Fake Plastic Penny At Texas Gas Station

[digi7alph0enix]

The other day at work I had to go to a customer I hadn't been to before, and as luck would have it there was a problem with their order and I got held up there for about an hour. While I waited for the owner to figure things out I decided to check out their display of sunglasses for $11.99. Much to my surprise, not only did I find a ton of fake older style Oakleys like a Splice, Eye Jacket, and several others, I actually found a fake plastic Penny.

Now, I've seen other members post in the past saying they've seen fake plastic versions of xmetals in the past, but this was the first I'd ever seen of a plastic version being sold in the US, and inside a store no less. The most interesting thing about them to me was that even though they felt extremely cheap and fragile, whoever is faking them actually went through the trouble of fitting them with nose pads and ear socks.

I only snapped a couple pictures and they aren't the greatest, but maybe this will keep someone from wasting their money on eBay for a cheap knock off like these.

 

[Batwolf]

Should've snatched those up!

 

[Lexkempo]

I seen plastic Juliets at a local children's discount clothes store ... i couldn't believe it ! They had the ear stem bend tho... so it wasn't really an exact copy

 

[digi7alph0enix]

It's amazing to me that even though the frames were discontinued years ago, some company still goes out of their way to replicate them.

 

[washi me sensie]

could you buy me a pair bro? lol!

 

[Rustpot]

I would have been thrilled to find a gas station like that when I was 12. I had a couple sets of fakes before I could afford the real deal.

 

[Teetogreen]

I want one

 

[NiGHTSx2]

For $12, you would probably fool 90% of casual observers with those.

 

[Ventruck]

I guess they make decent toy pairs.

Rustpot's perspective is something I understand as far as being a kid goes. One of the first times I visited the Philippines as a kid (and not a baby), my cousins would always show off their toys to me telling me they're not fake. Confused me since I didn't have that perspective being that age and from the US. Awareness of branding and whatnot quickly developed. One day I decided to pick up a fake counterpart of one of my slot cars just to know what was going on. Terrible fits and flimsy parts, I really didn't understand who the hell would opt for this instead of waiting a bit longer. It was just such an empty investment even if I technically didn't pay for it. What kind of kid would enjoy this?

Uncle drove me past one of poorest sections in town, was pretty clear there were a lot of people -parents- who clearly couldn't afford such things for their kids and saving as much as they can to go the next day. Either the kid can have a resemblance of something, or nothing at all. Of course they can grow past it, hopefully catch a break in life and finally buy some real things, but imo they'll have some kind of void in their childhood.

Counterfeiting is a practice I hate on the business side of things, but I get why people end up becoming customers.

 

[Spartan235]

The problem with these fakes is a lot of the time these lenses are nothing more than shaded plastic. They offer no protection from the sun and can truly hurt an individual who may not know better and not have the means to buy the real deal. So besides the financial issue for the company, which drives the prices up for you me as we all know the company is the last to be hurt, it can physically hurt someone which is no good either.