1953 or 1954 Topps?

[ParisianJohn]

Can I pick 1955 Topps?? I love the two images against the gradient backgrounds (if I'm using "gradient" correctly).

But if we're looking at 1953 vs 1954... They're both pretty awesome, but I have to lean towards 1954 if only because I have this guy in my collection.

Hank1954.jpg

[stkuhl]

My vote is 53 Topps. I love the artwork, you get Mantle and Paige, and the cards just seem less busy. That said, you couldn't go wrong choosing either set. Happy collecting.

[Exhibitman]

I am an outlier here but I do not like the art on the 1953 set. Just doesn't do it for me.

My solution is to collect 1954 and pick up a few 1953s that I like.

[ChasingPaper]

54 gets my vote. A portrait of the player and action pose in one card and I also do not care much for the artistic design on the 53s.

[rhettyeakley]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I am an outlier here but I do not like the art on the 1953 set. Just doesn't do it for me.

My solution is to collect 1954 and pick up a few 1953s that I like.

I agree. Way too many giant heads.

There was a lot of potential with the 1953’s but they (stupidly imo) chose to do all close up head shots!

If all the cards looked like the 1953 Topps Willie Mays it would possibly be my favorite set from the 1950’s.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I'm simply not a fan of artwork on cards from this late in the game, especially when this era produced some of the most beautiful photography in the history of the sport. I suppose I'm partial to seeing actual images of these players. There's something far more authentic about that experience.

1953 or '54 Topps? How about 1953 and 1954 Bowman? Talk about things of beauty. Man, have some of those those colors aged better than the finest spirits. Same goes for the previously mentioned '57 Topps photos.

[lumberjack]

Probably the best critique of Topps and Bowman comes from, "The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book," by Fred Harris.

They described a card from the '58 T set as looking as though a gravy boat landed on top of the man's head.

In order to cover all the bases, if a player was traded, they would shoot him without a baseball cap. Jeeze, everybody knows a baseball player wears a hat, otherwise they look like the guy who came over to fix your sink.

I think Topps got as good as it was going to get in 1957. TCMA tried to copy that about 18 years later.

As a kid, I was so wrapped up in owning the early 50s Bowmans that I never realized there were black lines around the players. It was as though Gauguin was working for Bowman Gum.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I am an outlier here but I do not like the art on the 1953 set. Just doesn't do it for me.

I'm another outlier. Gimme the 1954 Topps with the real photos. It won't surprise anyone that I'm not enthralled with T206, T205s, T207s, 1933 Goudeys, etc. Gimme the real photo cards, such as the Old Judges and the various 1916 to late 1920's black & white cards, every day of the week.

[conor912]

The '54 design always bugged be...specially the border choice. Either put the white on all four sides or do a full bleed, but the white on three sides just makes every single card look miscut to me.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by conor912

The '54 design always bugged be...specially the border choice. Either put the white on all four sides or do a full bleed, but the white on three sides just makes every single card look miscut to me.

Yes, I'm sure a lot of people feel this way.

Frankly, if I had to collect either '53 or '54 but had the option for doing other '50's Topps sets, these two would be right at the bottom for the decade (outside of 1951, but I don't personally count those as major sets). Bottom of the barrel.

[Mrc32]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I am an outlier here but I do not like the art on the 1953 set. Just doesn't do it for me.

My solution is to collect 1954 and pick up a few 1953s that I like.

This is the right answer for me. I've completed the 54 set. It is beautiful. And I have a 1953 Paige card....