Most Important Baseball Card!

[frankbmd]

Whoops, wrong thread.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Because, well, duh.

[esd10]

1869 peck and snyder cincinnati red stockings because it was a trade card of the first openly professional baseball team and one of the first mass produced collectibles

[BioCRN]

Boring answer, but the 52 Topps Mantle and T206 Wagner have both heavily contributed to even laymen's understanding of pictures of baseball dudes having extreme value and a desire to own one.

Which one is more important, no idea. Almost anyone can obtain a 52 Mantle and even in crud condition it will still be a card a collector shows to someone when showing off their collection. The T206 Wagner is so hard to obtain and no such thing as a cheap example.

[oldjudge]

I agree with Peter. Maybe you want to rephrase the question. These are baseball cards--none are "important".

[Fred]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

I agree with Peter. Maybe you want to rephrase the question. These are baseball cards--none are "important".

Uh, does that mean you think Anson in Uni is not important?

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by Fred

Uh, does that mean you think Anson in Uni is not important?

I don't think any card is important. It's a baseball card. It can be valuable, it could be rare, but I reserve important for ...more important things.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

I agree with Peter. Maybe you want to rephrase the question. These are baseball cards--none are "important".

Of course. None are important in the grand scheme of things. But the most important card in the hobby is probably the 52 Mantle followed by the T206 Wags....I can't afford either one!
.

[BigfootIsReal]

Originally Posted by Leon

Of course. None are important in the grand scheme of things. But the most important card in the hobby is probably the 52 Mantle followed by the T206 Wags....I can't afford either one!
.

Stop disrespecting Jackie!

[bk400]

The two most important cards for me are the 1985 Topps Dwight Gooden and the 1985 Topps Roger Clemens rookie cards. Those were the two dueling cards that everyone chased when I was a kid, and they were the ones that brought me (and perhaps a whole generation) into the hobby.

As for the most iconic, hard to argue with the 52T Mantle.

[Fred]

I'd go with the T206 Wags because it was the first card I read about that seemed to pay attention to the value of cards when I was a kid. It seemed that just about any card could have been had 5 decades ago, but Wags was the card that was way out there in the way of attainability. However, the KGB Chicken card has got to be a close second. When he was the KGB Chicken, Ted would go to concerts and do all kinds of funny and outrageous stuff. His heyday of craziness was in the 80s. Total show to watch him at concerts and sporting events.

52T Mantle is very iconic, but when I think of a card that has put the hobby on the map, I think Wags.

[sb1]

In my opinion 1952 Topps Mantle. Everyone knows it and most want it. And, it's a great looking card. The T206 Wagner is unobtainable for most and it's a fugly card, Alfred E. Neuman look alike

Much more of the general public could pick the Mantle out of a lineup versus the Wagner. In the card world people know the Wagner, elsewhere not at much. When I owned the Wagner below, friends and family outside of the hobby had no idea what it was. I could show them a 1952 Mantle and everyone knows Mickey Mantle, even if they don't know exactly what year it is.


Pics of both of them for context....I have a good eye for 2's

Further consideration should be given to of all things the 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan Rookie. When the hobby was exploding circa 1990+/- it was the hottest card on the planet and still is in high demand in all grades. Like the Mantle high demand and ample supply make it a marketing darling. The Ryan Rookie was the gunpowder for the collecting boom of the 1990's.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by BioCRN

Almost anyone can obtain a 52 Mantle.

Big if true

[Yoda]

The Texas Tommy Joe Jackson, just because I covet one.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Yoda

The Texas Tommy Joe Jackson, just because I covet one.

I'm with you on that one John.

[BioCRN]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

Big if true

I don't think I've ever known of a time while I've been alive where anyone couldn't get a 1952 Topps Mantle if they wanted one...and you know, had the money for it... That second part is important.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by BioCRN

I don't think I've ever known of a time while I've been alive where anyone couldn't get a 1952 Topps Mantle if they wanted one...and you know, had the money for it... That second part is important.

I agree with this. The last PSA 1 sold for 19k and it was missing a piece of the card. The one before that was 28k. Even when I bought mine in 1985, I paid 2k. The 1952 Mantle has never been affordable. It has always been a major investment like the t206 Wagner.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by esd10

1869 peck and snyder cincinnati red stockings because it was a trade card of the first openly professional baseball team and one of the first mass produced collectibles

I have to agree with this, but would rather actually own a Wags.