Of the Montblanc Kafka ballpoint, 12,000 pieces individually plus 4,500 in 3-piece sets, that is in total 16,500 ballpoints, were officially produced; the number 18,500 would thus lie above the edition and would be a counterfeit suspicion. However, Montblanc itself states for the line 14,000 fountain pens and 12,000 ballpoints, so the number 18,500 as overall numbering pen plus ballpoint can quite well fit an original. With uncertainty, comparison with documented fakes (e.g. maxpens.de) and the check whether the digits were correctly read are recommended.