[skelly423]

I've long held the opinion that 1952 Topps is the most overrated set of all time, and I've shared variations of that opinion on a number of threads here. The high numbers are way too expensive, Warren Spahn looks airbrushed, Minnie Minoso is unnaturally shiny, Larry Doby's card is too dark, etc. (I still won't argue against any of those points). I'll admit there were cards I always appreciated (Jackie Robinson, Johnny Mize, Monte Irvin), but in my mind 1952 Topps was an ugly, overpriced set. That was the start and end of any consideration I gave to collecting it.

The lightbulb moment for me came when I had a conversation with good friend of mine who told me the 1952 Topps was his favorite set. I respect his opinion, and know he's not the type of collector to buy the hype or follow the crowd. I couldn't understand how he could like such an overrated, ugly set.

That night I decided to click through the PSA gallery of the 1952 set. To my shock, he catcher cards were amazing, and there are some beautiful outdoor stadium shots. The undeniable highlight was the portrait selection, full of bold beautiful colourful cards I had never seen: the pink Paul LaPalme, the gold Saul Rogovin, the purple Ray Coleman, the bold red Al Rosen, the green Monty Basgall, the peach Ray Scarborough, the yellow Charlie Silvera, the blue Ed Blake... it never ends. With the possible exception of the t206 and 1933 Goudey sets (perhaps not coincidentally the other 2/3rds of the holy trinity of great baseball sets), this is the most colourful set I've ever seen.

I gained a new appreciation for the reasons the set is considered iconic. The colors, the low populations, (Bob Feller, one of the most readily available HOF cards, has a PSA pop less than 2,000), the variety of images, the checklist, the challenges (high number series and centering being 1 and 1a.), and of course the Mantle. Simply put, this has all the elements needed to make it an all-time classic.

I know this set isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you've never done it before, do yourself the favour of browsing the full image gallery. I promise you won't be disappointed.