Iconic non Rookie Cards
 

I was thinking after seeing a 1950 Bowman Jackie Robinson card about how I always liked that card more than his 1949 cards. That made me think of other cards that are more Iconic than their actual rookie cards. The two biggest known cards even outside the hobby both meet this criteria, 1952 Topps Mantle and the 1909 t206 Wagner.

For Iconic I am thinking of cards that even outside the hobby seem to recognize. Another one that made that list was 1933 Goudey Ruth cards. People within the hobby know better, but outside the hobby it is interesting how many times people ask if I have a certain player's rookie, but in the end they would be more impressed with a card the recognized.

So what are other cards that you can think of that are more recognized than the subject's "rookie" card"?

Arguably Pee Wee Reese's 1953 Bowman.

Arguably the Cobb T205 the Young E90-1 portrait. It's sort of hard to pinpoint their rookie cards but these 2 are probably better known...at least within our hobby.

http://luckeycards.com/pt205cobb2.jpg

A T206 card for most Hall of Famers who also have an E107 or W600.
1934 Goudey Gehrig #37.
1938 Goudey/1941 Play Ball DiMaggio.
1948 Bowman Musial.

I think there are a bunch of Cobb cards that are more iconic that whatever his rookie card is, since he has multiple ones. For example, 1914/15 Cracker Jack Cobb, T206 Cobb w/ Cobb back, or even Brunners Cobb I think are more iconic.

For Joe Jackson, I think his T210 card is more iconic even though his E90-1 rookie is very well known also.

You could probably throw in Cracker Jack for Jackson too.

1953 Topps-Satchel Paige

1952 Topps Mantle

In the last few years I have =been picking up some of my favorite 50's era HOF'ers...and in a lot of instances the rookie card isn't the best looking to me. Hank Aaron for example...I love the 55'! Roberte Clemente...the 56' rules...to me!

1953 Tops Willie Mays
 

1953 Topps Willie Mays is one of the first cards I remember being marketed heavily by sports card magazines in the 1980s. I have wanted one ever since!

Pete, you'll get no argument from me there. The '55 Topps is one of the most sought after vintage cards out there, and I can't wait to own it. And I, too, prefer the '56 Topps card to his rookie. But as somebody who collects Clemente, his iconic non-rookie card is his final Topps card.

http://imageshack.com/a/img836/6826/npd5.png

For me it would be 1953 Bowman Color Musial and 1954 Bowman Williams.

Tom C

All the 33 Goudey Ruths.
34 Goudey yellow Gehrig.
US Caramel Hornsby.

my thoughts
 

33 Sport Kings Thorpe
48 Leaf Ruth
49 Bowman Jackie Robinson
53 Topps Mantle
62 Topps Maris

Short list
 

Non-mentioned cards that come to mind are 1952 Topps Willie Mays (really surprised this wasn't mentioned), and 1961 Topps Maris (year he hit 61).

For me some include 54 topps Robinson, 53 topps Paige, 52 bowman mays, 48 leaf ruth, 40 playball wagner, 33 goudey maranville

The Mendoza Line
 

Not Belanger but let's keep this thread a rollin'.

A rookie in '74, but not a true mediocre player until '78, my vote goes to a more mature and established mediocre Mario.;)

For the history buffs Berman did not create the term "Mendoza Line". That distinction is conferred to George Brett, who coined the term months before ESPN's first broadcast in '79.;)

Thats a rookie card.

Yes, first major issue, but Ted will come on here and tell you about 1947 Bond Bread;)

Not prewar, but 1971 Topps Thurman Munson definitely fits the bill.

64Rose, 53 Bowman Reese, 52Topps Pafko, and 54 Bowman Ted Williams, all come to mind as well as 82 Fleer Littlefield and 89 fleer Bill Ripken Ff card.

56 Mantle
54 Williams
59 Musial
61 Maris

1961, 1963 Mickey Mantle
1962 Willie Mays
1963 Yogi Berra
1960 Hank Aaron

1915 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson. 1934 Goudey Gehrig. Probably the 1933 Gehrig Goudey Gehrig to some extent also...

Also
 

for your consideration (in chronological order)

'69 & '72 Nolan Ryan
'68 Seaver
'67 Carlton
The aforementioned '64 Rose
'52 Bowman Musial
'33 Sport Kings Ruth
'14/'15 CJ Wojo
N162 Anson

Would have to say
 

1941 Play Ball Joe Dimaggio

T3 Cobb
1914 Crackerjack Mathewson
1954 Bowman Williams
1964 Topps Rose

'71 Nolan Ryan
'63 Fleer Koufax

How about a couple non-baseball:
1948 Leaf Rocky Graziano
1986 Fleer Michael Jordan

As REA put it in a recent auction catalog, the 1926-29 Exhibit Post Card Back Gehrig portrait--"the quintessential Gehrig..." That large portrait truly captures one of the very best of all time!

Regards,

Larry

Classic Red Cobb
 

The classic T206 Red Cobb is my iconic non Rookie Card..........or 1956 Topps Mantle for Postwar