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.

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I do like those pastels. Nice choice.

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

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

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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

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Oh yeah, I agree, 1000x this. Love this card.

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

A few nominees...

"Mr. Christy Mathewson!"

Agree with you on this card. I'm a huge fan of the 1950, 1951, and 1952 Bowman artwork. I posted the 52 Musial already, but I could pick MANY cards from those sets that I think belong on this list.

.

Texas Tommy Joe Jackson. Sorry no picture; scan challenged.

Most beautiful card ever made... nominations?
 

Honorable mention to the '48 Leaf Williams. Mine is low grade, but a work of art nonetheless.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...2297a9b36c.jpg

LOVE my ‘48 Leaf Williams too... better than honorable mention to me! Such a great look

Hi John

I posted an eclectic assortment of cards from my collection in Post #70. Anyhow, I agree with you. I have a sentimental attachment to the 1949 - 1952 BOWMAN cards (BB & FB),
since I collected them in my youth.


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...manmusuial.jpg . . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...wmanJRobby.jpg


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...iersall50x.jpg . . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...edWilliams.jpg

https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...sMantle50x.jpg


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

I can't explain why, but this has always been my favorite. Maybe because '56 is my favorite Topps set, and Hank looks like a young kid, with no idea if the career he is going to have. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f670e53d80.jpg

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Don’t forget the fact Willie Mays makes a cameo appearance. He is who is sliding into home.

Wait..what? I've never heard this (?)

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Yup, that's Mays sliding into home. One of the many cool trivia facts in the world of baseball cards.

Wow, thanks for the info (mind blown)

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Lots of beautiful cards in this thread. But the most aesthetically pleasing card is almost surely a common - there are just so many more common players than there are stars, the odds are way against it being a star player.

That said, I don't collect commons, so my nomination is also a star player. :p

Lots of the good ones have already made an appearance, but I think 52 Mize hasn't shown up. One of my favorite cards of all time.

You did not specify baseball, so...........

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Hs4AA...2-/s-l1600.jpg

Steve

The Fernando "Bodacious" Tattis card. Great choice.

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The more I see some of them the more I like them, like this one. (Phil Massi)

I believe I have now finished my low number run of 52 Topps after purchasing a Pafko, Berra and Martin last week so I may chase a few of these cards?

I have more than one Bowman (Rosen, Reese) now currently so adding to it isn't out of the question, especially when I see the prices of the high number 52's I still need.:eek:

My Favorites
 

Here are my top 4 most pleasing to look at cards. #1 is Leach and 1a is the Halla.

Happy Thanksgiving fellas!

Bill

The Napster

https://photos.imageevent.com/rucker...ize/lajoie.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/rucker...ebsize/001.jpg https://photos.imageevent.com/rucker...ze/9lajoie.jpg

https://photos.imageevent.com/rucker...e/lajoie_1.jpg

Already been said, but the '53 Bowman Color Pee Wee Reese is at the top of my list. I've also always been a fan of the pink background T206 Hal Chase portrait.

Love the teddy ballgames.. the 39 goudey and 48 leaf are my all timers. Literally a Picasso.

I've always loved the '55 Topps Williams. Purchased one by mail for $20 in 1980 or so. Then again, the '55 set is my favorite from that decade. The photos really pop against the color backgrounds. Just fantastic.

I don't know if its because I dont have one or what it is with the 54 Ted Williams Wilson Franks but I am on board with it being one of the more beautiful cards ever.

Not mine, but this card is always tops in my mind. You can almost smell the grass and dirt:

https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...210-berger.jpg

one of many
 

So many great cards, many already posted that are certainly amongst my favorites.

While I was browsing through some scans I had, I came across this gem and thought this thread was a good place to post it.

Throwing a few more in the mix...

The T206 Pattee deserves a mention, a beautiful horizontal in the set

https://i.imgur.com/a8K2AOe.jpg

and throwing a postwar card in here, although it's almost 50 yrs old now, the '71 Topps Clemente. Cardboard perfection, in my opinion.
https://i.imgur.com/bDVJG6z.jpg

It does not get much better than this three-year run:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...pps%20Mays.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...pps%20Mays.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...20Mays%201.jpg

I'm biased, but find the old 19th century posed sepia prints to be gorgeous. Among my favorites would be the large format cabinets from Goodwin & Co. on colored mounts.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...0a69c84fb7.jpg
Hands down the T3 Ty Cobb. I sure do miss owning this card from time to time.


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I would include these in my list, partial to the M101 Copper Plates and Sporting News (Wagner here), the Wajo portrait (always been my favorite), the Round Album (Anson here)!, E90-1s (the Karger shown is beautiful), the batoff Cobb.

Couldn’t find a scan, but maybe the best looking of all prewar cards are the 1911 sweet caporal hockey postcards, those are quite rare and gorgeous.

This one...

Attachment 428167

My first choice, which I posted above, is the 1940 Playball Bobby Doerr. This 1933 Goudey Carl Hubbell is a close second for me.

The best. So beautiful!

Rickey

The Henderson rookie is one of my favorite cards of all time.

That said, I'm just going to say it, I know some of you are thinking it, there are a bunch of really nice cards in this thread, but there are also some real head scratchers. :rolleyes: I'm not going to point out any of them since they are just my opinion, but I know you guys are thinking it too. ;)

I guess we all just have different aesthetic taste, although in card collecting the subject of the card certainly seems to have a very large influence on the perceptions of many of us.

Brian (here's another good lookin' non-superstar to savor...I am all about composition and color, and I love this 'bat pointing right at us collectors' pose)

One of my favorite catcher cards!
 

Here is one of my favorite catcher cards.

1911 Burns (Tacoma.)

Patrick

Nice choice Brian. Of course I meant what I said in humor, which I hope came across in the post. To each their own of course.

I have to agree with Dale, some of the early Bowman's have great artwork.

Beautiful
 

I think this one is pretty beautiful.

Cheers.

Ethan

I've always thought that was an extremely cool card.

Brian

Three of my favorites for design (Thorpe), execution (Young and his shadow), and presence of cat (Capt. Hall).

Love that Hubbell too, good call

I agree with Joe G. that 19th century sepia photographs are gorgeous and I agree with Spike that showing an animal is a major plus. I think I read somewhere (probably the auction catalog) that this pose was meant to be ironic (a dog being known for loyalty while Whitney being known for changing teams often). I can't say if that's true but this is my current favorite card image (at least from my collection).

The E90-1's have several cards that seem three dimensional. Not sure if it was intentional, but adds a bit to the set's mystique.

Son of the great George Sisler, one of the great stars of the era who seems to draw little attention despite his stellar career.

Some incredible designs out there!

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29223

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29224

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29225

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29226

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29227

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29228

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29229

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29230

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29231

So many great submissions... would have been interesting to ask each of us to pick only one as “the” best looking, most beautifully designed, and/or favorite looking card you have ever seen.

Maybe someone more clever than me could do an NCAA like tournament using the N54 poll system to have a vote off... the top 64, seeded based on input on this thread to choose MOST BEAUTIFUL BASEBALL CARD EVER PRODUCED (according to Net54baseball)

Thx for all of the ideas.... (I’ll bet I’m not the only one who has now added dozens of new cards to my want list)

Vintage
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...key_Mantle.jpg

Modern
https://d1w8cc2yygc27j.cloudfront.ne...4186232895.jpg

1933 DELONG GEHRIG hands down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most beautiful card ever made... nominations?
 

'53 BC Reese

/thread

Surprised Hal Chase T206 Pink Portrait hasn't been brought up. Absolutely beautiful

Most beautiful card ever made... nominations?
 

Was the hat airbrushed? That's so awesome

Scrolling though this thread has been like walking through the greatest baseball card museum! Love that it's everyone's personal cards and the variety from priceless to common. Thanks for posting!