Venezuelan or Topps?

[Bestdj777]

Hi all,

I recently picked these two cards up from a seller in Venezuela. The top is supposed to be a Venezuelan Topps while the bottom is supposed to be a regular Topps card. Any thoughts on whether the first is actually a Venezuelan? I don't have it in hand yet and it is hard to discern from pictures, but I do think it is good. I have a couple of other 1960 Venezuelan Mantle/Boyer cards that I'll compare this to when it arrives but figured I'd see if anyone had any thoughts in the interim. Also, thoughts on grades for the top one would be appreciated. I am assuming PSA would give it a 1, but hoping it would be a little bit higher.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

[swarmee]

1.5-2.5 to me. Won't get a MC for the back that far down the scale. I'm not a Venezuelan expert (or collector really) but it sort of looks like the normal card. I would expect the paper stock to be different when you get it in hand, if it's a Venezuelan.

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by swarmee

1.5-2.5 to me. Won't get a MC for the back that far down the scale. I'm not a Venezuelan expert (or collector really) but it sort of looks like the normal card. I would expect the paper stock to be different when you get it in hand, if it's a Venezuelan.

Thanks John. I appreciate you weighing in. The 1960 Venezuelans are incredibly difficult to distinguish, so it sort of looks like a normal card to me as well. If it wasn't coming from Venezuela, I'd be a little more skeptical. I am assuming it will be easier to discern in hand.

I'd love a solid 2.5 on this one. I have a 1(MC) and an authentic that probably would be a 2 or so if I cracked and resubmitted--was cut a little too short for the grader but certainly wasn't altered.

[swarmee]

The rub off of the letter g at the bottom and the two creases on the back to me hold it back from going to VG. Good luck!

[TheNightmanCometh]

If the label is present and the origin is uncertain, I recommend using a halogen light or other bright light and doing a direct comparison with known US Topps cards.

When looking at the back of a US Topps card, the text and art image appear very crisp with deep black color. The Venezuelan card, while it appears identical at first glance, will generally have a more washed out look. The black ink just isn’t as dark and doesn’t appear as crisp. The texture of the back of a Venezuelan card is also noticeably different under the light. The texture of the Venezuela Topps card appears uneven and slightly bumpy, while the US Topps card has a texture that is much smoother.

On the front of a US Topps card, the image will appear very bright and reflective. Even if the card is well worn, it will still have reflective qualities. Topps used a high quality gloss and it has held up well over the years. The Venezuelan Topps may actually have a little bit of a sheen – as it seems like they may have applied a very sparse coating of cheap gloss that did not provide complete coverage of the entire front. The image will not have the same reflective qualities as the US card however, as it will still appear a bit duller than the US card.

Credit: Yahoo Venezuela Topps Baseball Card Forum