Answers.Body: <p>It's definitely Minitalia and since you're Italian let me suggest <a href="http://itlug.org/2015/01/lego-minitalia/">a very recent Italian article</a> with the most recent findings about the history and the actual reasons behind the existance of the Minitalia line! </p>
  
  <p>I also recommend Gary's book, it's really great (and he's working on a new edition that will include these recent findings).</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-10-17T09:01:58.273Z
Answers.Text: Wow, it surely is, no doubt! The sad part is that ... I live two/three kilometers from the Minitalia Park! ^^'
  Thank you very much for the information and the link!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Simone Chelo
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-10-16T19:42:39.523Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-10-16T19:42:39.523Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Fra Sprea
Answers.Body: <p>This is <a href="http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=3001miA#T=S&amp;O=%7B%22ii%22:1%7D">a Minitalia</a> brick - Lego produced different bricks for a while in the seventies for Italy (per Gary Istok's latest information: because the original LEGO was deemed too expensive). Minitalia bricks have weaker plastic (which shows on the studs on your brick) and don't use the Tube system underneath the brick, but an older patent which has the X marks. The gripping power of the X marks is less good, but you will find that the X marks actually allow for half-stud offsets, which you cannot do with the tube bricks :). All this is detailed in <a href="http://legocollectorsguide.weebly.com/">Gary's wonderful book/DVD</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-10-17T09:01:43.953Z
Answers.Text: Wow, it surely is, no doubt! The sad part is that ... I live two/three kilometers from the Minitalia Park! ^^'
  Thank you very much for the information and the links!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Simone Chelo
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-10-16T19:17:57.137Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-10-16T19:17:57.137Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Phil B.
Body: <p>I found this LEGO piece in a second-hand LEGO stock. I have never seen a brick like this, and I can't even find the LEGO write on it.</p>
  
  <p>Is this LEGO brick original, maybe vintage or some kind of special edition or is it just fake?</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/rpxcs.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/rpxcs.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
Tags: <piece-information>
Title: Is this LEGO an authentic original?
UserDisplayName: Simone Chelo
ThreadText: # Is this LEGO an authentic original?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-16)
  
  I found this LEGO piece in a second-hand LEGO stock. I have never seen a brick like this, and I can't even find the LEGO write on it.
  
  Is this LEGO brick original, maybe vintage or some kind of special edition or is it just fake?
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/rpxcs.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/rpxcs.jpg)
  
  **Tags:** piece-information
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-16. Score: 14 | Accepted answer
  
  This is [a Minitalia](http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=3001miA#T=S&O=%7B%22ii%22:1%7D) brick - Lego produced different bricks for a while in the seventies for Italy (per Gary Istok's latest information: because the original LEGO was deemed too expensive). Minitalia bricks have weaker plastic (which shows on the studs on your brick) and don't use the Tube system underneath the brick, but an older patent which has the X marks. The gripping power of the X marks is less good, but you will find that the X marks actually allow for half-stud offsets, which you cannot do with the tube bricks :). All this is detailed in [Gary's wonderful book/DVD](http://legocollectorsguide.weebly.com/)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Wow, it surely is, no doubt! The sad part is that ... I live two/three kilometers from the Minitalia Park! ^^' Thank you very much for the information and the links!  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2015-10-16. Score: 6
  
  It's definitely Minitalia and since you're Italian let me suggest [a very recent Italian article](http://itlug.org/2015/01/lego-minitalia/) with the most recent findings about the history and the actual reasons behind the existance of the Minitalia line!
  
  I also recommend Gary's book, it's really great (and he's working on a new edition that will include these recent findings).
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Wow, it surely is, no doubt! The sad part is that ... I live two/three kilometers from the Minitalia Park! ^^' Thank you very much for the information and the link!  
  
  ---
  
  