Rank your top5 favorite sets 1950-1979

[4reals]

Include at least one set from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Here’s mine:

1. 1953 Topps
2. 1952 Bowman
3. 1956 Topps
4. 1965 Topps
5. 1971 Topps


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[Frankish]

I have a feeling some of my favorites are among most people's most hated. For me it's a combination fo design and also which sets I coveted when I was a kid. Anyway, my favorite five, not necessarily in order:

1952 Topps
1971 Topps
1959 Topps
1973 Topps
1965 Topps

[realbigfatdog]

1956 Topps
1952 Topps
1967 Topps
1954 Bowman
1971 Topps

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[mikemb]

1965 Topps
1967 Topps
1959 Topps
1963 Fleer
1979 Topps

Mike

[Casey2296]

51 Bowman
53 Topps
56 Topps
64 Topps
71 Topps

[Cmvorce]

1952 Topps
1956 Topps
1954 Topps
1970 Topps
1957 Topps

[savedfrommyspokes]

My choices involve not just the aesthetics of these sets, but also the player's cards contained within the set (IE key HOFers, RCs, tough SPs, etc).

1952
1962
1968
1971
1972

[bb66]

1965 Topps
1966 Topps
1967 Topps
1963 Topps
1955 Topps

[Harliduck]

Edit

[Harliduck]

1969
1955
1966
1967
1957/1970


Mostly due to personal reasons... Changes every few months or so...

[rats60]

1965 Topps
1955 Topps
1957 Topps
1953 Bowman
1975 Topps

[wdwfan]

Top 5 (in no order)
1975 (my birth year, so probably #1)
1962;
1957;
1961;
1965.

[cornhusker]

1967 - simple design, tough hi's, + Seaver n Carew (R)
1956 - classic 50's w stars, won't break the bank
1965 - attractive design w cool player poses
1972 - poppin color, tough hi's, good HOF's
1971 - tough border n hi's
Honorable Mention - 1963 - HIT KING

[carlsonjok]

1974 Topps
1963 Fleer
1955 Topps
1960 Topps
1975 Topps

I know 1974 may seem to be a weird choice for a favorite, but it is the one set that viscerally takes me back to my youth, especially the traded cards.

[Popcorn]

1955 Bowman (love the tv cards)
1952 Topps
1951 Bowman
1954 Topps
1959 Topps (very underrated beautiful set)

[IMG][/IMG]

[jayshum]

1952 Topps
1953 Bowman Color
1975 Topps
1953 Topps
1965 Topps

[LincolnVT]

1952 Topps

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

Edit

Wow John, what cards are you missing?

[Frankish]

Originally Posted by Popcorn

1959 Topps (very underrated beautiful set)

I think so, too.

Although I can't agree on the TV set cards. Not sure why, but they just don't appeal to me...and they've been done in just about every sport I collect except basketball.

[campyfan39]

1953 topps
1956 topps
1959 topps
1954 topps
1975 topps

[bobsbbcards]

1967 Topps
1969 Topps Supers
1969 Topps (1st and 2nd series only)
1974 Topps Deckle Edge
1956 Topps

Honorable mention: 1966 Kahn's

[ALR-bishop]

If sticking to base type sets... and given the rules
53 Bowman
57 Topps
59 Topps
67 Topps
72 Topps

If we are including supplemental sets
51 Current AllStars
64 Giants
68 3D
69 Supers
74 Deckle

[MarcosCards]

1960 - especially with nice gloss
1959
1961
1972
1975

[scottglevy]

1967
1952
1972
1953 bowman color
1954

Looks like a lot of concurrence around a few of these

[mr2686]

1971 Topps
1960 Topps
1955 Topps
1953 Bowman Color
1964 Topps Giants

[JollyElm]

1972
1972
1972
1972
and...1972

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

1972
1972
1972
1972
and...1972

Haha...1972? Wasn't sure...


Phil...just need a 1963 Topps Mantle and Stargell...have them for sale?

[BearBailey]

1957 topps
1954 Bowman
1963 topps
1965 topps
1975 Topps

[egri]

1953 Topps
1951 Bowman
1957 Topps
1960 Topps
1971 Topps

Honorable mention to 1949 Leaf and 1949 Bowman.

[UKCardGuy]

1. 1955 Topps
2. 1953 Topps
3. 1960 Topps
4. 1967 Dexter Press
5. 1975 Topps

Runner ups would include:
52 Redman, 65T, 71T and 77T

[Malibu39]

Originally Posted by cornhusker

1967 - simple design, tough hi's, + Seaver n Carew (R)
1956 - classic 50's w stars, won't break the bank
1965 - attractive design w cool player poses
1972 - poppin color, tough hi's, good HOF's
1971 - tough border n hi's
Honorable Mention - 1963 - HIT KING

GREAT TM card, congrats! As a someone working on 1972 set, jealous

[clydepepper]

1953 Topps
1965 Topps
1957 Topps
1952 Topps
1967 Topps

sixth - 1962 Topps
seventh - 1955 Topps
8th- 1964 Topps
ninth - 1953 Bowman Color
tenth- 1978 Topps


.

[deweyinthehall]

Mine are driven by aesthetics and sentimentality - I can't wrap my head around liking (or disliking) a set for number of stars, rookies or condition sensitivity - all that means to me is more $$$ if I try to build a set.

1. 1978 Topps (my first cards at age 10)
2. 1967 Topps
3. 1952 Topps
4. 1972 Topps
5. 1965 Topps

[danx]

1973 Topps
1976 Topps
1956 Topps
1972 Topps
1975 Topps

I'm more of a 70s guy, but that 56 Topps set is a work of art...

[Bigdaddy]

Top 5 in chronological order:

1956 Topps - beautiful cards
1964 Topps Giants - working on a signed version of this set with my son
1966 Topps - great memories putting this set together with my dad
1971 Topps - 'Always bet on the black' - Fred Sanford
1978 Topps - Had more of these as a kid than any other year, love the AS logos.

[bnorth]

1) 1959 Fleer, How can a all Ted Williams set not be the best ever.
2) 1955 Bowman, Hate all the other horizontal and wood grain sets but love this one.
3) 1953 Topps, Just beautiful cards,
4) 1975 Topps, Love the bright colors.
5) 1954 Bowman, Added to make 5

[BillP]

1967
1966
1954
1963
1975

[ZiggerZagger]

1) 1956 Topps
2) 1951 Bowman
3) 1965 Topps
4) 1960 Topps
5) 1976 Topps

[kailes2872]

My list looks different than it would have 5 years ago.

1.) 56 (will always be may favorite as it is the creative apex of Topps and it contains all of the stars that used to be split with Bowman. A Musial and Frank Robinson and it would have been a true masterpiece)

2.) 65 (I love the design. '80 was my first real year collecting as a kid and the pennants on '65 remind me of '80. My favorite Mantle card as well)

3.) 55 Bowman (The color TVs are so cutting edge - like if there was an Iphone set in 2008)

4.) 63 (Really dig the design - love the bright backs)

5.) 78 (This one has grown on me over the years. Reggie is baseball card perfection).

Honorable mention - the back of the 54 Topps.

The one ring that trumps all - 52-55 Red Man sets. I think these are the most undervalued sets in post war. Beautiful cards, relative scarcity, big names, they are spectacular to look at!

[EGreenwood]

1953 Topps
1952 Bowman
1956 Topps
1972 Topps
1978 Topps

[hcv123]

1) 1955 Topps
2) 1952 Topps
3) 1951 Bowman
4) 1968 3D
5) 1956 Topps

[nwfsteve]

1-1957 Topps
2-1952 Bowman
3-1963 Topps
4-1965 Topps
5-1975 Topps

I liked the 61s when I was a kid but they dragged on me over time. I put a complete set up for auction recently. The pics are so dull.

I know 75 is quirky but it typifies the era in which I was a college student plus I bought the set for $6.99 from Barry Allen back then.

[JollyElm]

Take a look at this very old thread showing (some) of the beauty of the 1974 set...

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=172335

I personally think it's pretty darn majestic. An awesome design with the colors highlighting the team names perfectly done, a wonderful integration of very cool game-action shots, plenty of variations to chase, and just a sharply focused, rich printing job. Truly, an awesome set to flip through.

[Frankish]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Take a look at this very old thread showing (some) of the beauty of the 1974 set...

It's a beautiful set. And the second I put together as an adult, after 1971.

The lack of significant rookie cards keeps it affordable...part and parcel of being ignored by investors and "serious collectors."

Anyway, you are right. It was a brilliant job by Topps.

[jchcollins]

Random and subject to change: This is not what my list would have looked like as a kid interested in vintage cards in 1990, and it may be different still in another 5 or 10 years. But here is what I would say today:

1. 1956 Topps
2. 1972 Topps
3. 1967 Topps
4. 1965 Topps
5. 1971 Topps

Honorable mention to 1959 Topps. I think in terms of "pop culture correct", it's hard to beat the '59 and '72 Topps efforts.

[Bill77]

1. 1953 Topps I love the art work on this set.
2. 1956 Topps The small action shots on the front are a nice addition to the portraits.
3. 1975 Topps Great colors.
4. 1952-55 Red Man I like the art and the size gives them more room to work.
5. 1950-51 Bowman I like small cards as much as big cards and the art on this and the 51 set remind me of comic book art and early 80s cartoons, which I also like.

[skelly423]

I’ll give some love to the 1950 Bowman, which somehow hasn’t had any on this thread. It is a throwback to an earlier era of cards, the art is spectacular, the cards are affordable in decent condition, and there’s one iconic card of Jackie Robinson for good measure.

1953 Bowman Color. If you’ve ever seen them in person, you understand.

1956 Topps. A bridge across eras. You have the last of Jackie, Feller and Rizzutto, but you also have young Aaron, Koufax, and Clemente. The young stars aren’t rookies, so you can get the entire set in decent condition without breaking the bank

1971 Topps. Who doesn’t love the black borders.

1964 Topps giants. Big, beautiful, and available in great condition

[Tere1071]

My choices, not necessarily in order:

1953 Bowman Color
1971 Topps
1958 Hires Root Beer
1954 Wilson Franks
1951 Bowman
1957 Topps
1963 Topps
1959 Topps
1974 Topps (for nostalgia purposes)
1971 Kellog's 3D

[JollyElm]

I am really baffled by the consistent appearance of the 1971 Topps set on this list. Only recently have I begun 'liking' these cards, and that's simply because when housed in TPG holders, there's no worry about them turning white right before your very eyes. At the height of my youthful card collecting, you could never find even a single one of them that didn't look like a nun's habit. And we weren't into condition (like it is nowadays) at all. All of our other cards had the usual wear on them, but we didn't mind. The 1971's, though? They were a nightmare! Like musical tastes, it's fascinating how perceptions vary.

[egri]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

I am really baffled by the consistent appearance of the 1971 Topps set on this list. Only recently have I begun 'liking' these cards, and that's simply because when housed in TPG holders, there's no worry about them turning white right before your very eyes. At the height of my youthful card collecting, you could never find even a single one of them that didn't look like a nun's habit. And we weren't into condition (like it is nowadays) at all. All of our other cards had the usual wear on them, but we didn't mind. The 1971's, though? They were a nightmare! Like musical tastes, it's fascinating how perceptions vary.

I used to not like them, but then I had a couple that were beat up already, so I didn't care about the borders, and while the design captures the style of the 1970s, it isn't garish like some of the others Topps cranked out. I keep going back and forth on it, right now I like it, ask me again in six months and I might not.