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View Full Version : Vote - best Topps set


Touch'EmAll
07-01-2009, 08:52 PM
Strictly based on eye appeal alone, I am curious what most collectors consider Topps' finest year.

My vote - 1955

And then restrict it to only 1960's - I really like the 1965's.

steve

toppcat
07-01-2009, 09:25 PM
Lordy, so difficult. Lessee from #1-5 I would have to say 52,54,55,67,71 and 63 for good luck. I like the 71's the best though, the other five are pick 'em.

HRBAKER
07-01-2009, 09:59 PM
My 5 in order: 52, 57, 67, 54 and 65. I am not too fond of any design after about 1969 and find most of the 70's dreary.

sox1903wschamp
07-01-2009, 10:47 PM
Strictly based on eye appeal, my vote for best all time:

1954 Topps-That #250 card of the kid is just gorgeous as well as many others.

Resrticting to only the 60's, my fav is 1965. Love those big and bold pennants with the team emblem.

bobsbbcards
07-02-2009, 05:45 AM
1967. The perfect card IMO. If I restrict it to just '60s....hmmmmm.

obcbobd
07-02-2009, 07:14 AM
67
56

Scott T
07-02-2009, 07:26 AM
I will cast my vote for 1973.

chris
07-02-2009, 09:13 AM
1950s: 1955 then 1954

1960s: 1965 then 1963

1970s: 1973 then 1976

Tim Fritz
07-02-2009, 12:59 PM
My vote - 1956
60s - 1965

GrayGhost
07-02-2009, 01:31 PM
For me, the 1953 is my favorite. I love the large "paintings" and overall design.

for 60s only, the 67 set. Simple, uncluttered design. The Mantle card has always been one of my favorite regular issues of his.

Pup6913
07-02-2009, 08:01 PM
Favorite is 56 then 55, 54, 59, and finally 58. I stick with tobaccos for all time favorites the T205's but I love the 50's

drc
07-03-2009, 12:38 AM
My votes:

1950s: 1955
1960s: 1960

dennis
07-03-2009, 04:17 AM
1958 i love the big logos and the colors
http://<a href="http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l239/dcc1/?action=view&current=MARIS.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l239/dcc1/MARIS.jpg" border="0" alt="R.MARIS"></a>

Rich Klein
07-03-2009, 08:26 AM
1957

1967

Regards
Rich

Leon
07-03-2009, 09:01 AM
I always liked the 1972's.....kind of acidic.....

judsonhamlin
07-03-2009, 11:54 AM
For the front design, either '57, '67, '56 or '64
For the back (I know, who cares) either '72, '57, '66 or '77 (my first year as a real collector)

pwilk17
07-03-2009, 01:00 PM
I like 52 topps the best
From the 60s - 1969

cyseymour
07-03-2009, 03:25 PM
1955 is definitely the sweetest design. Also like the 71's, 73's, 63's, 52's and 83's. 56's are nice, but I think the 55's are the best.

Steve D
07-03-2009, 11:43 PM
Best All-Time = 1953 (I think the two best-looking Topps BB cards of all-time are the Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays from '53)

Best of the '60s = 1962


Steve

thekingofclout
07-04-2009, 06:59 AM
I dig the '62's. I have four or five slabed packs. One of my packs is a 1962 Topps Wax Pack with Mantle/Mays Managers Dream card on the back.

Wanna Rip......2629

batkidiii
07-04-2009, 11:04 AM
I love the colors on the 72's. I also have a affinity for the 77's since it was the first year I collected bb cards.

Jay Wolt
07-04-2009, 11:34 AM
1950s: 1956
1960s: 1965
1970s: 1972

T205
07-04-2009, 10:56 PM
1950's: 1955 and 1957
1960's: 1960 and 1967
1970's: 1970 and 1972

David W
07-08-2009, 03:05 PM
From the 50's - 1959

From the 60's - 1963 or 1967

From the 70's - 1972 (Love the in action cards)

con40
07-08-2009, 03:40 PM
1950s: 1955
1960s: 1967
1970s: 1976

Narrowing to one set each from the '50s and '70s wasn't easy. I didn't go by player selection or rookie cards, but by design, photo quality, and color and these came out on top.

mojorob
07-09-2009, 12:27 AM
I totally dig the 1967 Topps Baseball effort.

It's exceptional.

paulcarek
07-09-2009, 11:58 AM
50's: 1956, 1954
60's: 1963, 1965
70's: 1976, 1975

JasonL
07-09-2009, 01:01 PM
1950s: 1957 (1958 and 59 are just dreadful)
1960s: 1961, 1963, 1964 (1968 is ugly)
1970s: 1978 is da bomb. love the script lettering, some of the images are outstanding.

Jacklitsch
07-09-2009, 04:35 PM
Respectfully disagree.

Favorite: 1959 (The last year I actively collected. I think it was about then when I noticed that girls had different parts)

Next: 1953 (The first year I actively collected)

JasonL
07-10-2009, 04:42 AM
I fully respect and honor that opinion. The historical perspective and context for each person can be very personal and that's what is so great about this hobby.
For me, not having such a connection, the 59's are viewed entirely through an objective, more distant lense.
The flipside is that I have that kind of conneciton for 1984 Fleer. Honestly no barnburner of a set, but I am more fond of it because that was my second intro to cards, but the first real substantial time I started collecting more aggressively.

Flange
07-11-2009, 05:24 AM
My hat is off to 1967 for the bright color palette that reminds me of Kodachrome which itself has proven so easy to love. 1966, by comparison, looks drab and muddy with poor flesh tones. The players in 67 look to have blood in their veins. Also appreciate any photos taken at spring training right after wind sprints. Nothing like a sweat soaked, gasping closeup. Fred Gladding comes to mind.

The photo quality in 67 is higher than most of the 60s, although 65 is good, and the overall quality control of the printing process is good. In my experience 67 had few mis-cuts and centering problems and the images are free of dust, dirt, smears, printer lines and other crap that plagues other years like 1961. (did they ever clean the printing presses and plates that year?) 69 had lots of miscuts.

68 is tough to like, although the color quality is close to 67 the burlap border is big and fugly. I'd like to know how they chose that. If that was the best idea they had I wonder what they rejected.

The layout for the 63s works for me. Big Photo, small photo, bright colors that go to the edges at the bottom, easy to read card backs. I really like them/

Speaking of card backs, 61's are the worst. What joker thought that tiny black on green statistics was a good idea. I need a magnifying glass to read them.

Sand Lot
07-11-2009, 08:03 AM
I would have to say 55,59,63,65,67 these sets are very nice.

ebrehm
07-12-2009, 06:54 PM
1950's: 1956 - love the action scenes in the background
1960's: 1966 - but partly because it was the first set I completed
1970's: none - I think the quality of the issues went downhill after 1969

drdduet
07-14-2009, 09:26 AM
Best overall --1952
Best 60's--1969

J.McMurry
07-14-2009, 10:41 AM
My 5 faves in order of appearance:

53 - love the art work
57 - simplistic ,clean design
63 - again the design and colors
68 - see 57
75 - colors, and the memories of ripping open packs at that little country store

WWGjohn
07-14-2009, 03:53 PM
I vote for 56

John

OldSchoolBaseball
07-15-2009, 09:04 AM
1950's........1953 Topps (the paintings are cool)

1960's........1962 Topps (something about those wood borders)

1970's........1971 Topps (high end cards in this set are so rich looking)

smtjoy
07-15-2009, 09:46 AM
1956 is mine

calvindog
07-15-2009, 06:24 PM
1955

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calvindog/2965080586/" title="#28 Ernie Banks by calvindog65, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2228/2965080586_8c3f0095b5_o.jpg" width="723" height="412" alt="#28 Ernie Banks" /></a>

1965

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calvindog/2922581888/" title="1965 Topps by calvindog65, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/2922581888_15503ebc41_o.jpg" width="422" height="737" alt="1965 Topps" /></a>

brickyardkennedy
07-15-2009, 07:15 PM
Have to go with 1957. Maybe it's because that's the first year I started buying baseball cards and so nostalgia factors into my opinion, but '57 is it!

mikeycook
07-17-2009, 01:17 PM
Just based on eye appeal, I'd pick the 57s, though I like the 55s as well. My favorite post-war set is the 1953 Bowman Color, so I tend to like cards with great photos and minimal distaction. The 57 is the closest to this.

WhenItWasAHobby
07-17-2009, 03:38 PM
Since you qualified it by Topps Sets I'd have to go with 1956 Topps for the '50s (although the '53 Bowman Color Set blows away any other set from that era).

For the 1960's - I'd go with 1967 Topps.

sflayank
07-17-2009, 03:51 PM
1967 topps stand-ups by far

ALR-bishop
07-17-2009, 04:47 PM
....or by few

Teamsets4u
07-23-2009, 01:09 PM
1967 has always been my favorite.

chris6net
07-24-2009, 07:46 AM
I always liked the 1972 Topps Set with the bright colors and the In Action Cards. I can remember looking at the back of the Expos Team card where they list the Career Batting and Pitching Leaders and thought it looked cool seeing Rusty Staub,s name on every batting category(I know they were only 3 years in).

Mrc32
07-31-2009, 09:20 AM
1954 Topps is the best. Banks, Kaline and Aaron rookies + two Teds. Easy winner. :P

Northviewcats
07-31-2009, 11:09 PM
Hello Everyone,

My favorite set from the 1960s is 1961. The design was so simple, it reminds me of the default layout for Power Point presentations, just three boxes. A large photograph on top, and two smaller boxes, on the lower left the player's name and position, on the right the team. The colors are solid and bright. There is no confusion. The focus on the back is on the statistics, not commentary; and the cartoons on the back are fun to read and taken as a whole give an interesting insight into the life of a baseball player. I know there are a lot of portraits and not many action photos. I remember that when I collected the set as a kid I was drawn to the action photos. My favorites were Jerry Adair, Hank Aguirre and Bill Mazeroski, but now I've grown to love all the head shots. I would argue that the 61 Mick is the most recognizable card in the Mantle cannon. In the portraits the personalities of the players is really revealed.
The set pays homage to the great moments of the game: Ruth's 60th Homer, Hornsby's .424 average, Chesbro's 41 wins and the feats of Mathewson, Johnson and others. The set is loaded with Hall-of-Famers and history. Like all sets there are faults, for example, the manager cards are silly and it is difficult to find perfectly centered cards. Nevertheless, when you look at the set in an album its symmetry, artistry and design are striking. Take a moment to examine below one page from my set and you will see what I mean.

Best wishes,

Joe

GRock
08-01-2009, 08:07 PM
My favorites per decade

1953
1965
1971
1980

yanksfan09
08-01-2009, 08:57 PM
50's: 1953 great artwork w/1952 (right there with it)

60's: Maybe 1969, nice basic design

MBMiller25
08-27-2009, 06:51 PM
I am a huge fan of the 1960 set. Easily my favorite set Topps has produced.

Doug
09-16-2009, 05:12 PM
By decade I would say 1952, 1963, and 1973. For the overall best Topps set I'd say it's the 1952 set hands down.

Zach Wheat
09-16-2009, 06:13 PM
My vote goes to the '56 Topps set. I favor '56 since it contains a Mantle card unlike other previous issues, there are no missing numbers (unlike '53 and '55) and it contains all the stars of the era. They even tweaked photo of the Mantle card so he is catching the ball and if you look closely several of the fans in the background were duplicated on the card.

pdub1819
09-16-2009, 10:48 PM
Hey everyone....
I would say 56, 65, 55, 52.

mintacular
09-17-2009, 06:56 AM
First time posting, hope I did this right. '57 has it all but then again I'm biased, that one was my first vintage set collected so naturally I have an affinity towards it. That said, it is a great set for these reasons:

1) Very strong HOF RC class (B. & F. Robinson, Kubek, Richardson, Maz, Bunning, Colavito)
2) Beautiful, clean photography of actual players (better than artistic portraits IMO)
3) Nice combo cards: Mantle & Yogi, Campy/Snider...
4) Standard Size that fit into "normal" sized sheets!

That's my take, '59 is a nice one and is much more affordable...

Doug
09-17-2009, 08:15 PM
If it wasn't for the 1952 set the 1957 would have been my next pick. I like the simple, yet appealing design along with the excellent crop of HOFers and rookies like you mentioned.

mintacular
09-17-2009, 09:29 PM
b/c '52 is my second favorite but I know I will never have the dough to make a run at it even in PFG condition. The high #'s are just impossible not to mention that one guy named mantel or something :)

ChiefBenderForever
09-20-2009, 10:31 PM
1958 was always my favorite set so over 10 years I slowly built a super sick high grade set mostly nrmt condition and then sold it a few months ago, now I can barely look at Topps cards it makes me sad.

GasHouseGang
09-21-2009, 11:40 AM
Let's see... my favorites are 1952, 54, 56, 58, 61. I know they appear in order, but that's actually the order of my preference.

Minerscoin
09-21-2009, 07:57 PM
1952-1953-1956-1957-1961
1963-1965-1967-1975-1983

Lothar52
09-22-2009, 12:34 PM
I think all 4 sets are top notch....54,55,56,57....i want all 4 in a row (need 55 still). 52 and 53 are too expensive, 58 and 59 are too big.

Loth

of course 53 bowman color is the best, i own one, but this was a topps thread hehe

IJustLoveCards
09-30-2009, 05:15 PM
52's just classic, then the 57's the first year topps went to the regular issue sized cards..

Nothing beats all the action shots in the 73's I mean have you really ever looked at some of those pictures, simply amazing..

iwantitiwinit
10-01-2009, 08:17 PM
Best from the 50s:

Front:1953
Back: 1955

Best from the 60s:

Front and Back: 1967 (best all-time)

Best from the 70s:

Front: 1971
Back: 1970

bobafett72
10-03-2009, 12:38 PM
1950's gotta be the 56 set
1960's my fave is 1961, clean, crisp with some great subsets
1970's I'll go with 1974, its the first 1970's set I assembled when i started collecting in the late 80's

mintacular
10-03-2009, 01:38 PM
Seems like a lot of '67 admirers, could you explain? I am curious as to what about this set is so attractive whereas to me (right now) it just seems like any other 60s set. Also, noboby has picked '66. Is this year a consensus "rotten apple", and if so, why? How is it much different is it than '67? Thanks in advance for your comments.

timber63401
10-03-2009, 02:50 PM
63 and 65 by far the best to me. 64 the worst.

HRBAKER
10-05-2009, 02:16 PM
Seems like a lot of '67 admirers, could you explain? I am curious as to what about this set is so attractive whereas to me (right now) it just seems like any other 60s set. Also, noboby has picked '66. Is this year a consensus "rotten apple", and if so, why? How is it much different is it than '67? Thanks in advance for your comments.


For me the appeal is the great color photographs unobstructed by intrusive borders (i.e., the 1968 Hopsack look), they are almost a full bleed card. Now the teams names in block letters across the bottom do take up some space but really add to the appeal for me. Also it was the first year I really opened a lot of cards as I was 8 with an allowance. I spent nearly all of it buying 6 pack 25 cent trays at the A&P. It was also the first set that I went back and completed some years later and I am also building a second signed set of which I am up to 477 different.

Also, I actually like the 1966s too!

72Miles
10-09-2009, 09:36 PM
1971 Topps
Black Beauties
Little Square Pieces of Art........:D
http://thebaseballchronicle.com/images/thurmonmunsoncard.jpg

http://thebaseballchronicle.com/images/cookierojascard.jpg

http://www.vintagecardprices.com/pics/1905/136101.jpg

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad334/agm4272/B9Le2Q2kKGrHqMH-CsEquoIYNfSBKtvKY3i.jpg

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad334/agm4272/Bbwvc2kKGrHqQOKkYEq4dhDYhsBKgkmn8g_.jpg

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad334/agm4272/B33CYwBmkKGrHgoH-CgEjlLl1-OzBKeg2yw.jpg

MCoxon
05-30-2015, 03:40 PM
Great question

1950s: 1957
1960s: 1965
1970s: 1971

1963Topps Set
05-30-2015, 04:06 PM
1956, 1963, 1971

1964 gets no love.

1968 does not get the respect it deserves.

1960 is also incredible.

1972 is also wonderful.

ALR-bishop
05-30-2015, 04:21 PM
Bob has been thinking it over since post 5. He is getting close.

nsaddict
05-30-2015, 04:37 PM
53..55..57..63..65..67

Vintagevault13
05-30-2015, 05:17 PM
50's: 1952, 1957

60's: 1965 hands down

70's: 1975, 1974 (vastly underrated IMO)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

KCRfan1
05-31-2015, 07:05 AM
My fav's are 1952, 1969, and 1973.

I am surprised the 1969 set is not getting more love. Crisp photos, great color, and a simple design. IMO, one of the best sets Topps has produced.

1963Topps Set
05-31-2015, 07:51 AM
My fav's are 1952, 1969, and 1973.

I am surprised the 1969 set is not getting more love. Crisp photos, great color, and a simple design. IMO, one of the best sets Topps has produced.

The 1969 Topps set has no team cards, all of the team names are in the same color (yellow) a lot of cap less players and the design is too simple.

begsu1013
05-31-2015, 09:39 AM
65
71
88

brewing
05-31-2015, 01:21 PM
I can't decide and I may change my mind in the future. But my top five in chronological order.
1953 every card is a work of art, literally. The Mays is my favorite of his and the set.

1956 great design, cool action photos. The Mantle is my favorite and is the 1st vintage Mick I acquired when I got back into the hobby 5 yrs ago.

1971 the borders drive me crazy, but I cannot deny the awesomeness of this set. First set to have in game photos throughout. The Munson is my favorite.

1973 The photography is one of best. Simple design, league leaders for AL/NL on one card, the all time leader cards. My favorite cards are the Bench and Freehan.

1980 The year I caught the disease that ails us. Interesting design with the flags and some great photos inspite of the crazy eyes on some cards. My favorite card is the Henderson. The best HoF rookie card ever IMHO.

Honorable Mentions:
1952, 1970, 1983

TonyC
05-31-2015, 01:33 PM
1) 1956 Topps

2) 1965 Topps

3) 1972 Topps

SMPEP
05-31-2015, 05:24 PM
1950s: eye appeal - 1956; collector appeal - 1952

1960s: - None. They all sucked. (Only decent non-1950s Topps set in my book - 1973)

Cheers,
Patrick

Laxcat
06-01-2015, 09:01 AM
57's hands down. Hardest cards are the Bakep and Lists. You can put it together without selling your house. Plus first standard size set. And the Mantle is awesome looking.

JTysver
06-01-2015, 12:26 PM
I like 1954 from the 50s. The 1957 is nice except the pics are dreary.

From the 1960s, I have to say the 1960 set is pretty nice, followed by 1963 and then 1967.

Shooting forward to the 1970s, I'd lean towards 1975.

Zach Wheat
06-01-2015, 12:48 PM
I would have to vote for the 1956 Topps set. I like the look of the cards with a portrait overlaid on an action shot. It includes one of my favorite Mantle cards as well. And only 340 cards too! Easy to collect a set....

Z Wheat

1963Topps Set
06-01-2015, 02:59 PM
57's hands down. Hardest cards are the Bakep and Lists. You can put it together without selling your house. Plus first standard size set. And the Mantle is awesome looking.

Also the Lucky Penny card (and Lucky Penny), the contest cards (especially July 19th)

Mountaineer1999
06-01-2015, 03:23 PM
Good topic! We need a radio button to vote with per decade :) :)

Laxcat
06-01-2015, 04:07 PM
Also the Lucky Penny card (and Lucky Penny), the contest cards (especially July 19th)

I love the 57's. I have just recently convinced myself that the contest cards are part of the set. I still differ on the lucky penny or the lucky penny card. Everyone else thinks they are, but I at this time am quite happy without either.

parkerj33
06-02-2015, 01:55 PM
no love for 73? the oddly bad yet interesting photos....

but my fave is 67 closely followed by 71, 56 for the 50s and 83 for the 80s.

almostdone
06-04-2015, 03:23 PM
Favorites overall:
1956 10% HOFers but sucks no huge Rookies or Musial
1971 great action photos, 1st with photos on back, tough boarders good variety
1980 love to design and good mix of action and posed shots

Favorites for sentimental reasons:
1955 1st vintage set I built
1971 year of my birth
1978 1st cards I ever owned. Learned about baseball as a game from studying those cards
1981 1st pack I bought. Yes ugly set with no great RCs but I bought it with my money. No one gave it to me.


I have never attempted a 60s set and only have handfuls of examples from them so it's not that I don't like them but don't have a lot of experience with them. Like the 67 set though.

Drew

1963Topps Set
06-04-2015, 04:35 PM
If you are going to try for a 1960s set, I recommend the 1969 Topps set. Once you get past Mantle / Ryan / Jackson, you are pretty much home free. You can also pick up those "big three" at very reasonable prices if you are patient and shop around.

sago
06-04-2015, 04:58 PM
1957, 1963, 1972

Mark70Z
06-04-2015, 06:45 PM
'57, '67, '75

tombocombo
06-04-2015, 11:39 PM
The 1952 topps is the standard all are measured to. Set is worth more the next six sets combined. SMR on a PSA 9 is $1,748,000. The set transcends the hobby. With the dumping of surplus cards, the mystique was born. Pole 100 people outside the hobby, the 52 topps Mantle will be know to most of them. Entry level collectors know the Mantle and Mays have 1951 issues, but are not as desirable. I know I'm biased on the 1952 topps set. The artwork alone is admirable, and appealing.

egri
06-14-2015, 06:50 PM
My personal favorites:

1950s--1953, then 1957, although the 54 and 55 sets are starting to grow on me

1960s--1963, then 1964/1967, depending on what mood I'm in

1970s--1971, then 1979

1980s onward--whatever makes the best kindling :D

ALR-bishop
06-14-2015, 07:23 PM
The 1952 topps is the standard all are measured to. Set is worth more the next six sets combined. SMR on a PSA 9 is $1,748,000. The set transcends the hobby. With the dumping of surplus cards, the mystique was born. Pole 100 people outside the hobby, the 52 topps Mantle will be know to most of them. Entry level collectors know the Mantle and Mays have 1951 issues, but are not as desirable. I know I'm biased on the 1952 topps set. The artwork alone is admirable, and appealing.

Just too bad there are so many manager, coaches and non major leaguers in the set :)

Tigerden
06-17-2015, 08:38 PM
1954 love the dual photo layout and its Kalines rookie year. 1969 the first year my older brother's starting collecting (I still have most of their star cards ). 1971 love the black borders and some great action photos and next the 75 Topps minis only because it was the first year I started collecting.

Jwkeen
04-28-2018, 10:25 AM
1957 & 1967

Jwkeen
04-28-2018, 10:27 AM
The 1952 topps is the standard all are measured to. Set is worth more the next six sets combined. SMR on a PSA 9 is $1,748,000. The set transcends the hobby. With the dumping of surplus cards, the mystique was born. Pole 100 people outside the hobby, the 52 topps Mantle will be know to most of them. Entry level collectors know the Mantle and Mays have 1951 issues, but are not as desirable. I know I'm biased on the 1952 topps set. The artwork alone is admirable, and appealing.

This set does have a mystique unlike any other.

Nick55
04-28-2018, 03:57 PM
IMO, no matter the design, every set has a few cards that look really fabulous and a few that look just terrible. But over all, strictly based on eye appeal alone, the set where most of the cards look really good to me is 1957 Topps. In second place for me is 1975 and in third is 1978.

ALR-bishop
04-28-2018, 06:57 PM
I like the 57 set but my experience has been there are two versions of each card, one version being much darker or muddier than the other

toolman tj
05-04-2018, 12:11 PM
For me it's 1955. By far the nicest looking set color wise and also that an action shot along with the portrait was good design.

rats60
05-04-2018, 03:05 PM
1955, 1965 and 1971.

mr2686
05-04-2018, 03:13 PM
1955, 1960, 1971 are the best to me...but I do have a secret love of the 1974 cards.

kailes2872
05-04-2018, 05:45 PM
56 is an easy answer but I just love that set. I put it together card by card. 342 is the perfect number. Not too big like the 572-726 card behemoths but not too small. 10% HOFers. Last Feller card. Good mix of legends and upstarts. Great poses. Arguably the best Clemente and Mantle cards. It was the first year after the Bowman buyout so finally all the best from both set. The last of the oversized cards. Team cards for the first time.

I spent a year and a half on this set and I feel like I have every card memorized. I have sets that are more valuable but none that I love quite like ‘56

CobbSpikedMe
05-04-2018, 06:35 PM
My favorite Topps is 1954. The only thing I don't like about it is no Mantle. 1956 is a close second for sure.

Baseballcrazy62
05-05-2018, 07:44 PM
1956 for me. Also really like 1961 as well.

71buc
05-06-2018, 12:06 AM
1955 and 1956

seanofjapan
05-06-2018, 09:01 AM
56 for sure.

It is the most beautiful set by far to me.

Another good thing about it for the budget collector is that there are no major rookies to break the bank over, just the Mantle. I love the 54 and 55 sets too, but the Aaron and Clemente rookies make them unobtainable in a condition I can live with.

Bigdaddy
05-06-2018, 08:50 PM
Overall, 1956.

And from the '60's, 1967.

mintonlyplz
05-07-2018, 08:55 AM
I like the 1960s since this period was my childhood and I started collecting. I will break the "rules" and list more than one set that I enjoy in the 50s and 60s.

1950s...55 and 57
1960s...63, 65, 67
1970s...none stand out

jfkheat
05-07-2018, 03:11 PM
My top five.

1. 1956
2. 1955
3. 1953
4. 1960
5. 1965

soxandcubbies
05-08-2018, 09:11 PM
1967 set is wonderful, bright vivid color. The green backs are nice, too.
1972 set as well, in action cards and a great color scheme. The Clemente card is probably the best card in the set.

Jim

obcbeatle
05-09-2018, 09:04 AM
1952, 1954, 1957, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967 & 1971. Is that too many :-)

G1911
05-09-2018, 01:41 PM
If I had to pick just one, I’d select the 1953 Topps set. I love art-based cards, and the Paige and Mays cards are probably my two favorite Topps cards. Only drawback to me is the facsimile auto on back makes some of the text hard to read. 1957 is my favorite in the now-standard size, and 56 is fantastic

By decade:

60’s - 1966 Topps, with 67 a close runner up. 67 and 68 has my favorite back design of all Topps issues.

70’s - 1971, those black borders are great. The vibrant yellow backs on the O-Pee-Chees I like more than the Topps ones.

80’s - 1987, wood grain perfection.

90’s - pretty weak decade for me. Nothing terrible, but none stand out. Guess I have a soft spot for those ugly bright 1990 borders

00’s - 2000 Topps, love the silver borders. Actually liked 2001’s 50th anniversary set a lot too.

10’s - probably 2010. Very similar year to year for quite awhile now, but pretty solid every season

ALR-bishop
05-09-2018, 04:03 PM
1952, 1954, 1957, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967 & 1971. Is that too many :-)

Yes Jerry, you have to whittle it down some :)

profholt82
05-09-2018, 04:35 PM
50s: 52 through 57 are all wonderful, but my favorite is 53. The beautiful paintings and the design are just perfection to me. One of my favorite sets of all time.

60s: 60, 63, 64 and 67 are all in the running, but if I have to pick an absolute favorite, I'll go with....hm. 60, I guess. It's fun and colorful, and I like the side by side shots, similar to the mid 50s sets, and the team logo on the bottom.

70s: 71. Cool design and I dig the black borders. I know everyone loves the 75, but I guess you had to be there. I was an 80s kid. Not crazy at all about the wild colors. I disliked 90 as well, and that was out when I was still in little league, so there you go.

80s: 83 is a great looking set. Another of my all time favorites, and one of the first I started collecting. I also like 84 through 87, but I can take or leave the rest of the decade. That run from 83 to 87 though, produced some memorable designs.

90s: I liked the 91 set quite a bit. Classic style design, and lots of great photos that year. They caught some of the players in cool poses. Ryan, Puckett, Boggs, Clemens and Henderson all come to mind as having stand out cards that year.

obcbeatle
05-10-2018, 09:10 AM
Yes Jerry, you have to whittle it down some :)

OK ... 1957, 1967 & 1971. This is a tough task for set collectors. And I don't mean the high #'s :-)

ALR-bishop
05-10-2018, 11:05 AM
Excellent choices ;)

Peter_Spaeth
05-10-2018, 12:21 PM
65
57
62

at the bottom of the heap
60
68

Puckettfan
05-10-2018, 12:31 PM
This is tough but I would go:

1955 Combines everything you would want in a card (logos, great art, unique design, portrait and action, signatures) with just the right amount of each.

1953 Stunning portraits

1965 The pennants and bright colors

1975 Looks like the 70s felt

1980 Those position and team banner wraps. Classy.

SteveH1030
05-12-2018, 04:50 AM
My vote would be for the 1967 Topps set. The photography and card design are both outstanding. Second place might just go to the 1971 black border set but there are many candidates.

Steve

Strictly based on eye appeal alone, I am curious what most collectors consider Topps' finest year.

My vote - 1955

And then restrict it to only 1960's - I really like the 1965's.

steve

jerrys
05-14-2018, 09:10 AM
1953 Bowman - Commanding picture.
1955 Topps - First set completed.
1971 Topps - Have many but never completed the set.