Is this '66 Maris Venezuelan? & 1966 Topps Maris High Grade Pick-Up
 

Picked it up in a dealer box, never owned one a Vennie that is, and have no idea. To me it looks exactly like a Topps version. I guess the stock is supposed to be different? Feels the same to me, maybe thinner but that said the card is so beat I can't say that for sure. If so, value?

While I'm at it, I thought I would show off the same card in Topps that is just SLIGHTLY higher grade, thinking of getting it graded, your thoughts on grade?

Patrick---I do not collect Venezuelans per se but have collected one example from each year to go with my corresponding Topps sets. The 66s were one of the hardest for me to find. They look much alike and no Spanish wording. The cardboard does seem darker and they seem to lack gloss on the front. The biggest difference for me was the different shade of color on the backs, The Hart card below is my Venezuelan for that set. I know we have betteR experts here who can likely be more specific

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/...psu3a6sg0q.jpg

The easiest way to tell is the '66 Venezuelans have no gloss at all on the front.

'66 Maris Venezuelan
 

here's my 66; looks a little browner/darker than yours but I am not a Venezuelan expert.

Also, your Topps Maris looks great. I'd say 7-8, absent a wrinkle

I would say no for it being a Venz.
I think the nice Maris would grade a 7.
Just my two cents

what he said.

Back
 

Here's the back of the "vennie" maris in question

Yeah, the Venezuelans that year seem to have a hot pink back. So I don't think yours is.
I would say 7.5 on the regular.

Here is the back of a 66 Ven. Maris card from TCD....this card does not have the tag on the back "Printed in U.S.A" while the copy you have does. Not going to be a Venezuelan.

Hands down not a Venezuelan
 

Sorry to say. The other card however is incredible - I'm guessing an 8-8.5 absent any surface issues that can't be seen in the scan!

Just want to clarify that many '66 Venezuelans do have the "Printed in USA" line and it being there or not is not a reliable way to judge a real Venezuelan. :)

If only 5 of the regular 66s #d to 370 are WITHOUT the "Printed in USA" line on the back (#s 51, 172, 218, 221, 222) , then any other 66 cards without the "Printed in USA" would then in fact be a Venezuelan card?

Minus those five cards, not having that tagline is a pretty reliable way to judge if it is a real Venezuelan card.

As with both the 59 and 60 Venezuelan cards, some 66s have the "Printed in USA" and others do not. So I would agree that if the "Printed in USA" line is present on any 66 card numbered 1-370, it does not disqualify it from being a Venezuelan card.

It certainly doesn't disqualify, that's for sure. The best way is to compare card stock and seeing if the back has a hot pink color. Honestly, if you handle a '66 with that card and it feels the same, it's not a VZ. The card stock difference is that obvious. At least it was to me for all the '66s I've handled.

The handful of 66s/59s/60s Venezuelans I have all came from lots I have picked up .....when flipping through the lots for the first time, the Venezuelan cards all stuck out as being different, either the color or card stock variance as you mention being the tell-tale.

For me, the "Printed in the USA" tagline being present is helpful in disqualifying SOME of the potential 59/60/66 V cards in on-line situations when the card can't be held.

Back color = definitely not a Venezuelan. And yes, the stock difference is obvious in hand.

Cards numbered 1-283 are identified with a copyright label that reads “©T.C.G. PRINTED IN U.S.A.” Cards 284 through 370 do not have the copyright label, while the US Topps cards do have the label. As others have stated the card stock and back color is very obvious from USA topps and Venezuelan topps. Rick