Favorite Post War Set
 

I understand this is not a pre war topic, and have no issue with it being moved if the higher power(s) so feel.

Discussion on the 1956 Mantle Thread, especially the “Topps > Bowman” post- made me think about what post-war sets I like the most.

Personally, 1950-1953 bowman are my favorite sets. I love the smaller sizes (except 1953), I think they look the best, and they have some of the most major cards/players in the hobby. Or, maybe it’s just I am a pre war guy and these are the closest post-war examples, in size and date, to pre war.

I also love the 1975 Topps set - normal and mini

What is your favorite post war set(s) and why?

The run that Bowman had from 1951-1954 produced some of my favorite looking cards. Their portraits and artwork were incredible. The 1952 Topps set is iconic, and I do love the way many of the cards look but I feel like the set gets too much hype, and doesn't even contain Mantle's true rookie. I really enjoy the 1955 Topps set as well. Even though it doesn't have my favorite player, I still think it's a beautiful set. It's hard to pick just one. It's like choosing a favorite child.

Best looking? I think it's the Red Heart Dog Food, hands down. Those colors really pop. I'm going to go with that one!

Great topic! I personally love the 56 Topps cards because they're relatively affordable and I give these away from my PC each year to each baseball and softball player aging out from my local Cal Ripken program. They appreciate them as cool old treasures and I hope it sparks passion and interest in the next generation of vintage collectors. Some Net54ers have also contributed cards over the years, for which I’m grateful.

I really like the 1958 Topps set. Some really beautiful images. I've always liked the Clemente from this set. The portraits look great against the solid background colors.

In order:

51 Bowman
56 Topps
71 Topps
75 Topps
70 Topps

My favorites are 1953 Bowman, 1956 Topps and 1957 Topps, but I also really like the 1950-52 Bowmans. I've long been curious who painted all those little masterpieces. Between baseball, football and non-sports cards, they must have created a thousand different images.

1963 Fleer
1965 Topps

52 Bowman or 57 Topps

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Baseball only, my favorite post-war sets (in no order):

1971 Topps - Love the black borders, facsimile autographs, and the photography used for the 1971 issue was exceptional overall with many cool action shots.
1960 Topps - I love the horizontal design, two player photos, and use of color, including the backs.
1955 Bowman - I love the woodgrain TV design as well as the simple but complementary back design. These cards have tremendous eye appeal to me in high-grade and scream 1950's Americana.
1954 Topps - My favorite back design of any post-war issue.

1953 Topps. Stunning paintings of iconic players, uncluttered design. Just really does it for me.

1953 Bowman
1955 Topps
1965 Topps

'56 Topps
'60 Topps
'86 Topps (laugh if you want but I love them!)

The real order:

1967 Topps
1953 Topps
1963 Topps
1954 Topps
1957 Topps

I am partial to the 1957 Topps (I like the proper photos of players' faces, as opposed to the caricatures of players' faces in prior years) and the 54 Topps (Ernie Banks alone does it for me. And then you have Hank.).

1952 Bowman because of the artwork, size, & players within the set.
1971 Topps because of the stunning action shots/photography, black borders and excellent card backs with photo.

1948 Leaf - beautiful, looks like Warhol paintings and has an added bonus of angering people into saying 1949

1956 Topps - beautiful design, just says 1950s to me

1960 Topps - looks like it was designed by Sterling Cooper

1975 - awesome colors, unique

53 Bowman color & b/w together as one set

62 Topps

54 Topps

67 Topps

50 Bowman

These are my top 5 post-war sets in order of my preference. I have 53 Bowman and 62 Topps complete. I have the big cards from 54 Topps, 67 Topps, and 50 Bowman. It appears these sets would be fairly easy to complete if I were to pursue them, with the big cards out of the way.

Both 53 sets, Topps and Bowman Color are my favorite.

For me its 1965 Topps

https://qualitycards.com/pictures/01589104.jpg

In the 1950's I like '56 the best - the combo of design and color just makes for a superior production quality. And those cartoons on the back are killer. I also like 1959 Topps. Just a very 50's feel to it to me with the colors, bubbles, and slant lower case names and logos.

In the 1960's I like 1962, 1963, 1965 with the flags, and '67 for the photos and clean design. I could do without '61 and '64 and '66 for the most part, though they are not horrible. Same with '68 and '69.

In the 70's, '71 is kind of it's own animal, but I love it. One of my few complete vintage sets. The first year Topps shifted to using action photos as part of the base card image - those things had to have taken young boys quite by surprise when they ripped into the packs for the first time in the spring. I also love the '72 psychos for the crazy colors and gothic, almost dripping team names. It fits the era very well. Beyond that in the 70's, I like 1976 and the caricature-like position player depictions. I don't like my birth year set ('77) that much.

1954 Topps
1965 Topps
1975 Topps
1980 Topps

51 Bowman
53 Bowman color
53 Topps
56 Topps
64 Topps
Honorable mention
70 Kellogg's 3D
64 Fujiya Gum

In no particular order.

I'd put 1956 and 1964 Topps at the top of my list. For now. This is subject to frequent change. :)

I have a soft spot for 1978 - 1982 Topps only because those were the prime years of my youth pack-buying and card-trading days. I only just recently sold off the last of the sets I built back then.

1983 Topps

54/55 Topps and 50-52 Bowman are my favorites by far. 56/57 Topps are very close though.

1965 Topps
1957 Topps
1966 Topps

It's not vintage, but it is post-war.

2020 Stadium Club is spectacular to flip through in a binder. 2015-2020 is a sweet spot for this release (imo), but 2020 Stadium Club has a lot of spectacular shots for the modern and classic players.

No particular order

-1956 Topps
-1953 Topps
-1953 Bowman


-non sport (Bowman) Rockets, Spacemen set I think the images are stunning

I like 1958 Topps. Beautiful variety of colors, character and design. I also like the amount of star power in the set. They also look great with autographs.

1953 Bowman Color and
1967 Topps are my favorites.

Topps 56 and 67, partly because I collected them when I got started and partly because of the design /look, content on the back, and the players represented.

1948 Leaf
1952 Bowman
1975 Topps


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My favorites are 55 topps, 50-52 Bowman, 48 Leaf, and the 54 Wilson Franks. But the 52-53 Topps are great. Pretty much like all of them up to 1975 (except 74….ugly set).

1957 topps
1954 bowman
1975 topps

For me, it’s
1. 1952 Topps
2. 1951 Bowman
3. 1949 Leaf
4. 1956 Topps
5. 1965 Topps

1965 Topps
1962 Post Cereal
1967 Topps

Love these designs and the photos, generally, but the Topps QA people kept botching things with my Twins.

In 1965, they made only one error while assigning border colors. The Twins were dark purple, but they made Mudcat Grant royal blue. And, they mis-spelled HOFer Jim Kaat.

In 1967, Topps made two errors while assigning team name colors. The Twins were kelly green, but Killebrew was printed yellow (same as Orioles) and Killebrew-Allison, Twin Terrors, was printed dark purple, same as the White Sox.

My Twins team sets have these really annoying anomalies in my otherwise favorite Topps sets.

1948 Leaf by far my favorite







distant 2nd for 1980 Topps - 1st set I collected as a kid

Great post Ryan! I like the 1957 Topps set and the 1960 Topps set (because it was the first set I collected as a kid).

Totally agree! 1953 topps is my favorite set
I also love 1956 and 1959

Would love to see this become a poll, although giving the varying opinions, an "Other" choice might score very high.

My favorites are '53 Bowman, '51-'52 Bowman, and '55 Topps.

A shoutout for 1988 Score as well. They have no value, but they had some really cool images.

The Bo Bichette card in that set looks amazing. Stadium Club is one of those sets I've always liked because of the amazing shots like the Bichette and then some of the random shots like the Bench w/ balloons, Boggs w/ chickens and Babe Ruth on the sax.

some post war sets for me
48 Leaf
53 Bowman
55 Bowman
59-60 Topps
72-73 Topps
75 Topps
83 Topps
89 Upper Deck
90 Leaf
91 Stadium Club
91 Topps (this set I always liked because of the shots like the Clemens and some of the action shots)
2020 Stadium Club

1954 Wilson Franks.

Like a lot of others — I love the 52 Topps, 53 Topps, 56 Topps but probably have 51 Bowman above them all…amazing rookies including Mantle and Mays

My endless love is the 1972 Topps set.

Back in the day, though, it was anything found at the bottom of a Kellogg's cereal box (if I was able to get up early enough and pry the new box of Frosted Flakes open before my brothers reached the kitchen). :eek:

favorite postwar
 

I'm with Hirbonzig, 53 Bowman Color is timeless and 67 Topps is simple and
clean. The 75 Topps set is growing on me:)

Trent King

52 Topps
67 Topps
48 Leaf

I'm not sure which set I dislike most. 55 Bowman or 57 Topps. I actually own a decent 57 Topps set with every card graded EX-MT or higher. I do like the Brooks Robinson RC.

I've got 1952 Topps at the top of my list by a decent margin.

The rest of the list is pretty interchangeable, but rounding out my top 5 I've got
1950 Bowman
1949 Leaf
1952 Bowman
1953 Bowman

1950 and 1955 Bowman…love those designs.

These are the ones that aesthetically please me the most:

1953 Bowman
1955 Topps
1951 Bowman
1952 Bowman
1976 Topps

and some that I am irrationally attached to:

1964 Topps - I just like the look of all the big letter team names at the top of the card, with each team having a different color, which is fun to see when grouped together by team.

1961 Post, 1963 Post and 1962 Post, in that order - I love the idea of kids cutting out the cards from boxes (thus my preference for the box 1961 Post versus the company issued). Because of this scissor or tearing aspect they remind me of prewar strip cards, which I like because kids in the 1960's and decades before in general just did the best they could with their fumble fingers.

1963 Fleer - I wish they hadn't got shut down so early...would have been interesting if they had produced a much fuller set than the 66 cards that got distributed. I think I like their backs more than any other post-war cards...they are so crisp looking.


Brian

58 and 59 Topps are at the top of my list. This isn't based on aesthetics as much as nostalgia. One day a girl in my Long Island neighborhood showed up on our front steps with a handful of '58 cards. To this day I remember being blown away with the idea of ballplayers on colorful cardboard.
I got my first packs of cards ('59 first series) in my basket the next Easter and a lifelong hobby was born.

My favorites are:

• 50 Bowman
• 52 Bowman
• 53 Topps
• 56 Topps
• 62 Bell Brand
• 78 Topps

1956 Topps. The dual image layout is fantastic.

1957 Topps. The smokey Kodacolor images used that year are timeless.

Honorable mention post 1970 would be 1972 Topps. The card design that year is so 1970's. I love it!

I find myself unable to vote for some great sets because of the exclusion of Musial or Mantle - I love the 1955 but it has neither player ,
So 1958 because of the great Allstar subset

#1 1956 Topps

#2 1954 Topps

#3 1954 Bowman

-56 just has so much going for it. Great eye appeal, loads of great cards from hall of famers. Absolutely love it.

-54 has the best aesthetic in my opinion. Plus rookies of some of my favorites, Banks, Aaron, and Kaline.

-54 Bowman. Not much love here if I had to guess due to the lack of firepower, but I love the simplicity of the set

For me it is 1974 Topps. For some reason, it is the only set that evokes in me a feeling of nostalgia. Especially the Traded subset.

Which reminds me that I really need to get that 599 - San Diego Small Print in order to finish my master set.

Dandee Potato Chips.

1958 is the only true complete set of the decade with all of the active stars, but you miss out on a lot of recently retired stars, Jackie, Feller, Kiner, Campy,...

My solution to this problem was 1955 Topps + 1953 Bowman. Two smaller sets that combined have all the big names that I wanted.

I have very few post war cards but I was given this one by the OBC guys (thanks again!) as they knew I liked it, years ago, and still love it.

My favorites:

1952 Bowman - Beautiful artwork, attractive 2nd year cards of Mays of Mantle, a classic Musial card, and due to smaller set size and generally lower prices than 52 Topps or 51 Bowman, the set can actually be completed on a smaller budget.

1956 Topps - Classic design and another set full of amazing art and HOF cards at "reasonable" prices, making it more collectible.

1975 Topps - Brett and Yount rookie cards, Hank Aaron, and bright, bold colors. Has always been my favorite set from the 70's.

Attachment 631689

59 Bazooka, FB and BB

54 Topps has a blast of color, dual action shot, can actually see what the player looked like. Not an artist representation or camera shot from 20 yards away. Not to mention 2 cards of the greatest hitter the game has ever seen and oh yeah they made him first and last so super tough to find in high grade. Also the cartoons on the back are the best that were ever released combining baseball facts, history, and humor with a little insight into a players life outside of baseball season. Find another set where the backs are as good as the fronts.

54 Wilson Franks amazes me that cards survived hotdog packages. A little staining just shows the unique way they were marketed and there’s a package of hotdogs pictured on the card. Other than Cracker Jack nothing compares to America’s pastime. You go to a game and get a dog!

63 Topps brings back the color but in an eye appeasing and not overly done manner. Plenty of star power and when you find those clean cards with no chipping on the bottom boarder and sharp corners, they are a thing of beauty.

You really can’t go wrong with any of the 50’s sets, it really was the greatest era in baseball and the nostalgia of vintage designs. I lose significant interest in cards produced after’ 69.

1953 Bowman color
1965 Topps
1971 Topps
1988 Topps

The ‘58 Clemente is one of my all-time favorite cards. The batting stance just pops with the bellow background. Plus, I love the typography.


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I’d have to go, probably in order (though a few might change positions):

1953 Bowman Color. No type, no nothing but glorious full color photography of golden era players on those glorious wool blend uniforms and those iconic old ballparks. Tough to get well centered, but they present beautifully.

1960 Topps. I love the horizontal presentation, and the beautiful full color pictures making up the majority of the front. Some odd my favorite cards come from this set.

1975 Topps. Great selection of rookies and Hall of Famers, and the colors make for spectacular cards.

1957 Topps. I’m working on this one, slowly, in mid grade. What a set!!!!!!

1953 Topps. Those hand drawn portraits are just glorious. 1953 is the greatest year on vintage, hands down. Two iconic sets.

1980 Topps. I’ve always loved the design, and the A.L. and N.L. All Star banners at the top were cool. The Rickey card is an all-time favorite.

1971 Topps. They’re so condition sensitive with the black borders showing even the most minor chipping, but what a set! The Thurman Munson first solo card will be mine. The ‘71 Topps Clemente is one of my favorite cards on my collection.

1954 Bowman. This set is really growing on me. I’m going to add a nice Mickey Mantle ‘54 Bowman if it kills me.


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I love the ‘55 and ‘56 sets, too. And the ‘52. And…

I just love them all. There are gems in every single set from the ‘51 Topps set all the way to the 1980 set.


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Favorite 'classic' set has always been 1954 Topps, ever since I was a kid.

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...20SGC%2070.jpg

Also the 1968 Atlantic Oil set (shown is contest winning SSP Davis):

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...A%203%20MK.jpg

I like the look of 1967 Topps cards but it's probably because it's the first set I remember actively trying to put together from buying packs at the newsstand/candy store/stationery store. I was aware of cards before that, but only bought the random pack.

The only postwar set I collect is Wilson Franks, so I guess that is my favorite set. (Attached scan is the same one I posted in the "Bring Frickin' Joy Now!!!!!" thread.)

1951 Bowman

75 mini.

Walking off the beaten path and my apologies. Not cards, but 1948 and 1949 4x5 Pittsburgh Pirates issued photos.

1950 Bowman has some beautiful artwork so probably my favorite of the 50's
1966 Topps for the 60's although most don't like as much.
1973 Topps for the 70's - love the unique color of the backs.

Being a designer and artist, I am partial to the 1960 Topps set. Here's my sole example...

I don't collect any post-War sets, just certain players. Because I'm partial to unusual and scarcer cards, if I were to collect any post-War sets, these would be 2 of them - the 1953-54 Briggs Meats and the 1948-50 Safe-T-Cards (the earliest known safety issue). That these 2 sets were issued in the DC area where I have lived my entire life may influence my choices.

Favorite Post-War Set
 

My favorite post-war set is the 1978 Family Fun Centers San Diego Padres set. 39 postcard-sized cards with wood grain fronts. HOFers, a hamburger tycoon and the rookie issue of some guy named Ozzie.

Attachment 632778

Attachment 632779

Attachment 632780

I'm mostly a post-war guy, so I have a hard time naming just one. Today my top five would be (without using the word 'iconic'):

1. 1956 Topps - love the design and the artwork. Mickey, Feller, Jackie, Willie, Duke, Sandy, Ted, Roberto, Hank, Yogi. Just a beautiful set.

2. 1957 Topps - classic, clear photos, many with ballpark backgrounds. The Dodgers' Sluggers and Carl Furillo cards are nonpareil.

3. 1964 Topps Giants - cheap and small set, but wonderful photographs. Working towards an autographed set.

4. 1965 Topps - crystal clear and colorful photos, and pennants to boot.

5. 1971 Topps - for the reasons mentioned above - the black borders and the introduction of action photography. Who doesn't love Thurm's card?

A few, and the list might vary from day to day.

Most of the cards from my kid collecting years, say 74-80.

the 78 Papa Ginos discs.
Hostess, all years.
Pretty much all the other discs.

49 Leaf.

One I doubt anyone else will pick, 1950 drakes. The 71 Topps of the 1950's.

Maybe too modern, but sets with weirdness of complexity
91 Topps
88 Score
Anything by Signature Rookies
Or Wild card.

The Gypsy Queen framed cards, especially the 2014 ones with the white frame.

I have an affinity for ‘81 Topps. My first year collecting wax packs that I remember. I have some ‘79s and more ‘80 Topps, but ‘81 was peak! I think by 1985 or ‘86 I was done buying packs and just focused on buying older cards.

1981 Topps
1950 Bowman
1955 Bowman
1962 Topps

I agree with 1956 Topps. Best blend of art and photos, plus all the classic stars.

1986 Procards
1993 Finest
1986 Topps

then a bunch of oddball major and minor league team sets