New hobby discovery 1972 Venezuelan stamps- I've never heard of this happening before

[a761506]

It concerns the 1972 Venezuela Stamps.

There was a BVG 8 Ryan recently sold on eBay. I I thought it and all the others like it which looked similar to the originals but not the same (different font is the most obvious difference) were counterfeits. I eat my words and here’s why…

I read the description in the Ryan listing and here it is translated:

“Series printed in 1972 on paper with dimensions of 60x50 m.m.m, prepared by Mr. Juanito, a very enterprising man based in the town of Guarenas, Edo. Miranda. The series was developed using as base material the series published by TOPPS 1972 in the USA. Some of the decks were made based on photographic material corresponding to the Professional Baseball Championship of the year 1971-1972. The author reaches this conclusion after a thorough review of the available material.

The aforementioned fact is very evident among others in the pieces corresponding to the players Luis Tiant (172), Dagoberto Campanaris (176) and Ed Sprague (185), to whom the colors of the caps were modified, with the intention of matching them with the colors of the Major League teams. However, you can clearly distinguish and identify the uniforms of the teams in which they played for the Venezuelan season.

The series was distributed in envelopes of 4 decks and at a price of 0.25 Bs. Likewise, Mr. Juanito designed and printed an album at a sale price of 0.50 Bs. The Set consists of 242 pieces. There are two prints, one with small letters and one with large letters, as well as with a clearer drawing than the other.

Catalog of decks published in Venezuela - Gilberto Gil”

In 2009, Gilberto Gil was the original seller of the 1972 stamps which many of us have long considered to be counterfeits, and I also know Gilberto created a Venezuelan catalog which the Ryan seller is referencing.

It never occurred to me what happened with this issue until just now. In 1972, “Mr. Juanito” created this presumably-unlicensed set of stamps. He must have sold out of everything he had produced, he probably made some money doing this. What never occurred to me is the same man who made these cards in 1972 enhanced his original work (better print quality, paper and alignment) and re-issued the entire set in 2009. I now believe this is exactly what happened. I have long wondered who would have (or could have) recreated the entire set? And it turns out, it was the most logical person to have done so, the original creator.

So, Third-Party-Graders technically got it partially right, but not because they knew anything about the issue; they did not. The modern stamps are not counterfeits. But, they are not original 1972’s. They are a 2009 issue, and they are easily distinguishable from the original 1972’s. The original 72’s are some of the rarest items in the hobby today and are almost always found with signs of album adhesion and mostly in tattered condition. Very few original 1972's have ever passed through TPG doors.

And while I have very little doubt these sets were not licensed, Topps apparently didn’t mind paying tribute to the issue when they created the 2021 Heritage set and designed insert cards which mimicked the design of the stamps.

This is quite the odd situation. I know of no other set in the hobby with a story even remotely similar.

That said, the 2009 re-issue of these stamps was limited in quantity. He didn’t print a ton of them because they were never going to be put in packs, they were created entirely as a money maker to sell to American buyers, and apparently Gilberto Gil must have known Mr. Juanito because Gilberto was the only guy who sold them and he was how they all entered the U.S. market.

[hcv123]

That it was the original creator/printer that "reissued" them 37 years later - in a manner that is at least arguably deceptive as they looked so similar to the originals.

Was it a $$ grab? Was he in partnership in some way with Gilberto?

If they were printed in 2009 they are clearly not 1972.

Though off the top of my head I can't think of a similar instance, I have to believe this is not the 1st time such a thing has happened. Some possibilities:

1947-66 Exhibit cards
1972 "Roberto & Me " souvenir pamphlet

The above notwithstanding, they do not belong in 3rd party holders labeled as "1972".

[raulus]

Thanks for sharing. Definitely an exciting story with lots of odd twists and turns.

Glad to hear a few more of the mysteries of the hobby are a little closer to being understood.

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by hcv123

Does it matter? That it was the original creator/printer that "reissued" them 37 years later - in a manner that is at least arguably deceptive as they looked so similar to the originals.

+1

The least he could have done is made cards/stickers of Jose Cardenal and Gonzalo Marquez in 2009 that are missing from the 1972 set.

[Rrrlyons]

From an album I seen for sale

[Cliff Bowman]

That’s awesome! Someone made a 72 Jose Cardenal from a 1972 Venezuelan #166 Steve Hamilton and a 1975 Topps Jose Cardenal.

[a761506]

My message has produced differing thoughts across multiple message boards.

I've long known Gilberto to be involved with them in some way, now I question whether he was responsible for the re-issue altogether. This makes way more sense than the original creator reissuing the cards 37 years later.

I must revert my opinion to what I originally believed, the cards issued in 2009 are counterfeits produced with the intent to deceive. They are worthless.

[Cliff Bowman]

That is ingenious how someone solved the missing non existent #87 Jose Cardenal card/sticker from the album, they took a #166 Steve Hamilton and cut up and possibly skinned a 1975 Topps Jose Cardenal card and created a Frankenstein 1972 Venezuelan Jose Cardenal card/sticker by gluing the Cardenal photo over the Hamilton photo and the Cardenal nameplate over the Hamilton name.

[JollyElm]

Don't forget, it's also the 'pursed lips fisheye between his first and last name' variation as well!!!!!