Fakes of the musician editions surface again and again, often offered under the wrong model name into the bargain, as a “Leonard Bernstein” for example, even though the design is modelled on the Donation Pen Herbert von Karajan of 1995. These pieces are marked out by fittings in silver throughout, clip included, and by a silver band of musical notation running the whole length of body and cap. The original is designed differently, so that here a comparison with a reliable picture of the edition in question is already enough.
There is also a characteristic selling tactic that is hard to attack in law: the brand name is deliberately left out of the description while the photographs create the impression of an original. Buyers then pay prices in the range of genuine pens; one such piece went for 230 euros in 2010. Anyone who comes across a suspicious listing can report it to the platform and leave feedback on the seller, though experience shows that auctions of this kind disappear only after several reports. Before buying any special edition, always ask to see the limitation number, the certificate and the packaging, and compare the design point by point with reliable pictures.