The coronavirus has prevented me from doing much these days, so I decided to do this thread. In case some of you missed it, I did do one for the 1950s. It can be found here:
https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=276444
Now doing a top ten list for the 1960s was a lot more challenging. This is because a lot of cards are similar in price and popularity. Of course, everyone is going to agree with my first pick, but the ordering for the rest can be debated.
1) 1966 Topps #35 Bobby Orr
Ladies and gentlemen, Bobby Orr! The wooden borders has made this a condition sensitive card. Even a bit of wear on the corners and edges can be an eyesore. Centering is another problem. Many examples are found miscut and you can sometimes see yellow lettering above his head (the player is Bobby Hull). And sadly, many high-grade examples have been trimmed. If you do want to own a high-grade example in the future, then get your ruler ready!
2) 1965 Topps #116 Phil Esposito
I just love this card! The blue background and red Chicago jersey creates an awesome color contrast. Phil is one of the greatest powerforwards of all-time and gave opposing players hell in the slot area. In one of the worst trades in hockey history, Chicago gave him, Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield for Pit Martin, Jack Norris and Gilles Marotte. He helped the Bruins to a few cups and went on to score over 700 goals! Ouch!
3) 1960 Topps #14 Stan Mikita
Mikita was often overshadowed by his teammate, Bobby Hull, but he was one hell of a player! He won many individual awards and went on to join the 500-goal club. This card is not difficult to find in high-grade, but centering can be a challenge.
4) 1961 Parkhurst #5 Dave Keon
One of the greatest Leafs of all-time. Keon helped the team dominate the league in the 60s. He brought the cup to Toronto four times with the last one being in 1967. Toronto has not won a cup since.
5) 1968 O-Pee-Chee #89 Bernie Parent
Only Jesus saves more than Bernie Parent! Some of you might be wondering why this card didn't rank higher. Majority of these cards are found with a tilted image (as seen in the above scan). This is why high-grade well-centered examples sell for a premium. I don't think this card should be placed higher than the others, but again, this can be debated.
6) 1965 Topps #76 Yvan Cournoyer
This is the second-most popular card from the 65' Topps set. Cournoyer spent his whole career with the Canadiens and won an incredible ten Stanley Cups, second only to Henri Richard's eleven.
7) 1967 Topps #92 Bobby Orr
This second-year card has been growing in popularity over the years. Not everyone has thousands of dollars lying around for a nice-looking Orr rookie, and so this is the next best thing. High-grade examples are not too difficult to find, but centering can be a problem.
8) 1961 Topps #62 Rod Gilbert
One of the greatest Rangers of all-time. Rod never won a cup, but he still left his mark on the franchise.
9) 1965 Topps #31 Gerry Cheevers
Another beautiful card from the popular 65' Topps set. Cheesie, as he was called, is best known for being "Bobby Orr's goalie." His mask is also one of the most recognized in the sport.
10) 1963 Parkhurst #55 Gordie Howe
I never get tired of looking at this card. The smiling portrait of Howe with the American flag in the background has made this a favorite among collectors.