Well, not a Mick, but here are my latest Venz pickups:

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/...as%20front.jpghttp://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/...nas%20back.jpg
http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/...tch%20Ldrs.jpghttp://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/...n%20WDavis.jpg

love those 2 cards!

Just beautiful.

Love the ford.

Just picked up to two PSA 2s to add to my mini hoard:
http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/...psth2ml3oo.jpg

NICE!!!!! I always thought it'd be cool to collect a single card, starting from PSA-1 to PSA-10, and then lining them up in order. That would look really cool, especially as a display piece.

My thanks to several members on this board who helped educate me on spotting the real from fake Venezuelan stamps. I picked this one up a few months ago. I was almost certain it was real when I bought it. Turns out I was right. Considering there arent that many out there and Ive been hunting specifically for a Davey Johnson; I feel really fortunate to have this one.

I don't know about SGC, but PSA is worthless on telling if a 1972 Topps Venezuelan is authentic or not. They have no clue. Your card is authentic. The two biggest differences are the "R" in ORIOLES is thin on your card on the left and is fat on the fake card on the right, and more noticeably, the font on DAVE JOHNSON is thin on your card on the left and is fatter on the fake card on the right.

Latest pick up. Rough shape, but it's one of the scarcer commons and the price was right. 56 more to go to complete the 1967 MLB set.

HUGE addition to my Red Sox rookie PC. Considering a PSA crossover. Card has no creases or surface damage. Just the rounded corners and you can see the printing on the back is off (color and his name are in the right place, but the rest is printed offcenter).

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/...psznqhgpmf.jpghttp://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/...psod7koadw.jpg

Wow, WOW!!

Everyone look out! DBesse's gonna blow!!!! :D

My 2 biggest collecting passions: Yaz and Venies!

Topps 1960 Venezuelans
 

Hi Gang:

Is there anything "special" about card #1 Wynn, #3 Adcock or #13 Post in the 1960 Venezuelan set?

I am trading with a guy looking for them. If anyone can help PLMK.

Thanks!!

Fred

The wynn can be pricey

I feel very fortunate to have been able to get my hands on this. I'm considering crossover because pretty much my entire Red Sox rookie PC is PSA. For now, I just like looking at it :D

Some great Venies posted here everyone!

Fred, just sent you an email.

Don

Never really understood the facination with venies. Is it just rarity? Maybe some people grew up there and remember these fondly? Seems pretty esoteric otherwise.

Thrill of the hunt, it's the next phase for a player collector or a team collector who has finished with all of the easily found Topps cards and semi easily found OPC cards. Had to pay a small fortune for this little booger, might not see another one in ten years.

For me it's a couple of factors. First, they are beautiful cards by my standards. They primarily all look well loved and are kind of mini works of art as a result. Second, it's cool to me that Topps would release these in the 50s and 60s in a far away country. Some boy or girl would treasure it for years. And then it would somehow make its way to me--typically directly thorough Venezuela. If you want one of these, you generally have a limited number of people you can get them from. Third, these cards actually matter. You've picked up a 1960 Mantle from Topps. Not impressive and not something I can't do by turning to eBay and spending a $100. Oh, it has great centering. Fantastic. Here's a $130 for it. Well, if you want a 1960 Venezuelan Mantle you are going to have to message Larry from Florida and get on his radar. Your also going to have to try Mark from Brooklyn and send a note to Kelly. Maybe one of them gets one in and messages you. Maybe a random, one off seller posts one on eBay and you are able to hit buyitnow before one of the numerous other people that need it get it. Well, you now have a card that not every can get. That's pretty cool. Fourth, they are fantastic conversation pieces and a number of people--including my local card shop when I lived in NY--were completely unaware the issue even exists. Finally, no player collection is complete without them.

Collect what you love. For me, my favorite cards are my Venezuelans.

It's the scarcity. Like others have said, you're not a serious player collector or team collector if you're not hunting for these.

Well, I found out about them through this thread. I have this goal of collecting every Topps Braves base card, so these and OPCs seemed like a natural thing to collect. As I started collecting VZs, my appreciation for them grew and now I feel very lucky that I was able to collect them all. VZs are a shining example of the love for baseball around the world, particularly in Central America and the Caribbean. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised they aren't more popular.

I'm glad they are not more popular, the prices are already high enough for nice cards. :)

Agreed!

Inaccurate. I'm a serious player collector and have found all of them :)

Thanks guys for sharing info on why you love the Venezuelans. Some of you are really passionate. I looked on the bay and you are right...some cards only 1 or 2 for sale on the whole site and high grade looks to be super scarce.

To emphasize the point made.....
 

I am a Clemente collector.

PSA has graded 2,666 copies of his 1967 card. There are 66 unqualified PSA 9's and 2 PSA 10's.
For Clemente's 67 Venezuelan card (arguably one of the toughest in all of collecting Venezuelan's!) PSA has graded 8 copies - Top of the pop's - 2 PSA 5's, following a PSA 3, 4 PSA- 1's and 1 Authentic. rarer than a T206 Wagner and just a bear of a card to find!
Even his most "common" 1966 Venezuelan - Topps - 2,156. graded copies, Venezuelan - 56 graded copies.
I was introduced to the Venezuelan cards when I met John R at the Willow Grove show. I was very skeptical about their authenticity when I first saw them. I bought a few cheap ones. Learned more about them. Bought a few more. Wish I knew then what I know now - He had almost every major star card - I think the priciest among them was a Ryan rookie probably a PSA 3-4 at $1,000.

Wow, great story! Thanks for sharing :)

Beware
 

I buy most of my Venezuelans from Venezuelan sellers. I purchased a big lot of 350 cards from varies years from a guy who has been my main supplier for quite awhile two weeks ago. Still haven't gotten them yet so I email him and he said fedex and dhl have stopped operations from Venezuela now and can't send them until they reopen. So beware of buying from them because you probably won't receive your cards. He said he would wait for awhile and if nothing changes he would send my money back. Rick

Rick, I hope you get that lot! Sounds amazing.

I would probably try to get your money back and have him message you when shipping resumes. I recently got a card and had to wait a few weeks for it because of everything that's going on in Venezuela. Right now is definitely not the time to be buying anything from sellers who reside in Venezuela, especially in Caracas.

I am currently waiting on 2 shipments from Venezuela. Both sellers are in constant contact but no idea if / when they will get sent. I have gotten every item from Venezuela up to this point although I have had to wait weeks sometimes. Once it gets to FedEx or DHL it gets here in a few days.


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I have never owned a Venezuelan card, so I'm unfamiliar with the actual physical dimensions of those cards.

I have shied away from them as I have always assumed that the card stock was much thinner than cards produced domestically and, that, plus the naturally smaller production run is why card condition is such an issue.

Is that assumption correct?

Yes I will add I too have gotten every package from Venezuela up to this point also. He is making it sound like they won't reopen anytime soon.

Everything you said is correct. Combine that with the fact that many were glued into albums, and finding a clean-ish copy is extremely difficult.

Thanks for that info. I guess I'll stick to American dealers for now. Heres my most recent pickup, very tough common .

Picked up this lot of 64 Venies on eBay:

http://i.imgur.com/EcUNOEE.jpg

It's about 50/50 between ones I'm going to keep/grade and the ones I plan to resell. There are other keepers in the group, but the 4 below are already on their way to PSA.

http://i.imgur.com/yE5Mt0B.jpg

The Wynn is a RC.

Dan
I really needed that Banks card down to two cards to finish the set but didn't think the lot would go that high. My bad! I did just get that big lot from Venezuela 45 direct hits to my sets from 59-68. The seller said dhl and fedex had to negotiate a new contract with the government to reopen so assuming packages will start following again. Rick

Rick, I was thrilled to win the Banks, but it's bittersweet knowing that I outbid you. Are there any others you need from the lot? Depending on the ones, I would be interested in some trading. Congrats, though, on that huge lot! What will you do with your dupes?

Besides the Banks I need one leader card and Kaline so no I don't need any of the others. I trade a few to other collectors but most I sell to other members of OBC. Rick

Lovin' the Banks, my man! Great pick-up.

http://i.imgur.com/yw3cr6r.jpg

I now have all three 68 Venz league leader cards with Yaz on them.

Wow!!! Congratulations, DB!!!! Enjoy it for a good while, my friend, and get onto the OPCs ;-)

I've got one of the OPC and am buying another today.

Picked up my first Venezuelan. Had near misses in auctions on a few others, glad to get this one

Wow Mike, nice one!

thanks a lot, dan! have a great friday/weekend

Nice start!


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I had no doubt. ;)

There isn't an OPC thread, so by all means, please post them here. I'd love to see 'em.

Congrats, Mike, on your first VZ! Do you have a specific goal in mind that you're shooting for?

Hi there, I usually player collect, so hoping to find others for players I collect which include Clemente, Aaron, Maris, Oliva, Colavito

Fantastic! Good luck with collecting the Aaron's. The '68 is a beast to get.

Also, here's a question. Where do you stand on the 67s? Real Topps cards or not? :)

I never quite know on the 67s, but I think I actually like the Venezuela look better than the Topps view...!

GTFO of here!!! LOL, just kidding ;)

Gorgeous first card add.
Love the Maris!
RayB

OK, here are my 2 OPC LL, followed by all 3 Venz:

https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...rs%20front.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...70104_0001.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...att%20Ldrs.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...rs%20front.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...0HR%20Ldrs.jpg

Below are some recent Venz PSA returns. I think I showed these all raw.

https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...0Yaz%20PSA.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...en%20Boyer.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...n%20Geiger.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...20K%20Ldrs.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...Pinson%203.jpg

And finally, a couple of recent raw purchases:

http://i.imgur.com/EL4ieTd.jpg

Fantastic!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing. :)

I got a soft spot for that '68 Alou. Always thought he looked boss int hat photo, like he's about to f up the pitcher, LOL.

Lots of demand
 

Lots of demand on the venezuelans at the national this week.

Glyn were you set up as a dealer at the Natty?

Venie Demand at National
 

Some of the demand at the National was me... I asked virtually every dealer if they had any Venezuelan Topps cards... I'm guessing that prompted some dealers to ask around themselves... But also, ran into several eBay dealers and other Venezuelan collectors who were no doubt doing the same... The good news is I was able to find 3 or 4 folks who are "off the grid" who have Venezuelans... Gonna be interesting what I find as I follow up...

Well I need a couple of 59 variations, a 67 back variation and the impossible 1960 Tatoo to complete the run but I did upgrade to this for my type set of "Topps" Venezuelans:

I agree....I do think there was a demand for Venies at the National last week.

Just as a side note and not to make this a buy/sell, but I do have some dupe 1960 Venies if anyone would like a list....my email is brett8@cox.net

Don

Thanks Don, I would love to buy from you, but I only collect 1964 and 68 at this time.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f78370cbc2.jpg

So happy to add this upgrade to my set. I'm down to needing the 3rd Checklist #192 to complete my 1962 set. I have lots to trade or can buy out right if anyone has an extra.


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Holy crap that card is amazing!!

Yes, that Hodges is amazing!

Attachment 283684
Attachment 283685

Absolutely awesome!


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Willing to ideally trade for a needed/upgraded Mays item or, potentially sell out right.

64's
 

Bought two of the last three cards I needed off eBay to kill the 64 set. A buddy bought the third at the national but haven't received it yet. Need a rose and yaz to kill the 66 set and four cards to kill the 62 set. Rick

New additions:

Lovin' this thread. Thanks for the pics, gentlemen! They look great!

1962 Gil Hodges

Last card to kill the 64 vene set. Buddy bought it for me at the national showed up yesterday. Rick

Exactly a month since my last update. Excited about the clean backs on both of these. Love the Harper; he's a favorite of mine and I dig the big trophy.

https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...er%20front.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...uer%20back.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...er%20front.jpg
https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...per%20back.jpg

BOOM!!

https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...20YAZ%20RC.jpg

As a Yaz collector and Venezuelan collector, this card couldn't possibly be a bigger deal for me. I'm completely ecstatic! Ecstatic enough that I'm going to double post it!

Congrats Dan! Wow, what a pickup!

Huge congrats, Dan, on your Venie Yaz!

The 2nd of two Venezuelan cards I sent out for signature (the first being Aaron Pointer 67) returned this past week. Jimmie Hall 1964 Topps & Venezuelan versions. Mr. Hall used to be quite the difficult signature, but seems he has resurfaced in recent years, including a Chris Potter signing and free TTM replies.

66 rose
 

Finished the 64 set last week and picked up this rose this week to get me down to just the yaz card to kill the 66 set. Rick

Great stuff guys!