I think Darryl is correct and my opinion also is that this is an original helmet that was worked on the outside, but how you do it with not a hint of paint odor is beyond me. The photos do not show the age of the liner and dust and rust. I am well aware of the real price for these type helmets and was prepared for this. If I could see the clear differences in the decal I would not have had to even post this. But this one is close to an ET decal. That is why in my opinion, books are of finite value. There is not enough detail. You simply must handle the real thing enough. David