I hope you're not tired of Bill Pierce because if you are you will be tuning me out over the next few days. I've added several items to my Pierce collection and here is the most interesting.
This is the '64 Topps #222 Bill Pierce as issued in Venezuela. The card is nearly identical to my domestic version which I have posted below. The obvious difference is the black ink used on the back as opposed to the orange. One other change you can see easily is the "Printed in U.S.A." type is missing from the Venezuelan version but appears next to the copyright line in the orange-backed card.
One thing I'm not sure about is the difference in clarity and color of the photo and the cardboard stock itself. Looking at googled images of the Venezuelan Topps cards of 1964 doesn't give me anything conclusive. Some of the others appear to be on similar stock while others don't. Lots of possible answers, none of which really matter.
I was aware of Venezuelan versions of Topps cards being out there but never really gave it much thought. They certainly don't strike me as essential to a PC but I view them more as an interesting oddball item. Topps produced these most years from 1959 until 1968. The Lifetime Topps Project did a nice post on the background of these and rather than regurgitate the details you can read the post right here.
One last thing. I picked this one up on eBay from a seller in Venezuela. He sent it (very quickly I might add) via Fed EX and it was accompanied by some interesting paperwork which included a copy of what appears to be the sellers national ID card and the document below. Note the fingerprints that were required to send this along to me. Interesting stuff.
Cool card Commish!
ReplyDeleteNice add. I used to get confused by Venezuelan Topps because I didn't know exactly how they differed from the regular issued Topps and the first examples I saw images of were on Ebay but they had a lot of paper loss on the back so it confused me more. I had heard of them some years ago even before internet days but never saw an example in real life. I still haven't seen on in reality only online.
ReplyDeleteI never really knew anything about them either. I saw some at a National I attended waaaaay back in the 80s but never really thought about them since until the Pierce checklist I started with had them listed.
DeleteOk - break my heart: how low did you get this?
ReplyDelete$12
DeleteThat card is in very nice condition! Just thought it would be curious to say that I know the guy that sold you the card, he has a table in a local monthly cardshow here in venezuela and Ive bought a few of the 64 set that i needed to finish off my set which is 11 cards short and possibly down to 9 once my mail arrives. Its been pretty tough to finish this set off, they are pretty hard to find.
ReplyDeleteOh and the document he sent along is from the national guard antidrug office where he agrees that he isnt sending anything "strange" in the package.
Interesting info, Alfredo. It would be really fun to check out a card show down there just to see what is available.
DeleteI've seen the Robinson once or twice on eBay but the cost has been pretty much above my budget. The other 'star cards' are priced that way as well. I almost bought a Frank Robinson not long ago but I let it go.
The dealer I bought it from sent the card quickly. I got it faster than some packages sent from Canada!
Yeah they are always pretty pricey, theres actually one there now PSA 1. I have both, the Brooks and Frank ones and got them pretty cheap down here, the only big cards im missing from the venezuelan set are the 2 mantles which im trying to get at a decent price.
Deleteohhh and there is also a Brooks Robinson card in the venezuela set just in case, i just read you have a doft spot for him.
ReplyDelete*soft
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