7 ways to spot a copy:
Material:
Yes, what the model is made of. Either metal or resin the material is a very good indicator. But be aware that companies often do change material during time. Games Workshop went from a lead based metal to white metal (no lead at all) In this process the metal percentages changed often, and it was also based on the country of manufacture. What does this mean to you? Well you may have the same miniature in 3 different metals and still be original. Space Marines from the 80's where done with a high lead metal, but later sold by Mail Order also in white metal. In my personal experience the only way you can judge a fake miniature by the material at least in regards to metal is the weight and the resilience. In fact most recast I have received where done with a metal with high Zinc quantities since it is easier to cast and retains very good details. The problem with this is that it will not bend but snap. In a few cases I also got metals with aluminum like consistency, but mostly for bigger models. Never had it identified. Not only the consistency was wrong, but also the weight much lighter then usual. Color is not an indicator at all, white metal models go from very shiny to dull, is due to the release agent used. US based miniatures from the early 90's after time become yellowish, and lead based may oxidize or not in time, so it may go from a light color all the way to black, this is due to normal oxidation. Also the material used in stripping them may affect the color.
Indicators in pils:
GOOD: If it bends without breaking, hard to drill.
NEUTRAL: Color that ranges from whit to yellow to light gray all the way to black. Weight.
BAD: Snaps when bent, very hard and easy to drill.
Mold lines:
Mold lines are left where the two molds seal together. There is a big conviction that multiple mold lines are a clear indicator. This is far from true. Even original models are recast. In fact a master model is cast in multiple copies to make production molds. If the production models are not well clean the model will almost for sure have 2 mold lines. I have opened a blister directly from GW once (they where Ghouls) with 3 mold lines. I personally noted a very drastic reduction in quality from GW in 2 distinct periods. First when GW switched to white metal, and especially with models done in the US, and later starting just a few years ago till now when they started going with Finecast models. So mold lines are not an indicator at all. Unless they are selling large batches, if you buy 30 identical models and all 30 of them have the same exact mold lines this may be an indicator, note they may be very close but not identical, but this is very hard to spot.
Indicators in pils:
GOOD: Only one mold line.
NEUTRAL: Multiple mold lines.
BAD: All models in a large batch with identical mold lines. Must be abig batch of 10+
Quantity:
Quantity is another aspect that should be take into account. This can be usefull for eBay sellers. Often you can find sellers selling large quantities of the same figure. Or big batches of uncommon or rare figures. Note there are many collectors and old gamers out there that have huge quantity of figures.
But if you are unsure look at the seller sold items history or their feedback. If they are selling the same rare item over and over and in large quantities that may be suspect. Also not a sure indicator. There are often sellers getting rid of their collections.
Indicators in pils:
GOOD: Only sold that item once.
NEUTRAL: Several lots of the same item.
BAD: Same rare or uncommon item over and over.
Details:
Details are another factor to be considered. In fact many low quality recast have lower details. So missing parts, rounded spikes or low definition surfaces are a valid indicator. But don't forget that many companies run molds for hundred if not thousand of times before making new ones. As a fact first casts usually have crispy details, then mold deterioration comes into the game. Molds in fact tend to wear off, or rip during production. Also changes in metal or other conditions such as metal temperature or composition may play a big role in this.
Indicators in pills:
GOOD: Crispy and sharp details.
NEUTRAL: Average/poor details, sometimes with missing or incomplete parts.
BAD: Very low details, missing or deformed parts.
Size:
Size, there are mainly three aspects of a recast related to size. Height, thickness and the tab thickness if present. Being recast copies they will always be smaller then the original. The main factor is the molding material shrinkage and the metal shrinkage. There are hundred of mold materials on the market with many characteristics, and also the metal quality will affect size. High lead content metal shrinks a lot more then high tin base materials.
But again this is not a clear indicator again. Matter of fact, I have originals from the factory from different countries (GW specific US and UK) or different years that are different in size. Legally recast miniatures usually are done with different metals and molds from the original. Also older doesn't mean better quality, I have miniatures from the late 80's and the exact model from early 2000's, and the one from the 80's is slightly smaller 0.6mm shorter, and 0.7mm thinner, with a very thin tab compared from the newer version done in a different metal 15 years later. So size is a factor but again not decisive.
Indicators in pills:
GOOD: Thick and clean cast thick tab.
NEUTRAL: Smaller or thin tab.
BAD: Big difference in size.
Seller:
The seller may also be a good way of identifying a recast when not sure. Main factors are the country, selling cadence and selling history. Miniatures are well spread in the US, European and Australian countries, all other countries are sort new to them. So if the seller is from China, Russia or South America this may be a first hint. Also when you spot a seller selling bulks of quite rare or high value figures, this may ring a bell. This is when you can check their selling history and feedback if on eBay to see what they have sold. A seller selling 20 times in a year a very rare and expensive unit is quite suspicious. But again don’t forget that people move for work or family reasons, and that there are several avid collectors or old gamers out there, to include old employees coming from miniatures companies. In my personal experience I had a big suspect on a seller selling from a foreign suspicious country in the Middle East, but I wanted the item and ended up winning it, I was expecting a recast but when I got it it seemed legit, talking to the guy I discovered that he migrated to the UK (where he collected the figures) and several years later moved back to his country and decided to sell his quite big collection.
Indicators in pills:
GOOD: Comes from EU, US, AU.
NEUTRAL: Comes from any country.
BAD: If it comes from China, Russia, Argentina or Brazil.
Packaging:
This is quite obvious, packaging is quite expensive to produce in small quantities. A miniature sealed in the original box or blister is 99.99% original in my opinion. But again got a Forge World Titan (listed as beeing in the UK) shipped from China, that came all sorted out in Forgeworld bags. That is my 0.01% there.
Indicators in pills:
GOOD: In original sealed packaging.
NEUTRAL: Loose.
BAD: N/A
Summary
My guide is based mainly on Citadel, Games Workshop miniatures, I will try to expand my researches in the other fields as soon as I get some time.
In the end if you buy a miniature from GW that will snap when bent, well I am sure this is a recast at 99.9%. But you should look at all the factors above before yelling RECASTER. Of course if a miniature is out of the blister, made with a strange metal, with multiple mold lines, smaller compared to an original, badly cast with missing parts and coming from a strange country well I will say you got one with a 95% chance.