Okay, now I'm going to piss some people off! (LOL)

[cardsagain74]

The fact that you have to include Eckersley and Dawson in that list (to make it reasonably long enough) proves your point

[sox1903wschamp]

Let's not forget the Bird.....For a little colorful flavor

[mortimer brewster]

I agree to a certain extent. I believe Topps got very complacent with their product from the mid 1970's thru 1982. They needed competition and got it in 1981 from Fleer and Donruss (two crappy sets but got better as years went by).

A few additional thoughts:

I think the design of the 1980 set was very nice, but they blew it on the backs. All of the highlights mentioned were from 1978. It's like 1979 does not exist.

I don't judge a set by the number of rookie cards in it. I am an old fashioned set collector (1983 and prior) and find joy in collecting all sets.

If you were a youngster who started collecting in the late 1970's chances are the sets you grew up with are your favorites.

[Mike D.]

I find it amusing how many posts we’re getting lately about why what other people collect isn’t good. Are we really out of productive conversations?

[jchcollins]

I don't disagree on the whole, though I do like the '76 Topps set, and the little cartoonish position icons on the fronts.

[mintacular]

Originally Posted by Mike D.

I find it amusing how many posts we’re getting lately about why what other people collect isn’t good. Are we really out of productive conversations?

Mike, I kind of was using this topic starter to learn more about these sets and perhaps start to like them more, although clearly I have a strong opinion AT THIS POINT and was looking for a contrarian point of view.

One of the freeing things about collection over the years is NOT GIVING A CRAP if someone else likes your own preferences. I'm sure if I collected in the late 70s I would be more apt to like them

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by mintacular

I'm sure if I collected in the late 70s I would be more apt to like them

I would agree at least for me personally, the nostagia from the time you collected as a kid and the period specific memories do a lot for me. I would readily agree now that '86 Topps Baseball is one of the most boring sets ever conceived of, but I still love them and hold them dear because that's where I started.

[steve B]

I moved to a town with a card store in late 77, and had collected cards since very late 73.
I made a bit of "trade cash" by sorting 1978 sets from vending for the dealer.

So I have a lot of reasons to like the 78 set.
78 was a big year! chilly willee discs, Papa Ginos discs, RC cola cans, Hostess cards, Star wars..... cards were everywhere. Went to my first show early that year.

My main years collecting were 77-maybe 83?

But I can understand someone not liking the sets, by then Topps "art" dept was pretty much just mailing it in on most sports cards. I think a lot of the HOF players that have rookies in those sets are a little under rated, and the cards are too, so that there aren't any expensive cards in the sets doesn't bother me much.