Topps Venezuelan Help

Tedw9

Anyone here good with the Topps Venezuela cards, especially the 1960 versions? I need help trying to figure out if what I have is a Venezuela card or not. Any help appreciated!

bobsbbcards

If you can post scans of the front and back, I'm sure multiple people here can help. If you can't, let us know the year and player (card number) and any identifying characteristics that would lead you to believe it was a Venezuelan (lack of gloss perhaps). For example, I'm guessing that the card isn't from 1968 because those are clearly identified as being from Venezuela.

Tedw9

These scans are pretty crappy. The yellow on the left of the card is because of my scanner. I have no idea why. That being said, I think the top card in each scan is a Venezulan card because of the color. According to the big Beckett the 1960 Venezulan cards are lighter in color of the printing. It's hard to see in these crappy scans, but there is a definate color difference. I showed my wife the front and back of both cards (I have multiples of the regular to compare with) and she noticed the difference also. I was thinking one of our board members could tell me if I am right or wrong.

fiveniner

Actually going with the scan could be a tough call.I have owned several Ven Versions.The paper stock in the Vens are usaully inferior to the American version.The cards are usually found in GOOD condition at best.This Willey card is a hard call by scan.It is in very nice shape however if it is a Ven version.

Tedw9

The condition weighs in too with me. I have a couple of other Venezuelan cards, one has been glued, but the other is in pretty decent shape. It was not glued or anything, which is rare. But I know its a Venezulan card because of the Spanish text on back.


I wish I could get better scans, as those do not do the color difference justice.

magellan

Did any of the Vens have printed in USA on the back? Both of these cards do.

Tedw9

Wow, I think you may be on to something there! I have a pic of a Yaz Venezulan card and it does not have that printed on back, but does on the regular US version. Hmmmm....that may be the answer!

fiveniner

I know that on the 59 Vens some a Spanish caption and some had American caption on the back.

Carew29

1960 Venezuelan cards have no gloss on the card and are made out of a different paperstock. On the back of the card it will clearly state--"printed in Venezuela". Most will have card damage as the custom was to glue the cards to scrap books in Venezuela.

A761506

Neither of those cards are Venezuelan Topps issues. The 1960 Venezuelans were printed with a much lighter black ink tone on the backs, which in turn makes the text appear "washed out" compared to the same standard 1960 Topps card. The information that Beckett published about being lighter in color of printing was referring to the black ink on the back. I've not noticed any difference between the fronts on most of them. 1960 Venezuelans look almost identical to 1960 Topps cards, both say "PRTD. IN U.S.A." on the back of them, but there are 3 distinct differences that are obvious if you are familar with the cards. 1) Black ink tone on the back lighter, 2) A lack of surface gloss on the front. If you hold either of those cards under a light, you will be able to see a glossy surface. On a 1960 Venezuelan, the surface is flat, it will not glisten in the light the same way a regular 1960 Topps card would. 3) The final difference is the cardstock of the Venezuelan in 1960 has a beige tint... it does not appear a true white on the borders or anywhere else the stock is showing through on the front. Those Willey cards are both pure white.

I do have a 1960 Venezuelan Willey card, it's part of a set. Next time I'm at my vault box, if I can remember, I'll pull it out and scan it for you and you'll be able to see a noticable difference.

-Josh

Carew29

From the man who knows---------#1 Venezuelan Dealer in the U.S.

Carew29

for some reason the link is not working---https://www.gfg.com/venezuela/index.shtml

A761506

To clear up a couple other things that have been mentioned in this post...

1) Some Venezuelan cards make no reference to having been printed in Venezuela. Certain cards from the 1959 set do indicate that they were printed in Venezuela, while others say that they were printed in USA. The entire 1960 Topps Venezuelan set appear identical to the 1960 Topps, their differences noted in the above post I made. 1966 Venezuelan cards also say printed in USA and are identical to the 1966 Topps set, with several differences (bright pink back, thicker cardstock, no front gloss, beige toned cardstock).

2) The only Venezuelan Topps cards that have any indication they were actually printed outside the US are from 1959, 1962, 1967 and 1968. The other years (1960, 1964 & 1966) make no mention and have no Spanish text anywhere on them.

3) Condition is not an indicator of whether a card is Venezuelan or not. Just because the majority of Venezuelan's are found tattered, there are some that have survived in very nice condition and have no evidence of having been glued, stained, written on, creased, or even worn out corners. I own several PSA 8 Topps Venezuelan cards and if you went by condition alone, you would swear they were not Venezuelan because they are so clean.




If anyone would like to join a Venezuelan discussion group, which has more information and tons of pictures of Venezuelan cards...

Topps Venezuela Yahoo! Group

Please enter "CU forum" in the box that asks you why you want to join.

sandmanfromlv

carews fixed link

A761506

One more thing worth mentioning, since it was brought up.

The practice of gluing the Venezuelan cards did not really begin until 1964, which is the first year a booklet was produced which was meant for the cards to be glued into. The booklet was organized by team, and occasionally single pages with the cards glued into them come up on eBay.

Very few 1959, 1960 & 1962 cards were glued. Many 1962 cards appear to have been glued, but what really happened is a packaging flaw caused damage to the back card in each pack (from the glue used to seal the packages). This is what I have been told by a Venezuelan citizen who grew up collecting the cards.

Tedw9

A761506


Is that you who posted last at the group? I was the one who posted before you. As I mentioned in my post there, I have a pic of a Yaz Venezuelan that does not have the "Printed in USA" on back. That is why I posted it there. And I checked my 62 Venezulan card and it does not have the "Printed in USA" on back either, but my regular one does. I will post the scan here to show you what I was talking about. The top one is a PSA 1 graded Venezulan card.

67standup

A761506 is the Ven collector king, he knows his stuff. I'll just limp-in with my second favorite Ven card ('72 Sticker is my favorite):




I'll post some other scans hopefully later this week, including the back of this one (it's in a SD box)