One from each sport

The '58 Musial is iconic - we waited five years but got a spectacular card.

This is a great thread. The fact that there are thousands of cards, from all eras and sports, that fill this category reinforces what a great hobby we enjoy.

I am partial to vintage, but don't overlook some of the outstanding photography from the modern sets. I started a binder a few years ago of eye-catching photos from the cards since about 1990 . . . above the wall catches, point of contact swings, airborne double plays, diving catches, home plate collisions, etc. It wasn't long before I filled a large binder and started another. My grandsons absolutely love leafing through those pages. Now they're starting to ask about the older stuff. Yes!

Pre-War: T206 WaJo
Post War: 1953 Bowman Mantle

[QUOTE=samosa4u;2037661]I agree that the T205 Cobb is a very nice-looking card! Here are some hockey cards:

That ‘54 Topps Gordie is just fantastic.

Diamond Stars have always been a favorite, and here is Duck, Poison and the Fritz that I find extra appealing, with the Fritz getting my extra vigorous nod.

I think 1910/1911 Obaks could be represented too...I have a few in mind, and fortunately I have the mind capable of posting a few in a few.

Brian

How about the T205 Addie Joss? Special card in many ways.

As promised, a few of my 1910/11 beautiful card candidates.

Brian

Not mine, but the clarity is incredible and the pose classic on this hardly ever seen JuJu Drum of Speaker.

Brian

My vote goes to the 1910 Hubel postcard of Cobb.

This is an amazing photo

Cards from this set have always been among my favorites.

The 33 Ruth 144 has always been my personal favorite. 53 Bowman Reese, N162 Anson, and that horizontal E Matty are up there too. And you could make a case for the entire T3 set. A man cave with a few of those hanging on the wall would look great.

Added the only image I could find on my phone.

Nice to see so much energy around this topic! I thought maybe this was a big old “been/there, done that”.... but I should have guessed we all have our faves and love to show them off (whether we have them in our own collections or just aspire to someday)

Since 2020 has been such a disaster of a year in so many ways, how about we close the year strong in cards and formalize this little opinion exercise a bit? Just for fun...

Maybe we have some kind of Net54baseball vote to choose the 10 most visually admired baseball card of all time? I’m still new here... under a year. But I’d be happy to try and pull it off. I could probably set up a survey Monkey and link it here.

To long term members and Leon.... have you ever done polls like this before? Any interest in having a “Little Miss Sunshine” card beauty contest?

Jeff

Can't get too much cooler than that one! Awesome!

We don't link to other polls but we have a very good poll/thread system here on Net54.
LL

Cool. I’ll look into it and will use the “nominations” from this thread to populate the choices.

sorry for the bit of off topic below.....so here is another of my 3 faves...

https://luckeycards.com/r319rutha.jpg

When you post s new thread just look at the lower section and it will have verbiage about it being a poll and check the box that says yes. It is simple and straightforward. You can go to the testing forum to try it if you want to.

https://www.net54baseball.com/forumdisplay.php?f=21
.

To me, this will always the THE card.

The "Fancy" one
 

http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/204295...RDISX2_NEW.JPG

..the one on the left ; Metropolitan Clothing ; just picture The Schnozz in a three-piece double-breasted pinstripe from Saville Row......now that's a 6'3" , 240 pounds class act...

..

Here are my nominees......

19th Century

https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan.../N162Anson.jpg . . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan.../kellyn162.jpg




Deadball Era

https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan.../awjohnson.jpg . . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...obbBat25xx.jpg . . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...hrowing50x.jpg




1930's

https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...abeRuth149.jpg . http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...ringerBerg.jpg




1949

https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...DiMaggio25.jpg . . . . http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...afPaige25x.jpg




1950's

https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...mmantle52t.jpg . . . . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...edWilliams.jpg


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

1911 Obak Buck Weaver

No doubt some great choices. Fun looking at everyone's favorite. Here are a few of mine.

https://www.collectorfocus.com/image...ny-bench-psa-8https://www.collectorfocus.com/image...lie-mays-psa-7https://www.collectorfocus.com/image...gurski-psa-2.5https://www.collectorfocus.com/image...y-rookie-psa-4

T227 Frank Baker

I would have chosen some of the above, but since they are already covered, I'll submit the 1957 Topps Dodgers Sluggers for consideration. 1957 was the Dodgers last season in Brooklyn, the last year these guys would wear a 'B' on their ballcap. But in 1957, they were still 'Da Bums. Still playing in Ebbets Field, still living in the borough of Brooklyn. And just as the sun was setting on their time in Brooklyn, the photographer snapped this photo as the sun was setting that day. Their faces clear and bright, but the shadows starting to overtake the surroundings. If there is a card that sums up 1950's baseball in NYC, this most certainly is it.

Unfortunately, not my copy.

https://images.psacard.com/s3/cu-psa...oundcorners=10

My nominations would include these three, guess I have a thing for yellow backgrounds ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Beautiful Cards
 

Four of my choice beauties...

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...370&fit=boundshttps://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...370&fit=boundshttps://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...370&fit=bounds

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...370&fit=bounds

My picks

Sorry I don't have a scan handy, but I'm surprised we haven't seen a 53 Topps Jackie Robinson yet. It is definitely worthy of this thread.

Completely agree.

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=26948

Of all the cards I own, my choice would probably be the '56 Clemente. The action shot and the fact that they left the sign lettering from Ebbets Field in the background give it a mystical quality like a true work of art.

You guys hit a lot of my favorites already: T206 WaJo, Matty horizontal E/T card, Goudey Paul Richards, and Allen & Ginter Champions. I will add two more of mine that are not yet on the list: 1920 Pathe Freres Ruth and T3 Lajoie - both oversized and incredible images.

http://baseballcardresource.com/Base...k_Mohler_A.jpg
http://baseballcardresource.com/Base...ak_Hogan_A.jpg

I'm not really even a big Musial fan, but I've always felt like this beautiful card defines 1950's Baseball Card Americana better than any other image...maybe because of the red, white, and blue color scheme?

Attachment 427422

I see SO MANY of my ALL-TIME favorites, but am gonna add one more... I hope you will agree!!!

Agree that is a beautiful card. And love that version of the Cardinals uniform.

So many to choose from!
 

First one that came to mind for me is 1952 Topps Mays

After that:
1956 Clemente
1968 Clemente 3D
Many T206 Portrait cards
Many T3 cards

Way too many to choose from

I tend to pick players from St. Louis.

I don't collect Bowman's but this card caught my eye just recently so I had to have it. Just something about it that I can't put my finger on?

Ok, Ok, I know that the most beautiful ballcard was not made in the 1980s, but here are two from the 'golden age of wax' that I've always admired:

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....RvyEL._AC_.jpg

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....IbCPL._AC_.jpg

I came here to nominate a few cards that already have been:

56 Clemente
52 Bowman Musial
1888 King Kelly
Many 53 Bowmans! Mantle, Musial, etc
73 Clemente
71 Munson

I think it's funny that in these sorts of threads (which come up pretty regularly) we tend to mention cards of star players. It makes sense, as these are the cards we covet the most, etc. But at the same time, do we actually believe that the card companies went out of their way/put more effort into these cards? Is the 53 Mantle, for example, any nicer, really, than any number of the commons in that set? Maybe sometimes, but I highly doubt often.

I like the E101/E102/E106 Matty and the N162 Anson

I still think the best looking card is the 1953 Bowman Pee Wee Reese. Don't have one, but please post if you do.

Have to agree! That's a beauty, and the '33 Goudey Chuck Klein already posted is in the same category.

Also some great hockey cards posted by samosa4u, including the Parkie/Quaker Oats Plante which is a work of art.

May have been already posted, but you can never have enough of the '53 Bowman Color Pee Wee Reese.

https://i.imgur.com/2ow4L4F.jpg

Aesthetically, the '41 Play Ball DiMaggio is right up there with the '33 Goudey Ruth #144.

https://i.imgur.com/RKNEFfW.jpg

Also giving a shoutout to the leaping Rebel Oakes card from the caramel sets. This same card was posted on Net54 many years ago and opened up my eyes to the beauty of these more obscure cards.

https://i.imgur.com/YW6uPua.jpg

Finally, this is my top pick for most beautiful card ever. T3 Turkey Red Tris Speaker. You have a legendary HOFer, with a great pose, a detailed background, a look of determination, vivid colors... and those red socks. Tris almost looks like he's moving, even though he's standing still.

https://i.imgur.com/qWLafEJ.jpg

Against my accountant's advise, I'm going to sell off all my random t206, t205, t207,t210, cards and buy a beater example of this card, that I always wanted as a 10 year old kid. watch me now.

Me too! Especially when you find one without the yellow printing does. Breathtaking.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I do like those pastels. Nice choice.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I always love seeing your boxing cards. You have some beauties.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Have you seen BumpusJones 1940 Reds WS Champion team picture with spok the players in suits?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Sorry, I'm away from home now. These are from online. A couple people posted Griffey cards. His early Topps cards are amazing. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...26c39c0783.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...88a96eda3a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...0028e43dd0.jpg

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk