Most Iconic Modern Set
 

Curious what comes to mind as the most iconic modern (1980 or later) set.

Prewar has to be t206 with Goudey and CJ next in my opinion.

Postwar 1952 topps.

Modern, I'm not really sure. 89 Upperdeck comes to mind. 93 Finest refractors and 1996 leaf signature series if you consider insert sets. 90 leaf, 93 SP, 84 Donruss perhaps.

What others would you put on the list, and which is #1?

Now that's a very interesting question.

Can a set be "iconic" without a major star rookie? Or just a very popular star on his most accessible card?

T206 - Wagner
33 Goudey - the Ruths and Gehrig.
52 Topps - Mantle (not rookie of course, but a fairly tough card and an early one for him.


Or, like those as well, is it a set that best represents the era it was issued in?

The way things developed would make that challenging.

89 Upper Deck - Griffey of course, but looking at it from the details, it's more of a 90's set than 80's sort of transitional, as it was eclipsed by the technical stuff that began with the 93 finest Refractors. Those to me are sort of THE cards of the 90's
84 Donruss represents the 80's a bit better, but while it was BIG when it came out, it hasn't aged well. Not that any of the mid-late 80's card sets have. 1980 Topps has held up pretty well, but its closer to being a 70's set just like the UD is more like a 90's set.

2011 Topps? With Trout? Design and production wise, it's a solid set for the time, and it's got Trout.

Lots of ways to approach it, all of them both right and wrong all at once.

From the modern Discords, I gather that it is 1989 Upper Deck, 1992 Bowman and 1993 Topps Finest.

1987 Topps is extremely popular for the design among the modern crowd, more than I realized.

2018 Topps Update is pretty big among the ultramoderns.

I can't imagine 89' Upper Deck not being the top set myself. It is the advent of what the ultra modern card has become and holds the most popular modern card by any logical measure.

1987 Topps would be the most infamous set for me. It can be easily argued it was the first true set of the over produced junk wax period and brought an entirely different hobby.

For me either 89 Upper Deck or 92 Bowman would be ok by me.

Honest and non sarcastic question for the crowd,

Why does 1992 Bowman keep coming up? Is it a specific memory or time trigger?

I only ask, because I have always considered it one of the worst sets of the 90s for the awful photography and the RCs that look like funny graduation pics. That said, that was during my college years when I was not collecting so I have no attachment with sentiment on those sets. I feel like I am missing something in understanding.

This is exactly why.

I can't overstate how immensely popular 1992 Bowman was beginning a month or so after release. One of those major hobby points that those around at the time all remember. At a long period in 1992-93 the Frank Thomas foil was $50. Production was scaled back and considered (at the time) a huge design improvement over recent years.

Plus, it had a hugely collectible checklist full of major prospects at the time but also went on to be the card for several HOF players with other RC options. You can "thank" this set (and 1997 Bowman Chrome) for the Bowman/prospecting culture of today.

1992 is when Bowman really adopted a Rookie Card focus. Bowman is a hot product every year for the rookie focus and has been for a long time now, a players first Bowman card is a big deal and a Bowman rookie is among his most popular options alongside a Topps base. There is a rush on Bowman Chrome pretty much every year, that has followed the 1992 Bowman basic concept of rookie heavy (though they are in uniforms, mostly photoshopped, now). 1992 Bowman is thus a pretty big delineation line in hobby history shaping cards today. It's an iconic, historically important set for the modern crowd.

I think the difference here is that it is a few rookie cards being currently hyped by investors. In 10 years it will be forgotten when nobody cares anymore beyond 1 or 2 rookies, like 2001 Topps. To be iconic, I think there needs to be some historical import to the set beyond "happens to have rookie of X in it, pump it".

Not as appreciated as the 89 UD set but I’ve always thought the 1993 Pinnacle set was one of the best looking sets of the era.

Thanks for the explanations, I did not really piece the connection to prospecting. The insight is appreciated!

1984 donruss
1984 fleer update
1989 upper deck
1992 bowman
1993 finest
1993 SP

My top 6 but in no order :)

I am echoing what others say:
1989 UD
1993 Topps Finest
1993 SP
1996 Topps Chrome

More recent the 2011 Topps will be remembered for its Diamond Anniversary parallels.

My ultra modern set choice is 2022 Logofractor. Wow! I love the MLB logo refractor on the cards.

I don't think any set 2012-2021 will be iconic.

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I forgot to mention 1992 Bowman. I do remember that being a huge deal at the time, and pretty tough to find the packs for sale.

I also love the design of the 87 topps set, and it's loaded with rookies. I wouldn't mind breaking a box just for fun.

For me it would be 1989 Upper Deck and 1987 Topps.

1987 is when the hobby really just took off like crazy for the masses and the ‘89 Upper Deck set for all the reasons already mentioned

(although 1988 Score really was the baby step towards the UD set having been printed on slick board stock with player photos on front and back…but the set was hideous and had a “cheap” feel to it)

1989 UD
1984 Donruss
1884 Fleer Update
1992 Bowman
1990 Leaf
1993 Finest
1996 Topps Chrome

It’s hard because I don’t know if I’m being sentimental on a couple of these but I feel strongly on 80 percent as being pretty iconic sets for their time.


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[QUOTE=Bcwcardz;2351777]1989 UD
1984 Donruss
1984Fleer Update
1992 Bowman
1990 Leaf
1993 Finest
1996 Topps Chrome

It’s hard because I don’t know if I’m being sentimental on a couple of these but I feel strongly on 80 percent as being pretty iconic sets for their time.


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QUOTE]


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Don't really consider update/traded/parallel/insert sets as iconic....just don't fit my definition. I also don't think 1993 SP holds anything great as it was never a valuable set until Jeter blew up.

75 TM
84 D
89 UD
90 L - but not any more
92 B
96 LSS

Maybe a Tiffany or Chrome....but not my jams

No mentions of '91 Stadium Club yet.

It almost sold out instantly with the first printing, and when you could find it, it was $5 a pack. Then another print run hit, and Topps made god-knows how much money.

To me, that was the last step of the '89 Upper Deck -> '90 Leaf -> '91 Stadium Club progression. (BTW, my vote goes to '89 Upper Deck.) Maybe because all the remaining packs have bricked up it doesn't inspire warm feelings anymore.

Loved 91 Stadium Club

Totally untrue. This set was red hot in late 1993. Same with Select Traded. 1993 SP was the second hottest product after Finest for 1993. It was considered loaded with huge prospects (foils) and the Platinum Power Piazza was huge. Set always ranked highly between 1993 and when Jeter blew up due to several other prospects and the design/quality.

It caused a frenzy for 1993 SP Football as well.

To the topic, I don't think it fits in the top tier of iconic modern sets but definitely a runner up to the 1989 UD, 1990 Leaf, 1991 Stadium Club and 1992 Bowman.

I think 1989 upper deck it is. But some great sets mentioned, 1990 leaf, 1991 stadium club, 1992 bowman, 1993 finest. Surprising to me no mention of 1998 leaf rookie and stars or 2001 donruss. Both were great and amazingly difficult to put together complete sets of.

1989 Upper Deck
1992 Bowman
1993 Finest

If I had to narrow it down it would be these 3, and if I had to pick one it would be 1993 Finest.

I think 1993 SP is iconic. I can remember every year after (94-99) that SP was one of the top sets released every year, especially when relics and autos were added. 1993 set the stage of expectations for what followed.

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I definitely think it is up there, just maybe a step bellow 1989 UD, 1990 Leaf, 1991 TSC, 1992 Bowman and 1993 Finest. It is a gorgeous card.

My point was that it didn't take until 1996/Jeter (as someone had stated) for it to be a massively popular set. It was red hot pretty much out of the gate.

I would also have to say the 89 UD. I was also a big fan of the 89 & 90 Score cards.

I noticed a lot of love for the 90 Leaf set. I hated it.

1989 UD, 1993 Finest Refractors

That 90 leaf Thomas though. Aside from the 89 Griffey it was the card to have back then. Along with Olerud and that Ben McDonald error of course.

I’d be biased, but I vote 1996 Topps Chrome. This is the inaugural Topps chrome set and it had a hand in changing the modern market to Chrome preference. The refractor parallels are excessively hard to complete in this set although it has the advantage of being only 165 cards.
RayB

To me the most iconic modern set is 2001 Bowman Chrome. This was the first set with autographed rookie cards. Something that has become a centerpiece of the modern hobby. Vintage collectors are now chasing autographs on vintage rookie cards and even though the new BC cards are no longer considered RCs, they are still one of the most valuable cards of that player. Just look at the prices that Mike Trout's 2009 BC Autograph cards are selling for.

If cards from before the players are in the majors count...

Bowman chrome was 15 years late on the autographed "rookie" cards.
Signature rookies, And at least one other company came and went before them.
Classic 4 and 5 sport too if multi sport sets count.

Adding those, I think 94 SR might be in the running although the company not lasting probably hurts it a lot.

1989 Upper Deck
1990 Leaf

These cards started the premium card boom, be it good or bad. No more 50 cent packs for new collectors to pick up at the store.

All cards issued late in 1994 were printed in low quantities due to the baseball strike. No demand and dealers didn't order much. Not many cases available that were issued at the end of the 1994 season. I'm looking for a case of 1994 Fleer Flair Series 2 and I can't find one.

Well I am watching the homerun derby right now, and earlier they briefly showed a kid in the stands wearing a t shirt with a large image of the 89 UD Griffey on it. It seemed like the consensus set any way, but I doubt many kids are wearing shirts of cards from any of the other sets mentioned in this thread.

I'm not sure I'm totally qualified to answer as I didn't buy a single pack of cards from 1992 to 2017...so I have zero experience with a majority of "modern".

That said...I'm like a lot of others...not in order-

89 UD
90 Leaf
84 Donruss

I do disagree with the comment 84 Donruss didn't hold up. I looked thru my binder the other day and was impressed with the crisp photography and excellent design. The fact I was 14 when it came out and was the only kid in town with a set may also still be influencing me...but I still really enjoy that set. I'll never forget the fever pitch on UD and Leaf...strange to think of how many of us went to 100mph to zip in such a hurry...by 91 I was done...

80 Topps
84 Donruss
89 Upper Deck
90 Leaf
92 Bowman

'89 Upper Deck.

No Brainer