out the guesswork of purchasing it.

Look at close-up pictures of the professional athlete wearing the jersey design in question. Compare the details to the jersey you’re considering purchasing.

Warnings

Do not purchase a jersey from online auction Websites without verifying the return policy since you won’t be able to examine the details up close before buying.

Do not assume that a jersey is real just because the letters and numbers are sewn on. Even inexpensive jerseys that aren’t advertised as real can have sewn-on details.