If you were a kid back in the day, which cards would you have bought?

[PolarBear]

Well, 49-51 seems like Bowman would have to be the choice.

I'd go with Bowman for 49-53 and Topps 54-55.

The 50-52 Bowman sets are the best of the era.

[tulsaboy]

As a kid, if I had collected in the late 40's, I would have been excited by the "big" cards of 52 Topps. But I would have been enchanted by the photography of the 53 Bowman compared to the sketches/artistic version on the 53 Topps. I think that, just like I did in the late 80's, I would have bought a little of each brand just for fun, but would have tried to complete at least one set each year.
kevin

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

Bowman for 1950 through 1953. The Bowman paintings in 1950, 1951, and 1952 are like fine art to me. Absolutely exquisite. And I disagree with a previous poster, I think the 1952 paintings are the best of the bunch...more detailed.

Then the same can be said for the photography of 1953 bowman. Fine art.

Then starting in 1954 it’s Topps the rest of the way. Big, colorful, mixing action poses and portraits....and I love the cartoons on the back of those 50’s era topps cards.

[ALBB]

As a kid, Id collect the T 205 and T 206 cards...Ive always enjoyed smoking, and as a kid I would have loved to smoke cigarettes while thumbing thru my T cards

[ALR-bishop]

But you would be dead now Albert, either from smoking or old age. What would you have done with your cards at the end ?

[CobbSpikedMe]

I grew up collecting in the 80's and early 90's and always really wanted tobacco cards, specifically T206s. I always assumed they were worth a fortune and I would never be able to afford them. Many years later I learned that had I simply looked for them at shows as a kid I could've found them for cheap and could've afforded them. I would've spent all my card money on those and caramel cards back then. It's my biggest regret from my childhood collecting career.

[rats60]

1949 Bowman. 1949 Leaf cards are ugly. One of the few post war sets that I never collected.

1951-1954 Bowman. These early Topps sets were ugly in my opinion. The only one close is 1954.

1955 Topps. One of the best looking Topps sets ever. The TV design on 1955 Bowman is ugly.

[Volod]

Originally Posted by ALBB

As a kid, Id collect the T 205 and T 206 cards...Ive always enjoyed smoking, and as a kid I would have loved to smoke cigarettes while thumbing thru my T cards

Could this be a troll post from a tobacco company investor?

[egri]

1949: Leaf. The set looks like it was designed by Andy Warhol, and it has Ted Williams, who Bowman missed out on that year.

1950-51: Has to be Bowman, as they were the only game in town, Topps' 1951issue notwithstanding.

1952: That's a tough one, as I really don't like either of them. If I had to pick, probably Bowman.

1953: Topps. I just don't like cards that don't have the player's name on the front, and trying to collect a set of them would've driven me crazy either having to flip them over or play 'Guess Who?' to figure out who I'm looking at.

1954: I keep going back and forth on this one; I like the photography in Topps, and the two Ted Williams's, but lately the Bowman set has grown on me. Still, there's only one Ted Williams, and it was pulled prematurely. Topps for now, but my opinion might change.

1955: Topps. I never liked the wood grain borders; they've always looked very dated to me, regardless of whether they're on 1955 Bowman, 1962 or 1987 Topps.

[pawpawdiv9]

weed & vinyl