From a purely aesthetic point of view, what cards just take your breath away?

[sbfinley]

I'll curve from the norm. I know they aren't universally popular here, but shiny things are pretty too.

[Iron Horse]

Great cards everyone, keep sharing. It is so great to see so many beautiful cards.

[Jantz]

Any T3 or T227

[RCMcKenzie]

.

[jason.1969]

...NOT!!!!

[Iron Horse]

Another classic

[irishdenny]

"It Seems to me...
THaT JuST ABoUT AnY Christy Mathewson Card Has Its Charm!"
(Even iN His Undergarments...)

By Your Leave... "MoST Excellent Thread Bill !"

[RGold]

My four favorites. T213-2 Ty Cobb with the lacquer coating is like the T206 on steroids. Great action shot of Bobby Jones against the sky blue background. Slightly nerdy looking Stan Musial with redbirds matching blood red background. Gehrig batting.

cobb40.jpg

33skjones88.jpg

54rhmusial96.jpg

[Jay Wolt]

As others suggest T3's, and there's 100 to choose from.
Here's a few I always liked from my set I had awhile ago

[tjenkins]

I like these two in particular!

'54 Aaron RC


'55 Killebrew RC

[MikeGarcia]

...any of these...

..

[the 'stache]

Couple more cards that always catch my eye. The 1958 Topps Roberto Clemente is probably my favorite from him. I love the simplicity. When this card has a clean surface, it really pops. The yellow background, with Clemente batting in the foreground, is highly effective, if you ask me. Next up, the 1950 Bowman Ted Williams. The format that would work so effectively in the '53 set got a start here. No team name. No player name. Just a great picture of an all-time great hitter. The last two cards are from the 1980 Topps set. The classic Rickey Henderson rookie card. The best leadoff hitter of the modern era. And finally, my favorite card as a kid growing up, the 1980 Topps Robin Yount. The kid on the cusp of super stardom. I spent many an afternoon at Milwaukee County Stadium watching the Hall of Famers, Yount and Molitor, right next to each other. Those were great times. There was so much history in that stadium.

[CW]

More great picks, Bill.

I've always liked the image on the E90-1/T216/etc. Tris Speaker. Almost any E107 is breathtaking, but the portraits with the players in their best street clothes have always captivated me (W600s would be equally captivating, maybe even moreso with their size. Still, the charm of the smaller E107 is tought to beat). Note: the E107s posted here are not mine!

[the 'stache]

Chuck, the Breisch Williams set is fantastic. I remember first reading about the set in my Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards. I went to go find out what they sold for, and the sticker shock was a tad overwhelming. I think I'll have to admire them from a distance. Still, it's a real nice change of pace to see these immortals in their Sunday best, isn't it?

The E-107 American Caramel set has become one of my favorite candy sets, and that's one of my three favorite cards from the Grey Eagle (the others being the T3 Turkey Red, and his T206). But if I were to pick a favorite card from that set, it would have to be the Willie Keeler (the pink back variety). It's actually on my short list of cards to buy once I begin collecting here again in the next month or two.

[ZiggerZagger]

Another barrage of personal favorites. The '33 Goudey set has some stunning cards in it, and the surreal multi-colored backgrounds have always held my attention.

Then again, you just never know what'll catch your eye.
Which is what makes collecting like one giant all-you-can-eat buffet.

And I'm always headed back for seconds...

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by irishdenny

"It Seems to me...
THaT JuST ABoUT AnY Christy Mathewson Card Has Its Charm!"
(Even iN His Undergarments...)

By Your Leave... "MoST Excellent Thread Bill !"

The 1915 Matty Cracker Jack is my all-time favorite card. He looks so regal and dignified on that card.

[x2drich2000]

A couple of my favorites from my collection. I really would like to add an m110 at some point. The Cobb is fantastic as are all the others from the set.





DJ

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

But if I were to pick a favorite card from that set, it would have to be the Willie Keeler (the pink back variety). It's actually on my short list of cards to buy once I begin collecting here again in the next month or two.

I think they call him Wee Willie because his head is 5 sizes too small for his body.

[PolarBear]

[edjs]

Some of my favorites have already been shown in earlier threads, so I am mixing it up with some of my favorites from my collection. Purely aesthetic. Full disclosure, the Western Playground is on my wish list, not in my collection (anyone want to work a deal?)

[Leon]

I always like the Davis sliding card.....great cards in the thread all the way around...

Originally Posted by x2drich2000

A couple of my favorites from my collection. I really would like to add an m110 at some point. The Cobb is fantastic as are all the others from the set.





DJ

[Laxcat]

I don't have the card with me, I'm in DFW. Topps made a card of Ansel Adams in the 70's that I find quite aesthetically pleasing. If anyone could post a picture that would be awesome.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Laxcat

I don't have the card with me, I'm in DFW. Topps made a card of Ansel Adams in the 70's that I find quite aesthetically pleasing. If anyone could post a picture that would be awesome.

and I am guessing I will see you in a little while if I can swim to the show.....over 18 inches of rain in the last 24-36 hours in Corsicana (just south of Dallas). I am watching a long train, on the news, that is completely on its side, every car off the tracks from the flooding.

[RTK]

Originally Posted by Laxcat

I don't have the card with me, I'm in DFW. Topps made a card of Ansel Adams in the 70's that I find quite aesthetically pleasing. If anyone could post a picture that would be awesome.

[Laxcat]

Originally Posted by Leon

and I am guessing I will see you in a little while if I can swim to the show.....over 18 inches of rain in the last 24-36 hours in Corsicana (just south of Dallas). I am watching a long train, on the news, that is completely on its side, every car off the tracks from the flooding.

Sure will I was dumb and decided to take the scenic route from Austin yesterday. I got stuck in a detour in Corsicana for two hours. I got to watch the water rise literal inches. Yikes! Everyone be safe around DFW today.

[Laxcat]

Thanks Rick. I love that card. Only thing that would have made it cooler: replace the baseball with a camera.

[mechanicalman]

Since I joined the forum, this has been my all-time favorite thread. (Thank you, Bill) I don't want it to leave the first page. Love looking at so many beautiful cards and seeing hobbyists with similar "collecting DNA." In my case, I share similar tastes with Josh, Raymond, Ronald, Scott, and Jason. Many of my favorites are here, but adding one I love because of the bold blue background and interesting framing.

[MattyC]

Some OUTSTANDING baseball images in this thread. Every one of them is arresting.

These two come to mind. The former for the colors and the almost ethereal aura of his uniform. The latter for the way the artistry captures that impishness in the eyes so perfectly.

[tedzan]

I forgot to include this dude in my earlier post here.






TED Z
.

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Some OUTSTANDING baseball images in this thread. Every one of them is arresting.

These two come to mind. The former for the colors and the almost ethereal aura of his uniform. The latter for the way the artistry captures that impishness in the eyes so perfectly.

How did it take 7 pages for the '41 PB DiMaggio to pop up? Beautiful card. Outstanding 2.5 too.

[PolarBear]

[ValKehl]

IMHO, the ultimate "take-your-breath-away" card is the very first card pictured in this thread. Here are a couple more WaJos that are eye candy to me (yes, I do wish the T204 were in better condition!):

[Luke]

A random assortment of some of my favorites:

[iwantitiwinit]

There's only one card that's ever going to take my breath away. The scratch off lottery card that wins 10k a week for life. That would do it.

[the 'stache]

Nice cards, guys.

Luke, I really like the Jimmy Collins T206. One of the best portrait cards in the set.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Nice cards, guys.

Luke, I really like the Jimmy Collins T206. One of the best portrait cards in the set.

I don't have the card..but isn't that T206 ty cobb bat off a heck of a nice card...

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

I don't have the card..but isn't that T206 ty cobb bat off a heck of a nice card...

Jake, it's one of my very favorites, not only from the Monster, but from the entire pre-war card era. As I mentioned before, I like both Cobb "with bat" cards from the set quite a lot. Before I draw my last breath (God willing many Milwaukee Brewer World Series victories later!), I will own at least one of them, if not both. These are from PSAcard.com. I just resized them in Photoshop.

[jsq]

Originally Posted by ZiggerZagger

Personally, I think the '53 Paige is the most attractive card ever produced, but a few others have always stuck in my mind as well. A few are in my personal collection (below), and a few are still on the list -- in particular the T227 Cobb, T3 Mathewson, E90-1 Cy Young.

Of the cards listed below, I love the snarl on the T206 Cobb -- just says everything you need to know about the man, in my opinion.

ziggerzagger,

love the lou gehrig 34 goudey you pictured. i do not have my cards anymore but fondly remember the 34 gehrig.

also the r312 national chicle premiums with their great pastels were easy on the eyes. wish they had done gehrig in r312.
1941 play balls were quite a treat also along with 52 topps, 57 topps, and 67 topps.
all the best,
jsq

[the 'stache]

I hope you guys will indulge me as I post a few more, again from the PSA card site.



T202 Cobb Steals Third. I love the juxtaposition of the black and white shot of Cobb sliding and the tobacco portrait bookends. Great eye appeal.



Speaking of eye appeal, these three T206 portraits have it in abundance. Ginger Beaumont, Napolean Lajoie and Nap Rucker. The Rucker, especially, is beautiful in person. Mine isn't quite this nice, but has good eye appeal for a PSA 2.



Finally, three from the iconic '53 Bowman set. Two Hall of Fame sluggers, Eddie Mathews and Ralph Kiner, and a Cooperstown twirler, Warren Spahn.

[jcc6252]

Classic leather helmet pose of the "Galloping Ghost"

[PolarBear]

[PolarBear]

[PolarBear]

I can't believe no one posted this one yet. Best T205 by far.

[sreader3]

T206 Lajoie With Bat Front.jpg

My favorite in 1978. My favorite in 2015.

[T206Collector]

[Howe’s Hunter]

Not mine, and I'm content in knowing it never will be. Too many factors (cost, gift from a parent, etc.) to ever have it leave the family it is with now, but still a beauty that would be the jewel of my collection.

[cubsfan-budman]

really love this card...the color is awesome...great idea to do it in landscape.

[uffda51]

Here are a couple. One in color, one sepia, which Joe G. referred to earlier.

[Centauri]

Please allow me to drop a modern marvel
77 Fisk.jpg

Great action shot, Yankees/Red Sox. Maybe the catchers just have it easy...

[Laxcat]

That Duffy is haunting.