If you could make the Big 3 into the Big 4, what set are you adding?

[glchen]

I think the criteria should include that the set:
(1) Is completable even in a recognized partial form, such as T206 w/o Big 4 or Goudey w/o the Lajoie card

(2) Has a headliner card. T206 (Wagner), Goudey (Lajoie), 52 Topps (Mantle)

Even though the N172 is a great set, I don't know if it has either of these criteria. The E107 is a great set with headliners in the Wagner and Mathewson cards, but I don't know if anyone has ever completed it or if there is a recognized partial set that folks agree is "complete." I don't know if the T3 Cobb is a big enough card to be the headliner. The W600 has the Wagner headliner, but again, I don't know if anyone has ever completed this set.

Given this, I would go with the 1914 Cracker Jack as entering the Big 4 with the horizontal Mathewson card as the headliner, and the Cobb as close behind.

[JollyElm]

Since I don't have a clue what an N172 is, my vote is for something with a very similar name, 1972 Topps, which is quite a monstrous (get it, sort of a latter day version of 'The Monster'?) and psychedelic fan favorite set for many of us post-war guys.

[Eric72]

Here are a few of the sets I've considered:

1949 Leaf Baseball
1986-87 Fleer Basketball (ETA: this is just one set...the TPGs have shorthanded it to "1986 Fleer")
1993 Finest Baseball Refractors

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by glchen

I think the criteria should include that the set:
(1) Is completable even in a recognized partial form, such as T206 w/o Big 4 or Goudey w/o the Lajoie card

(2) Has a headliner card. T206 (Wagner), Goudey (Lajoie), 52 Topps (Mantle)

Even though the N172 is a great set, I don't know if it has either of these criteria. The E107 is a great set with headliners in the Wagner and Mathewson cards, but I don't know if anyone has ever completed it or if there is a recognized partial set that folks agree is "complete." I don't know if the T3 Cobb is a big enough card to be the headliner. The W600 has the Wagner headliner, but again, I don't know if anyone has ever completed this set.

Given this, I would go with the 1914 Cracker Jack as entering the Big 4 with the horizontal Mathewson card as the headliner, and the Cobb as close behind.

I agree with all of this. 1914 CJ.

[Schwertfeger1007]

Originally Posted by calvindog

I agree with all of this. 1914 CJ.

N172 really could be done with one image per subject minus west coast players. I'd also argue that rarity is what makes a set great. If 100's of people can complete it with just "dollars" then it's just not as special.

While maybe not as well known as the 34 (err 33) Goudey Lajoie, there is absolutely an iconic card in the Anson in Uniform. When is the last time you saw a public sale of one of those??

First comprehensive baseball card set, Pioneers of the game, Multiple player poses including action and portraits, Actual photographic images...hands down best set of all time. (T206 and 1914 CJ round out my top 3)

[Leon]

my choice...

To me, N172 IS 19th Century baseball. I only have a few but that would be my choice.
.

[Misunderestimated]

I guess I'm torn between the 1887-90 OJs (N172) and the 1914 (or 15) CJs. .......
Maybe the other set should be something since 1952... Not sure what though. I thought the first Upper Deck set ('89) was significant at the time but 35 years later I can't really get that excited about it. The 53 Bowman Coior set is great too but its only a year after the '52 Topps and it's missing some of the biggest names of the era (Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams and Willie Mays)...

[Beercan collector]

Big Five ! Big Five ! Big Five ! 🙂
They are both worthy

[Dave-Illini]

The Cracker Jack sets would be my choice for a fourth one.