How does one recognize Real Photo (RP) cards?
People often ask how to recognize Real Photo cards. The easiest way is to look at the card under slight magnification. RP’s do not have the dot pattern seen on modern Photochrome cards under a magnifying glass. Most printed cards will have this dot pattern, much like a photograph printed in a magazine. Additionally, RPs can be identified by the photographic paper used. This is often indicated on the back (see the next question). Also, the captions were often “scratched” or marked on the negative in some other way that leaves the text white in color. Remember, not all black-and-white cards are Real Photos, and not all Real Photos are black-and-whites.
