[the 'stache]

I'd imagine you could get a lot of the "iconic" vintage cards if they don't come entombed in a plastic slab.

A '75 Topps Yount, or a '75 Topps Brett...both can be had for under two C notes. Slabbed, you're going to pay more, obviously. But a PSA 8 Yount can be had for under $200. A PSA 8 Brett? Probably going to be over $200; a 7 can be had, and a 7 can still have real nice eye appeal.

A '71 Thurman Munson can be had in nice shape, sans slab, for well under $200. Hell, an upper-mid grade example can be had for under $200. That's the card to have of the former Yankee Captain.

A 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson is an iconic card. You can get a PSA 8 for well under $100.

A perfectly centered '78 Topps Eddie Murray, in a PSA 8, should be doable for $100, or slightly higher.

A real nice '78 Topps Paul Molitor/Alan Trammell, centered and without the black "smudge", can be had for $100 at a PSA 8.

That's just a few examples. There are more. It really depends on what you want. If you're collecting for the fun of it, you should do well with ungraded cards. Just be sure that you know how to determine if a card is authentic, or not. Start out small. Build a collection of "control cards" for each set that you're going to explore, and compare any card you're considering buying to one of those control cards, under a loupe. Get a black light, and look for alterations, or coloring (especially the '71 set. If you go for a Munson, a black light is a MUST. The black borders are notorious for chipping. Don't be fooled by somebody selling a card that has had the chips colored over by a permanent marker. That will show under black light).