Having bought them new when they came out, the action photos were a first for Topps and we loved them. After years of collecting cards with only posed pictures, the 1971 and 1972 Topps sets were special. They just miss my top 5 but both are very high on my list.

I never realized, until a few seconds ago, that Topps stopped using action photos after the 4th series (Tommy John at card #520 is the last one). Odd.

Here's my favorite PSA 7 from my set (a testament to how nice they look without nun's habits around the edges). :cool:

https://caimages.collectors.com/psai...ps591Brown.jpg

About the 1971's, check out post #47 and beyond from this thread...

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=270971

I’ll follow the rules here as some seemed to disregard “Include at least one set from 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s”. I like cards that pop with color, have a uniqueness about them, and features design that highlights the era in which they we’re produced.

1) 1954 Topps
2) 1951 Bowman
3) 1955 Topps
4) 1963 Topps
5) 1971 Topps

Honorable mention: 1953 Topps, 1954 Wilson Franks, 1959 Topps, 1960 Topps

My favorites, in chronological order:

1956 Topps
1965 Topps
1967 Topps
1971 Topps
1972 Topps (first year of collecting; love the art deco look)

Honorable Mentions:

1963 Topps
1975 Topps

There are just so many great action shots, 1971 has to be at least top 10. After years of head shots and poses, we got these

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...431c798e_w.jpg

It was an absolute game changer for future Topps sets.

1. 1953 Topps
2. 1956 Topps
3. 1951 Bowman
4. 1972 Topps
5. 1954 Topps

1. 1975 Topps Mini
2. 1956 Topps
3. 1960 Topps
4. 1972 Topps
5. 1959 Fleer Ted Williams

1954 Wilson Franks
1964 Topps Stand-Up
1971 Topps Greatest Moments

1954 Topps Baseball: How could anyone not like these cards, great design
1955 Bowman Baseball: Just something about the TV set design
1961 Topps Baseball: I really like the All-Star cards in the set
1970 Topps Baseball: I think it's because I bought a lot that summer as a kid
1969 Topps Football: The colorful borderless design

1952 Topps Baseball
1957 Topps Baseball
1967 Topps Baseball
1969 Topps Baseball
1970 Topps Baseball

My theme here is no clutter just player.
1971 Topps Baseball is in there too.

I also like the 1976 SSPC Set.

Pure cards, no clutter.

I think this may be the first time in the history of the interweb that someone has declared their love for the 1970 Topps set. At least by placing it in a 'Top 5' list.

Hey, we all need some love.

I remember busting open wax packs of the 70 set. Love at first site for me.

:p

1960 Topps
1965 Topps
1974 Topps
1975 Topps
1959 Topps

Honorable mentions to '56 (artful) and '71.

Believe it or not, I find the 74s the most aesthetically pleasing of the 1970s cards. I like how the border colors are made to coordinate with the uniforms of the teams represented. Very nice. The downside, of course, is the lack of rookies and high dollar cards in the set. That doesn't matter to me, but I understand that it does for most.

I used to consider my taste for the '75s a guilty pleasure, until I discovered (to my shock) that lots of people love the set. Maybe its the rookie selection?

I should add that 1974 was the year I started collecting, so '74 and '75 have that advantage, as well.

It's interesting to see the variety on here. I think '65 may have been mentioned the most?

I like the 74 as well
 

Of all the years that I grew up buying, 74 and 75 were the two years I had the most dupes of. I ended up putting together a master set of 74's with all the variations and a printers proof run of a single player.

75's were the same way but no master set to mess with there.

Enjoy!

1956 Topps
1953 Bowman Color
1952 Topps
1967 Topps
1951 Bowman

I pretty much love all of the Topps and Bowman sets from 51 to 56 though. Such an amazing era for baseball cards.

1954 Topps
1956 Topps
1968 Atlantic Oil
1971 Topps
1975 Topps

Favorite sets
 

Favorite
1. 1954 Topps
2. 1965 Topps
3. 1969 Topps
4. 1971 Topps
5. 1956 Topps

Least favorite sets
1955 Bowman
1957 Topps
1962 Topps

The 1970 set I guess to many is a kind of staid and understated set. The pictures really have a different feel to them. I can understand the reaction by many who don't really go for this set.

But I think it is a very stately set. In my opinion, it has a regal quality to it. The design is really a classic in my opinion. The names written in cursive on the gray border. I think the pictures, which have sometimes a somber quality to them are what don't really grab people. But there were some really nice cards in the set, for instance, the Reggie Jackson card. Willie McCovey's card and Gil Hodges', I think are great cards amongst others.

The playoff cards are nice and they reprised the style of the 1961 All-Star cards for the All-Star series.

One thing though, that I think is really nice about the cards, are those blue, yellow, and white backs. That design, in my opinion, was one of Topps' best.

I love the Sporting News all star cards in the 70 set. Since I was a kid, I've thought those were really cool. I have a couple, but I should really collect the set of those.

Edit: Yeah, I know they're just like the 61 set, but that doesn't make them any less cool looking. Hahaha

Oh yeah, the all-star cards are fantastic. I really love the artwork on the back of the 1970 set. The 1961 set had a short biographical sketch on the backs, which was also great.

1) 1956 Topps; 2) 1955 Bowman; 3) 1967 Topps; 4) 1971 Topps; 5) 1965 Topps.

1959 Topps
1967 Topps
1953 Topps
1954 Topps
1952 Bowman

1971 Vada Pinson (plus Munson in the background) is such a great action shot