A Treasured Trove: The Venezuelan Topps Collection Hits the Auction Block

• Posted: November 9, 2023, 8:50 pm
• in Sports Card News
• by bionic

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This month marks the auction debut of a remarkable assemblage of baseball cards, a trove consigned by a South American collector that captures the essence of an era. Heritage Auctions is set to present 117 lots of Venezuelan Topps baseball cards, spanning the years 1959 to 1968. This collection is not only vast, with over 1,200 cards, but it also boasts an exceptional standard of preservation, setting it apart from its contemporaries.

The cache in question is a testament to the burgeoning popularity of baseball in the era following World War II and Topps' astute response to the rise of Latin stars in the Major Leagues. The Venezuelan Topps cards, produced through a partnership with Benco—a South American printing company—are rare gems today. Most surviving examples bear the scars of time, but this collection defies the norm with its superior condition.

Topps' inaugural Venezuelan issue mirrored the first two series of their 1959 set but was produced exclusively for the South American audience in limited quantities. This decade-long initiative culminated in the 1968 Venezuelan series, yielding some of the most elusive and coveted baseball cards in Topps' storied history.

The Venezuelan Topps cards are immediately distinguishable from their regular counterparts due to the noticeable differences in cardstock and print quality. The absence of a glossy finish and the use of coarse, inexpensive cardboard meant these cards were prone to rapid deterioration, presenting a significant challenge to collectors seeking well-preserved specimens. Their scarcity is compounded by limited production and distribution, coupled with a trend among local collectors to affix cards into specially designed albums. As a result, finding these cards in near-mint or better condition is exceptionally rare—so much so that PSA, the card grading authority, has never bestowed a "GEM MINT" 10 rating on any Venezuelan Topps card.

However, this summer, a collection surfaced at Heritage—a collection that defied odds, including cards that stand as the highest-graded examples known. Highlights include a 1959 Mickey Mantle (PSA 5), a 1960 Carl Yastrzemski rookie card (PSA 5.5), a 1964 Ernie Banks (PSA 8), and a 1964 Mantle (PSA 6). Heritage Auctions hailed the collection as "the culmination of decades of steadfast commitment to the art of collecting."

The later issues of the Venezuelan Topps cards are particularly noteworthy, featuring players who never graced an MLB card. These sets introduced future stars, like Dave Concepcion, who made their first appearance on Topps cards in Venezuela before being featured on any U.S.-issued Topps rookie cards. The 1967 Venezuelan Concepcion, graded 6, is among the lots up for auction. The same set also paid homage to "Retirado" (retired) legends, including Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, and Sandy Koufax, who had recently ended his career after the 1966 season.

The auction is also set to feature a host of other high-grade cards, including a PSA 8 1967 Mantle, a PSA 7 1967 Mantle, a PSA 6 1968 Johnny Bench rookie, a PSA 5 1964 Pete Rose, a PSA 6 1964 Willie Mays, a PSA 4 1964 Hank Aaron, and additional cards of luminaries like Koufax, Roberto Clemente, Roger Maris, and other stars and Hall of Famers from the era.

The bidding for these pieces of baseball history is scheduled to conclude on November 16, in the Heritage Fall Sports Collectibles Auction. This event promises to be a landmark occasion, offering collectors the chance to own a piece of baseball's international legacy and celebrate the storied past of the sport's memorabilia. Each card, a fragment of history, represents the global reach of America's pastime and the enduring allure of collecting. For those who value the heritage of the game and the artistry of card collecting, this auction presents an unmissable opportunity to acquire a slice of baseball card lore.

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