Alright folks, gather ’round. Figured I’d share this little adventure ’cause it nearly tripped me up good. Been hearing whispers about these so-called “Evan Stone balls” – some fancy collector’s item apparently. Saw a listing online that looked real sweet, price almost too good. Decided to dive in headfirst, like I always do. Let me tell ya how it went down.
So, What Happened First?
Right. Saw this seller offering a set. Pictures looked kinda legit, you know? Smooth surface, nice size. Description claimed “genuine vintage Evan Stone”. Price? Let’s just say my wallet didn’t scream too loud. Got all excited, clicked buy faster than you can say “probably fake.” Paid up, waited impatiently.
Box arrived yesterday. Felt lighter than I expected the second the courier guy handed it over. My gut went hmm. Opened it up, pulled out the balls one by one. They looked okay at first glance, sorta. Nice shine on ’em.
Time to Put ‘Em to the Test
This is where my reading from other collectors kicked in. Supposedly, the real deal has some tells.
- The Weight Thing: Grabbed one. Felt it in my palm. Like tossing a ping pong ball versus a golf ball, y’know? This felt way too light, flimsy almost. Like cheap plastic pretending to be stone. Major red flag number one. Real ones, from what folks say, got some heft, a solid feel.
- Let’s Talk Finishing: Looked closer. Real close. Under a bright lamp. The surface? Slightly too smooth. Like it was molded perfectly cheap. Real Evan Stone, they say, often has tiny, tiny variations – like a fingerprint almost. A real fingerprint from the making process, not factory perfect. This one? Looked like it popped out of a plastic factory line. Too uniform.
- Marking Hunt: Tipped it over, scoured the bottom. Supposedly, older real ones sometimes have a tiny etched mark. Nothing. Just blank, polished smooth. Tried another. Blank. All three? Blank like a fresh notebook. Zilch. Nada. Gut feeling started turning sour.
- The Knock Test: This felt silly, but hey. Tapped two gently together. Tink. Way too high-pitched. Like tapping cheap glass ornaments. Not the subtle, duller click I kept hearing about for the genuine article. Sounded cheap.
The Final Straw & Confirmation
Alright, suspicion was raging now. Went digging deeper online, like really digging. Found some high-res images from trusted collectors of actual Evan Stone balls. The difference was suddenly night and day.
- The real ones had a slightly “warmer” tone under light, not that cold plastic shine.
- Zooming in on the photos, you could see that tiny bit of texture I kept reading about. Mine? Mirror smooth and dead.
- The weight thing kept nagging me – the trusted photos showed people handling them with that obvious, respectful weight hold. Mine? You could juggle ’em without breaking a sweat.
Called up a buddy who dabbles in similar collectibles, described everything – the weight, the sound, the feel, the lack of markings. He just laughed. “Man,” he says, “sounds like you got some high-grade tourist trap specials. Toss ’em.” Pretty much confirmed it.
What Did I Learn? The Easy Spots.
So yeah, got scammed. Boy was that stupid, but I’m calling it a learning tax. Here’s what slapped me in the face:
- Weight is King (or Queen): Pick it up. Does it feel suspiciously light and flimsy? Like toy bouncy balls? Ditch it. Real ones need to feel solid, substantial in your hand.
- Shine vs. Substance: Shiny ain’t always good. Look hard. Is it a cold, fake plastic shine? Or a deeper, warmer, maybe slightly textured feel? Fake one is often too perfect, too plastic-looking.
- Silence (or the Wrong Noise): Tap ’em lightly together. A sharp, high tink? Bad news. A softer, deeper click? Maybe a contender, but not the only test!
- The Blank Canvas: Turn ’em over! Check the bottom. No markings at all? That’s kinda sus, especially if it’s supposed to be older. Real ones often (not always, but often) have that tiny signature etching somewhere sneaky.
The kicker? Went back to that seller’s page today. Listing’s gone. Vanished. Poof. Like they never existed. Dodgy as heck. Lesson learned the hard way: if it feels too light, looks too fake, sounds too cheap, and lacks any kind of maker’s touch… it’s probably worthless plastic. Don’t be a fool like me. Save your dough.
