Hello, so you need some info on jerseys? I'm your guy. I am sick of seeing "authentic" jerseys that are fake. Keep in mind authentic literally means: not false or copied. Do not be fooled by other words either like on field, or exact replica... My goal is to help you make your choice, and shine some light on some commonly seen words in jersey auctions...

AUTHENTIC-a jersey that uses higher quality materials and is exactly what the players wear on the field. NOT A COPY OR FAKE. A jersey using heavy material, better heavy twill stitching, and has sewn on name and numbers. Numbers on the back  should be larger than on the front(due to rules and regulations football leagues). Some authentic throwback jerseys will not have stitched numbers since some teams could not afford it. The bills and chargers of recent come to mind. Also note: every season teams and leagues contract an athletic company to make its jerseys. for example this season it is Reebok, in 1996 it was Starter. Be sure who made you jersey when looking. Each team also uses different fonts and has team colors, home is dark and away is light.  If you are not sure go to a team web sight and check out their on-line store. Also be aware that some teams use elastic at the end of the sleeve and fit kind of funny, sometimes called cuffed sleeves. Almost all teams have a THIRD JERSEY. The Jaguars have a black home jersey, and the chargers have the baby blue jersey as examples. You can just get an authentic jersey without numbers and letters. So someone selling an "authentic jersey" may be talking about the jersey only. Some sellers will sew on their own numbers and letters*
    A majority of newer authentic jerseys are simply made of classic mesh for the chest and gut region, and spandex for the shoulders, sleeve, area and square under the armpit (in fabric terms you want a jersey made with nylon, polyester, spandex, and elastic). Authentic jersey should have a tag like the one in the second picture that states the size and who made the jersey. It is amazing how this tag can make or break a true authentic. Make sure the tag has a number size like the 50 seen in the picture. Also be aware that authentic should be LONG!!!!

      
Here you see the side panel, large back number, and extreme length of an authentic jersey. The second picture shows the inside of the jersey and how it's sewn with heavy thread in a ziz zag pattern. The third shows the solid material used for numbering, and you can see how the material is raised off the mesh body.

48- medium
50- large
52-Xl
54-XXL
56-3XL
58-4XL
60-5XL
NOTE: these numbers represent the circular chest size from pit to pit

YOUTH SIZES:
Chest inches to size
26-28  Small (8)
30-32 Medium (10-12)
34-36  Large (14-16)
38-40 Extra Large (18-20)

OTHER USEFUL TERMS

"Words are a sellers friend, and can also be your enemy, so be aware of what is being presented to you."

• REPLICA- this type of jersey is a close representation of what players wear on the field. Normally not as heavy duty with iron on numbers and letters. Iron on letters and numbers have a high chance of wearing out after washing and drying, and look more shiny than sewn material.

• EQT- a replica that is extremely hard to tell apart from an authentic. They are all polyester which is really shinny and thin with screen logos and stripes, but have sewn numbers and letters. I see most of them in regular sizes not numbered. They look authentic from a distance but up close you can tell they are not as high quality. Good solution for a fan that wants the authentic look for a quarter of the price.

• AUTHENTIC REPLICA or REPLITHENTIC- Usually a hybrid. A mix of authentic and replica qualities. Normally seen with sewn on numbers and name, and made with all polyester. These are suspect words.

• ON-FIELD-  Type of jersey that looks like it should one day be buried under a field. This jersey I dislike the most because it is being sold at a huge range of prices. Some are screen printed and some are sewn. only thing I notice is that "on-field" uses the normal size chart when being sold. So the sewn tag on the bottom right (facing front) will say XL not 52. This is mostly a  disguise Jersey that can be used to make a buyer think they are getting an authentic jersey. I see a lot of fakes floating around with this tagged to its name. People assume that if it says on field that is is being worn on the field. This jersey is now being used with sewn on name and number and sold as an authentic... BE VERY CAREFULLY WITH THIS!
  

• *AUTHENTIC SEWN- a replica jersey that has sewn letters and numbers by a dealer or outside source but is not always an authentic. These jerseys are a top of the line replication. If you want to buy a jersey that looks good and does not cost as much as a true authentic this is normally the way to go. Why the difference: a sewn authentic uses a blank jersey without numbers and letters and do all the sewing themselves. I have found some great looking sewn jerseys and some really bad ones. Just make sure the letters and numbers are right.

• PRICES- some sellers and auctions will tell you that  retail price of an authentic jersey is $250 and up. This is not always true. Some small market teams like the Texans and the Browns have a simple jersey design that allow them to have a slender price to appeal to a thin fan base. I work in retail and know the mark up in insane on these things. I would say that material and all most jerseys should be $20-$50 max. So don't let a seller make you feel bad for an $80-$90 best offer. They are robbing you as it is!!

   
Here you see the iron on material that is fading and cracking. also notice the shiny polyester look. The next is an example of a "sewn" jersey. The letters and numbers are sewn on but are not the right size, font, and color to make it an authentic.

• THROWBACK- this term is commonly used for jerseys of teams that don't exist anymore,  for players that do not play anymore (retired, traded, released) and for memorabilia that is dated anywhere from ten years on up in age. This term is used loosely and sometimes just as a spice up word. I consider throwback a word only used for retired players that were at higher status than a normal player. Joe Montana, Joe Namath, and Dick Butkus come to mind..... So I am sorry but your dads high school jersey from the 70's is not throwback.

• MITCHELL & NESS- A solid sportswear company founded in 1904 that is known for their work in throwback items. Their own web sight calls their jerseys "detailed reproductions." If looking for a M&N jersey check out the web sight because it offers great history of teams, plus the company works closely with the NFL to bring the best looking throwbacks made. The only problem is that they are great jerseys but often overpriced due to the company's ownership of the throwback market. But with best size selection, going up to size 70, and with the most accurate styles this may be your best bet for a throwback jersey.
  

• AUTOGRAPH AUTHENTIC- Jersey that is not only authentic but autographed by your favorite player. Make sure that the signature has a Certificate of authenticity (COA)or some credible source of the signature being real. Next make sure the jersey is an authentic. Third check out the rating of the seller. You can not hide from a bad rating. When you bid on an item that has a COA eBay will bring up a second page that warns you about autographs and reprints. You can get an expert opinion about the item for a fee, and I like E bays own philosophy, if its too good to be true it probably is.
  

Q&A

Q: I am a big guy is there any hope in finding a size 8XL jersey?
A: I am thinking special ordering is the way to go. I contacted Mitchell and Ness, they have up to size 70 and figured that it would easily fit. Reebok will only go up to 5x.
Q: I am having a hard time differentiating between authentic sewn and replithentic jerseys?
A: most sewn jerseys are authentic blanks that have an outside source sew on the letters and numbers. Problem being is that they are not always the correct size letter and number sizes or fonts. A replithentic is normally a 100% polyester jersey that has the letters and numbers sewn on. They look good but are dirt cheap.
Q: Is the size chart the same for college authentic Nike jerseys?
A: yes the sizes should be the same for college authentic. the number actually represents a chest size and should not be any different.

Anyway, I hope this helps YOU become a pro looking for a jersey of your liking. Feel free to e-mail me any with questions or comments (I do update and have added a Q&A section) and if you question a jersey, send me the auction and I would be more than happy to look at it for ya. Good luck to your team this season and have fun Sporting your true colors this year.