What is your favorite set of the 1970s

[1963Topps Set]

My vote is for Topps 1971. I love the jet black borders, the colorful team names. Game action photos are finally used. They had the players photos on the backs. Beautiful World Series cards. And players autographs on the front. This was the very first year I got into collecting so there is a nostalgia connection as well. So many great stars in this set as well. Some coming, some going...

There is nothing I would change about this set.

[the 'stache]

I certainly like the 1971 set, but I'd have to go with the first one I'm building from the 70s. The 1975 set has the best collection of rookies, starting off with four Hall of Famers: Robin Yount, George Brett, Jim Rice and Gary Carter. Also included is another player I think will get into Cooperstown one day, Keith Hernandez, as well as the rookie of Red Sox slugger Fred Lynn. There are a lot of great future Hall of Famers making one of their final appearances, from Hank Aaron, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, Harmon Killebrew, and Frank Robinson, to those with a great future ahead of them, like Dave Winfield and Nolan Ryan, who were just starting out their careers.

The set is quite colorful, too. If you take the time to build a clean set clear of any major imperfections, you'll have a show piece.

[glynparson]

Would be 1971 but only in high grades. If condition is irrelevant id go with 1972

[Gr8Beldini]

My vote would be '71 as well. Not much in the way of RCs but far and away the nicest design of any 70's set. Particularly love the semi high # series with all the HoFs (Killebrew, FRob, Clemente, Banks). Wonder why Topps stopped using the action shots in the last two series.

[39special]

I would pick the '71 set also.Great looking set.

[chris6net]

For me the 1972 Set is by far my favorite

[frankh8147]

I would pick the 1972 Topps Cloth but since I believe is regarding the basic sets, I would also go with the 1972 (with 1971 a close second). I believe based on other threads the 72' set is either a 'love it or hate it' set but this set really appeals to me.

[SAllen2556]

Opinions are like......and everyone has one.

The '71 set is the ugliest, most boring baseball card set ever made. Only a CPA could appreciate the '71 set! No career stats on the back, just the 1 previous year; (boring!) they chip if you just breathe on them, and they're....black! (blah!) Even the font used for the team name is boring. Like they used stencils from a grade school grade art class!

'72 all the way. They're the bomb man! They remind me of those cool Filmore rock and roll posters from the 60's. Each a work of art unto itself.

Look up "groovy" in the dictionary and it says, "See 1972 Topps baseball or Grateful Dead poster"


Seriously? Who would want this card? Blah! Boring!

[vintagetoppsguy]

Another vote for '72s here, but the '71s are a very close 2nd.

[rats60]

I'd pick the 1972 set also.

[ALR-bishop]

1972

[bcbgcbrcb]

I would go with the '72 set also followed closely in second by the '75 set. Can you tell I like the most colorful things out there?

[bobsbbcards]

1972. Actually, it's the only set from the '70s that I like.

[1963Topps Set]

1972 is a very close second to me. I love the action card sub series too and the players as kids. It is also a huge set, no lack of cards there, and very colorful as well.

[Mark70Z]

"Currently" my favorite's as follows:

1. 1975
2. 1971
3. 1972
4. 1970
5. 1973

I pretty much like them all in the '70's personally.

[JollyElm]

For me, it's 1972 with nothing else even a close second. This topic has been covered a thousand times, but I'll reiterate what does it for me. 1972 was the first year my older brothers took me along for their walks to the stationery store to buy cards. That sense of nostalgia will never go away. But beyond that, the huge variety of cool action shots (yes, yes, we know they missed a lot of key players), the tremendous number of Mets in the set (with those great red borders!), the tough high numbers and the 'Traded' set make this set a beautiful thing forever!!!

[KCRfan1]

I like the 73 set. It's purely sentimental and nostalgic reasons for me. This is the first year I bought cards as a kid in quantity. From a collecting stand point, I get the final cards of Clemente and Mays, and a major rookie in Mike Schmidt. It's a challenge to find the cards centered, and the backs crisp since there is a black border. The vertical stats on the back of the cards are great too!

[EldoEsq]

Long time lurker...first post!

I love the 72 set with a passion...but my favorite is 1973. The photography, the action shots...

I also like the 1979 set...very clean and great for autographs!

[DHogan]

I'd pick the 1975 set. The colors are great.

[whelenfan]

I like the '71 best (I am working on it right now - slightly over half done), the '72 (I may start this one next) and the '73 (my first complete set). I really like the different series aspect of these early '70's sets.

[ALR-bishop]

Elmo--welcome aboard

Mark--you and Bob are not compatible

[jimtigers65]

For me the 1972 set is one of my all-time favorites. I liked the high number cards with the "Traded" stamped on the front.

[1963Topps Set]

It is amazing how the 1976, 1977 and 1978 sets are completely ignored!

[Beatles Guy]

1979 with 1973 a close 2nd.

[bobc88]

I like both the '71 and '72 sets but give the nod to 1971 when, as an 8 year old kid, I remember standing in line for the snack bar at my little league baseball field every Saturday to buy a pack or two of cards with a stick of gum and a coin inside.

Bob C

[nolemmings]

This topic has come up from time to time. I like the '71s best, although I wish they did have better stat backs. '72 was the most innovative, with Boyhood photos, the traded cards and the multitude of in action cards; still, no kudos for that here because 787 cards should include something out of the ordinary. I don't care for "busy" front designs-- the old love 'em or hate 'em argument-- so 72 and 75 don't do it for me, especially the latter, which does not even have color coordination within the same team (blasphemy for those of us who grew up in the 60s', although '63 can grow on you).

I like the '76s. The photography quality could be better, but the pose selection is very good and the design is nice IMO. Still, those black-bordered beauties issued before the teams went to stretchy artificial uniforms get my vote.

[Rich Klein]

On an overall basis, I actually like the 77 set.

[JollyElm]

I think the simple reason most people don't regard the sets after 1973 so well (or just plainly ignore them in this type of setting) is due to them being released all at the same time (instead of in series) and being way overproduced. I guess most collectors seem to be purists in that regard. But yeah, the 1976 and 1977 sets are very, very cool in my book. And the action shots of '74 are exceptional.

[tonyo]

This is the easy way out but I think all of the 70's sets are great, with 70 coming in 9th and 79 10th.

My indecision could have something to do with those being my formative years .

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by SAllen2556

Seriously? Who would want this card? Blah! Boring!

Me

This is one of my very favorite cards

[K-Nole]

For me, it is the 1979 set.

It was the first year I bought baseball cards as a kid.

2nd would have to 1972 which is kind of ironic because we have put sets together of all the 70's sets (attempting 1970 as I write this) and we had to skip over the 72 set because of the pure # of cards and # of high # cards.
Just too many cards to attempt it.

[Jayworld]

Although 1975 was the first year I actually bought baseball cards (or rather, my Mom did for 20 cents a pack at the local 7-11), my favorite set is the 1976 Topps set for the following reasons:

1. Nice overall front design, and I have always liked the graphic illustrations of the positional players on the front of the cards, especially noting the left hander and right hander for L and R pitchers.
2. It is the set that I still have my very first card from....
3. First 1970s card set I slowly put together, first from packs in 1976, then from Richard Gelman's card company, and finally via local card shows. I finished the set in 1982.
4. Unlike the 1975 set (which I just recently completed), the 1976 set is one that I have never sold and re-acquired. All the cards are mine (so to speak).
5. One of my great "mom" memories revolves around the 1976 set, which I highlighted in another post here on the boards a year or so ago; nutshell is several years ago my mom was going through her purses in her closet and found an unopened pack of 1976 baseball cards...she bought for me back in the day and forgot to give me.... When I think of the 1976 set, I think of her. She passed away in May, 2013.

[1963Topps Set]

I still have an unopened pack of 1976 Topps cards I kept from the day...

[Vintagevault13]

Going to veer a different direction from the previous responses, but I really like the 74 set. I think it gets a bad rap for being the first set Topps distributed nationally in one series, but it really is a nice set. The action shots of Seaver, Ryan, and Reggie (and many others) are outstanding and the Winfield and Parker RCs are also top notch. In addition, the "Washington" variation cards make for an interesting subset. Finally, the Aaron and Aaron Special cards are a great tribute to an all-time great.

[glynparson]

I'd have to go with 1973 topps Comics, followed by the stand ups from the same year. And the 1974 topps puzzles in third.

[nolemmings]

I really like the 74 set. I think it gets a bad rap for being the first set Topps distributed nationally in one series, but it really is a nice set.

Agree that the '74s are underrated, for the reasons you went on to state. However, I believe it was due in large part to a lack of rookie wow power, and FWIW, this was not the first set to be distributed nationally in one series, although it appears to be the first to have been distributed in only that manner.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...highlight=1973

[Vintagevault13]

FWIW, this was not the first set to be distributed nationally in one series, although it appears to be the first to have been distributed in only that manner.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...highlight=1973[/QUOTE]

That is what I meant, but you stated it more clearly. As I recall, the debate about the distribution of the 1973 set got quite lively in previous threads.

[glynparson]

however I have yet to see any real evidence that it was available across the country in full series. I know having traveled the country doing shows in the 1990s there were areas with tons of 1973 Hi# cards and areas were they were much tougher. I have also seen many collections with all one series from 1973. I am not convinced every area got the all in one series boxes.

[nolemmings]

1973 definitely available in one series
however I have yet to see any real evidence that it was available across the country in full series

I would tend to agree with that, although without trying too much to play word games, I would say that it was available across the country but not throughout the country. I do not believe one-series distribution was limited to a region or two, but could instead be found in parts of every region. I would not venture a guess as to what percentage of the country received the cards in this manner or try and pinpoint what constituted a region. Still, from what I have seen reported by collectors here, I believe they were distributed in parts of the North, South, East, West and Midwest.

[ALR-bishop]

Glyn-- I have a set of the 73 Pin Ups and Comics , but the only Stand Up sets I have are from 64 and 67. I have a set of the Puzzles but would put the 74 Deckle set ahead of all them

[Exhibitman]

1971 was my first year heavily collecting so those cards hold the fondest memories for me. I collect the regular cards, printing freaks, OPCs, Supers and coins from 1971. Of all, I'd select the Supers as favorite cards. Great images, big size and clean light backs. If we go regular size, the OPCs are so much better than the regular backs--black on yellow and white instead of that dark green is so much easier to read--that I prefer it to the Topps counterpart. The 71 issues are just great looking cards:



That said, I also have to give some love to the 1976 set. I thought 73 and 74 were bland and I hated 1975 when it came out. Just seemed clunky to me. I loved the 1976 design. Still have one I got out of a pack in 1976:



Of course there are single cards in every set that I love. My alltime favorite Topps card:



Some others from various years that I really like:

[Hammerin'Hank]

1.) 1971 - Simply gorgeous when in NMT or better condition.
2.) 1975 - Love it or hate it set. I personally love the colorful border.
3.) 1973 Set - I like clean white borders.
4.) 1974 Set - Love the Hank Aaron tribute........as you can tell from screen name. Also like the clean white borders.

Don't get all the hype on the 1972 set. Its just plain ugly to me.

[toppcat]

I am partial to 1970-72 generally. The 70 is probably my favorite even though I know it's kind of blah on the fronts but with maybe the best backs ever. 71 and 72 are close, so I am declaring a three way tie for first. After that it's the 75 set.

[Samsdaddy]

My personal favorite is 1975 Topps. It was the first year I collected cards and it was, IMHO, the most color set of the decade.

My favorite memory of the set is trading Hank Aaron straight up for Dick Allen. The White Sox were my team and I wanted all ChiSox cards. Of course, to my dismay, when I turned the card over I saw that he had been traded to the Atlanta Braves.

The Allen card is still my favorite card from the set.

[Centauri]

Count me in for 1975. They really pop, and have tons of good cards.

But I like every set in the decade pretty well except 74 and 78 - their designs seem unispired.

[bosoxfan]

'72 all the way. They're the bomb man! They remind me of those cool Filmore rock and roll posters from the 60's. Each a work of art unto itself.





I love this!

[Bigdaddy]

1. 1977 - first year I really collected baseball cards. Really loved the Rose and Garvey cards from that set along with the All-Star cards

2. 1978 - Nice clean front and good photography

3. 1971 - love the black borders and photography

4. 1976 - What a baseball card should look like

[skelly]

I really like the 70 set. Backs are clear and easy to read. High numbers are somewhat tough. No Mantle card to contend with... The problem I have with the 71 set, is I just feel that the slightest wear makes it look crummy. A mid grade set that has white borders is OK with me, but a slightly off grade 71 set. No thanks. I also like the 78 set quite a bit. 75 is a classic in my opinion and in time I feel it will be the most recent set that people will really care about / get behind.

[bobsbbcards]

The best way to enjoy the "ugly" 1972 set is to put the cards together by team:

[bobsbbcards]