Due to its obvious popularity, the 1966 World Cup Final programme has been reprinted many times and with reprints worth significantly less than the increasingly rare original, it is vital to understand the difference. We frequently see reprinted programmes offered for sale as originals, sometimes through lack of expertise and sometimes knowingly, but there are a number of ways of telling the difference between the two. The following points are ALL vital to ensuring the programme is an original.

• The front cover must be a chelsea blue colour and not have a lilac tinge to it.
• England V West Germany written on the front of the cover should have a blue tone to it, the reprints are in black.
• On page two there is a photo of a cigarette packet, this must have noticeably different shades of colour on each side of the packet and not be similar.
• The cigarette packet on the back page must have a scarlet tinge to it and not a tangerine colour.
• The original programme was "part printed" with the centre of the programme printed separately just before the final when the final teams were decided and for this reason if you look at the programme from the side you will see a distinctive difference in the colour of the paper.
• Our personal favourite is the weight of the programme. The original should weigh 130 grammes.

Finally, pay very close attention to photographs advertising the programme, as without good quality photo's it is often very difficult to see the difference between an original and a reprint, so don't be afraid to ask questions.

Please help us to keep this great hobby free of forgers and vote yes below. By doing so you may help to encourage others to read this guide and hopefully benefit from it, thank you. Jason Mcloughlin at Scrawlers.