Most Iconic Cards list from the Athletic

[Snapolit1]

I agree. The Griffey card is known by millions of people. The Ruth rookie, no.

It’s like arguing that some obscure song by Muddy Waters is more iconic than Rock Around the Clock. It isn’t.

[Republicaninmass]

Even the 1990 score black and white bo jackson will "stir memories " among collectors in that bracket.

Could be the age talking, but the hype was there.


86 donruss canseco

[RCMcKenzie]

I missed the late 80's and early 90's. I don't even know what Griffey you are calling his rookie. Is it this Bowman one? I can see where someone might call it iconic. I can point to rookie cards 1983 and earlier, but I don't know what Griffey, Jr., or Frank Thomas, or Jeff Bagwells' rookies look like. Don't they all have scores of rookies and Score rookies?

When someone says "Ken Griffey", what pops into my head is 70's Reds, like Dan Driessen.
Hostess Driessen = iconic


One time I started an unpopular thread titled "The Last Baseball Card" and posted a 1983 Donruss Tony Gwynn rookie...

[Misunderestimated]

The list from the Athletic (which is mostly listed above -- except it has the T206 Cobb when the list actually includes the T3 Cobb)... was multi-sport and tilted heavily towards baseball it actually had certain criteria and a was assembled by a panel.. Its a good site but I didn't post the link to get them subscribers.

Anyway
My "iconics" are based on the image of the card as well as the meaning and importance of the card ... I didn't have very many recent cards either -- I guess they aren't iconic to me yet although I almost put that Score Bo Jackson card on the list.

Baseball
N172 Ewing w Mascott
T206 Wagner (Honus not Heinie)
T205 Mathewson
T202 Cobb/Jennings (classic Conlon photo in the middle)
14-15 CJ Jackson
52 Topps Mantle
33 Goudey Ruth
34 Goudey Gehrig (Portrait)
33-34 Lajoie
39 PB Williams
41 PB DiMaggio
48 Bomwan Musial
52 Topps Mantle and Mays (much much better looking than the 51 Bowmans)
53 Bowman Reese (this is just the most beautiful card)
53 Topps Jackie Robinson
54 Topps H. Aaron
55 Topps R Clemente
68 Koosman/Ryan
89 UD Griffey

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Football:
33 Sport Kings Jim Thorpe
35 Chicle Bronko Nagurski
55 Topps All-Americans Four Horsemen (Great Set)
58 Topps Jim Brown
65 Namath (tall)
76 Topps Payton (sweetness smiling)
I assume that there is some Brady card out there?
--
Hoops
48 Mikan
57 Russell
61 Wilt
69 Alcindor (long tall boy) RC
76 Topps Dr J (Great image and really big card... I love this set)
80-81 Bird/Johnson/Erving
84 Star MJ
86 Fleer MJ (yes MJ gets 2 cards!)
UD #1 Shaq RC (great shot of a slim Shaq dunking)

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Hockey (I don't know as much about Hockey so my decisions are dubious)
Gordie Howe "Mr. Hockey" ,54-55 Topps (his rookie is this awful little Parkhurst card from '51 ... I guess if I were a real Hockey person it would be "iconic" but I've always liked the Topps card that's colorful and bright and says "Mr. Hockey")
Orr RC -- looks like a 55 bowman to me ... I think there is a tall boy that came out a year or two later that's kinda cool too?
Gretzky OPC RC

Also:
T9 Jack Johnson
1997-98 Grand Slam Ventures Tiger Woods