[Exhibitman]

I think I get the gist of the OP. For me, it was three issues that got me interested:

1973 Topps all time leaders. Reading the top 10 on each card back was an education.

1975 Topps MVPs. To this day I still get a bit of a buzz from them.

1976 Topps ATG subset. I worked so hard to finish that set that year.

Then there was what turned out to be a 1961 Golden Press Cobb. I got that in a collection and thought it was really special.

Right now, I still pursue SSPC and TCMA cards, various Laughlin cards, the 1961 GP cards, and the 1960 Fleer ATG cards. The ones from the 1980s leave me cold. By the time they started flowing I'd already departed the scene not to return until the late 1980s, so I have no warm fuzzies of them.