The edition size of the Writers Edition Jules Verne varies according to the type of pen, and every piece carries it engraved: 18,500 fountain pens were made, 16,500 ballpoints and 4,500 pencils, so the complete set is likewise limited to 4,500. The engraved figure must therefore match the type of pen. A fountain pen marked 16,500 is a contradiction in terms — and that very figure crops up again and again on fakes, whatever the pen happens to be.
Fakes of the Jules Verne edition do indeed exist. If you are buying without seeing the pen, ask the seller for the engraved edition figures without naming the correct ones yourself; otherwise they will simply be confirmed back to you. If a seller will not or cannot open the packaging, a photograph of the label on the outside of the box, which states the edition size, will serve. Before bidding, also establish the postage and handling charges, which can be considerable on listings from abroad (as of 2006).