Poll: Leaf Jackie Robinson Rookie vs Bonds Bread Rookie

[investinrookies]

I know these two cards have been discussed many times on here in different threads but curious which one you would rather own and why? With all the debate on the Leaf vs the Bonds Portrait rookie I think it will be fun to see which one gets more votes.

[conor912]

That leaf image is visually wretched, imo.

[BobbyStrawberry]

The 47. I find it more visually appealing

[Snapolit1]

Leaf. I think the image is beyond iconic. Andy Warhol does Jackie. Love it.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Bond Bread, not Bonds.

[tedzan]

These three cards preceded Jackie's 1949 LEAF card....therefore, why is the LEAF card being considered in this poll ?
Incidently, the 1949 LEAF BB cards were issued in the Spring of 1949.
Not 1948 !


1947 Bond Bread ----------------------------------- 1948 Blue Tint------------------------------ 1948 Swell Gum
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TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[mrreality68]

Bonds bread and ideally all the varieties

[G1911]

Jackie has something like ~15 different cards before the 1949 Leaf.

Personally, the Leaf's are a very low effort and ugly set, so definitely any of the Bond Breads.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

Bonds bread and ideally all the varieties

All the varieties?

I own the swell…and a fakey square corner.

I really would like to have both the bond and the leaf. If i had to pick 1…the leaf.

[Casey2296]

As an image collector I've never understood the 49 Leaf appeal, it's ugly in my opinion, much like the American Caramel Jackson. If you want to own the best Jackie image, by a wide margin, it's the 52 Topps.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

As an image collector I've never understood the 49 Leaf appeal, it's ugly in my opinion, much like the American Caramel Jackson. If you want to own the best Jackie image, by a wide margin, it's the 52 Topps.

Yes…the 52 topps is best!

[Lorewalker]

The Leaf set is actually one of my favorites but I voted for the BB Robinson. As has been stated, the Leaf Roby was never issued in 1948 and even if it was it is not his rookie. I actually prefer the BB image for Jackie but the fact they were issued in 1947 makes them more desirable to me. I know many here do not consider it a candidate for a rookie card but I am not in that camp.

[Snowman]

I say just buy all the Jackie rookies! I bought mine in the order of preference, which for me is Leaf > Swell > Bond Bread > Blue Tint

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I say just buy all the Jackie rookies! I bought mine in the order of preference, which for me is Leaf > Swell > Bond Bread > Blue Tint

I would posit you'd be better off buying all the Cobb rookies, but that's the difference between post and pre.

[Exhibitman]

That is a poorly structured poll.

Without limits on what you can do with the card it is rational to select the Leaf even if you prefer the Bond Bread card because it costs so much more. You can sell it and buy the other and go to Hawaii with the change.

The better question is which would you rather have and keep without market considerations? If that is the question, i vote Bond Bread. it is the nicest looking of the pre-1950 Robinson cards



Same question between Leaf and 1948 Swell Sports Thrills, I vote the latter. A gum card issued a year before the Leaf and better looking.

Of course I'd trade any of them for the signed 1952 Topps at Love of the Game. That is an awesome card.

[rats60]

Leaf, black and white cards are ugly in my opinion.

[paul]

Parade Sportive.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

All the varieties?

Bond Bread I believe has 5 or 6 different images if I am correct. The round corner / square corner is one, and then there are 4 or 5 images that include white borders (one is a portrait, and then there are action shots).

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[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

Yes…the 52 topps is best!

1950 Bowman is hard to beat as far as best image of Jackie on a card.

[Belfast1933]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

As an image collector I've never understood the 49 Leaf appeal, it's ugly in my opinion, much like the American Caramel Jackson. If you want to own the best Jackie image, by a wide margin, it's the 52 Topps.

May I borrow your phrase “image collector?” - I like it! And that is what I prefer as well. I am also in the market for a new Jackie and agree that his ‘52 Topps in a tiny little work of art! (Plus, I am a sucker for the red background - Leaf Williams, Cobb Potrait)

The black and white images look more like old photos to me - it’s a great looking image of Robbie. But doesn’t look like a baseball card to me.

Sorry - off the point of the poll… image collector, I like it!

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Belfast1933

May I borrow your phrase “image collector?” - I like it! And that is what I prefer as well. I am also in the market for a new Jackie and agree that his ‘52 Topps in a tiny little work of art! (Plus, I am a sucker for the red background - Leaf Williams, Cobb Potrait)

The black and white images look more like old photos to me - it’s a great looking image of Robbie. But doesn’t look like a baseball card to me.

Sorry - off the point of the poll… image collector, I like it!

Of course, I don't think I coined the phrase but it best describes my style of collecting.

[darwinbulldog]

For me the only question is whether you go with a Bond Bread or a Parade Sportive. Officially now 1945 is classified as Jackie's rookie year by MLB, so you can go with his first issue after that MLB debut, but a) it's a minor league issue and b) it's not quite a baseball card, or you can go with the season he won the NL RoY and get what is clearly a baseball card. That would be my preference.

If you're not particular about your cards' being rookie cards you could also go with one of his later cards, but for my money none of those other cards look as good as the 1947 Bond Bread (port. w. facsimile signature) card anyway. I do think the 1949 Leaf is a nice-looking card, but not as much as the Bond Bread.

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Leaf. I think the image is beyond iconic. Andy Warhol does Jackie. Love it.

I agree. It is not even close. Like the 1952 mantle, I find many(not all) who speak out against it and for earlier less desirable cards, don’t have one. Many times they purchased the less desirable/less expensive card and are simply promoting it the wrong way(trying to tear down the best one). The piece should always speak for itself. The bond bread has not in the past nor does it now imo. It does have the 1947 date(that’s it and that has always been the case). Attempting Re-write history seems to be a thing these days.

*I will add(many not relevant to many) the original images used for both the leaf and topps mantle are both rookie images in 1947 and 1951. I believe it would have a larger bearing if not the case.

The leaf is a beautiful piece of art. Unfortunately, the printing process used was not precise so many examples don’t do it justice. If they all look like this.. we would have an even more lopsided percentage.

[G1911]

Sure, if the Leaf was a Krendler painting I would take the Leaf.

However, it is not. It is a very low effort and low quality crude colorization of a photo.

If the Bond Bread was also something completely different from reality, it could flip again.

[DeanH3]

Admittedly, I'm biased. But I'd rather own the Bond Bread. I've owned the '49 Leaf and while it's iconic, the image is really bad. Add in the new information that has surface over the last few years, make the Bond Bread more appealing to me.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by DeanH3

Admittedly, I'm biased. But I'd rather own the Bond Bread. I've owned the '49 Leaf and while it's iconic, the image is really bad. Add in the new information that has surface over the last few years, make the Bond Bread more appealing to me.

It doesn't sound to me like you're biased, it sounds to me like you have an opinion.

If I had to choose between them, I would choose the BB for the same reason, Leaf is just a bad image.

[darwinbulldog]

I happen to like the image on the '49 Leaf, but I can certainly understand not liking it. I have the same general objection to the '49 Leaf and '52 Topps sets; they're the result of thinking you can take perfectly good black and white images and make them more appealing to little kids by suffusing them with garish colors. In most cases I find it really detracts from the overall quality of the images, and in many cases (Leaf Jackie excepted) they're just plain hideous. You reliably find much better-looking color cards from the issues that use proper illustrations (1950-52 Bowman and 1953, 1955, and 1956 Topps -- and T206 for that matter).

[vansaad]

Jackie has one of the best looking run of cards in the hobby. His big three complement each other so well in color and sizing, and I love them displayed together.

But if I could chose only one, it would be the '47 Bond Bread portrait (D302). Issued during Jackie's rookie season, I'm in the crowd that considers it his true rookie. It also is a bridge to postwar, being one of the best looking B&W war-era cards before the return to color with '49 Leaf. The Bond Bread portrait (2 1/4" x 3 1/2") is also very close in size to the modern standard baseball card (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") - ten years before the '57 Topps set established the current standard. The portrait card is scarcer than the Leaf and '52 Topps, which requires some effort and patience to find a nice example. And, for an even tougher challenge, collectors can go after the remaining 12 cards in the Bond Bread Jackie Robinson set.


214297216.jpg

jackie 48 leaf.jpg

jackie 52 Topps.jpg

[Exhibitman]

I'm with Greg, Dean and Aaron on this: the Leaf just looks goofy, like someone smacked him on the head with a fungo bat. I actually like all of the Robinson cards except the 1949 Leaf and the 1949 Bowman. Neither really appeals to me aesthetically.

My favorite set since I was a kid is 1954 Topps



But I digress...I just wanted to post the 1954.

[G1911]

I love his 1954 and 1955 Topps cards, the yellow background works well. Jackie's Topps run is just gorgeous.

Mine has the misfortune of a couple creases and was taped to something on all four corners at one point. On the positive side, I bought it for $40 at a show in c. 2015 after nobody was paying the $50 original asking price. I should have bought my other Jackie needs (1950 Bowman, 1956 Topps grey back) back then, but I was poor.

[brianp-beme]

Rookie Schmookie!

I have his 1956 Topps, but I have always liked his similar 1955 Topps card. I just like the 1955 design with the team logo seen on the 1955 card, and also prefer the non-outlined portrait seen in the 1955 card (outlining is big design no-no for me). The 1956 card does have a great Jackie slide depicted, though.

Ideally my favorite card would be a combination of the layout and design with non-outlined Jackie head of the 1955 card, with the sliding background image of the 1956 card.

Brian (neither of these 1955 and 1956 bad boys are mine, nor do I have the skills to create a fantasy card to my specifications)

[michael3322]

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

1950 Bowman is hard to beat as far as best image of Jackie on a card.

I agree with Charles on this one. 1950 Bowman is my favourite Jackie card.

[bcbgcbrcb]

Have we completely forgotten about 1949 Bowman? Just as much of a Jackie rookie as 1949 Leaf, right? I get the preference for the ‘47, just sayin.

[bcbgcbrcb]

I bet if a poll was offered for the Bond Musial or ‘48 Bowman, just about everyone opts for the Bowman. (Although many will prefer the Leaf, which is clearly not a rookie choice but could still be his preferred choice much as the ‘52 Topps Mantle is.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Have we completely forgotten about 1949 Bowman? Just as much of a Jackie rookie as 1949 Leaf, right? I get the preference for the ‘47, just sayin.

Even though it was a short time, the Bowman was released after the leaf and thus does not make the cut for me.

The Leaf does not also personally due to the several issues prior and I could care less about the profit driven creation of the Beckett RC mass market designation...first is first. And first in a major league Uni is the D302 Bond Portrait, not the Bond D305.

That's why I have owned that one and admittedly sold at the peak for a nice profit. I plan on upgrading at some point in the future.

Needless to say, I would vote D302. As time goes on, I think (in the same way that the Star 101 Jordan should) be the accepted RC and have more growth.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

I bet if a poll was offered for the Bond Musial or ‘48 Bowman, just about everyone opts for the Bowman. (Although many will prefer the Leaf, which is clearly not a rookie choice but could still be his preferred choice much as the ‘52 Topps Mantle is.

I'll take that bet and win. I'd pick Propagandas Montiel over Bond for Musial, but I'd also take Bond over Bowman. That of course is the less attractive Bond set, not the Jackie only Bond set, but even so, I'd rather have an earlier and rarer card than a '48 Bowman. (I have owned all 3 but no longer have any of them.) And as I've said before, Propagandas Montiel "cards" aren't cards at all, so the Bond has a good claim to being Stan Musial's rookie card if you don't count postcards either.

[tedzan]

I collected these cards in 1949. I still have my original cards.

The 1st Series of LEAF cards was available in our neighborhood in March 1949.








.


The 1st Series (WHITE backs) of BOWMAN cards was available in our neighborhood in April - May 1949.
The GRAY backs followed in May - June.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[Snowman]

That's awesome Ted!

[investinrookies]

3 Bond Bread portrait Jackie’s ended at auction over the last few days, you likely will never see that again.

SGC 1 eBay $4700
PSA 6 PWCC $33,600
SGC 4 Heritage $11,700

While the PSA 6 has sold higher during the peak they all still faired pretty well. The SGC 4 seems like it went for a great price? Also was watching the amount of watchers on that one and it was more than most popular prewar and postwar cards. The popularity and significance of the BB rookie appears to be growing. The numbers from this poll also show it’s preferred closer to the leaf than some would of thought.


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[todeen]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

I'll take that bet and win. I'd pick Propagandas Montiel over Bond for Musial, but I'd also take Bond over Bowman. That of course is the less attractive Bond set, not the Jackie only Bond set, but even so, I'd rather have an earlier and rarer card than a '48 Bowman. (I have owned all 3 but no longer have any of them.) And as I've said before, Propagandas Montiel "cards" aren't cards at all, so the Bond has a good claim to being Stan Musial's rookie card if you don't count postcards either.

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

I bet if a poll was offered for the Bond Musial or ‘48 Bowman, just about everyone opts for the Bowman. (Although many will prefer the Leaf, which is clearly not a rookie choice but could still be his preferred choice much as the ‘52 Topps Mantle is.

Talk about an under appreciated player. Musial's cards are worth a song compared to his peers. I picked up a graded round corner Bond Bread Musial in 2020 for almost nothing; it had paper loss on the back from a scrapbook but no damage on the front. I like the B&W and the fielding pose. But I do like the Leaf card, and one day I hope I just happen upon it and can't say no. Between the two I think I'd still choose the Bond Bread. The Leaf has too many possibilities of a misprint with the color. Sometimes I think I'm looking at 3D cards when I look at Leaf.

[investinrookies]

This thread is about Jackie Robinson and the two cards in the poll, it’s not about opinions on under appreciated Stan Musial cards.


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[Exhibitman]

Relax. The conversation goes wherever it goes. That’s what makes it fun.

[investinrookies]

throw the 1948 swell into the mix here, where would it rank?

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Relax. The conversation goes wherever it goes. That’s what makes it fun.

HaHa, my wife always says to me "You're going off on a tangent, that's not what we're talking about".

My usual response is "Well, I guess we can just stop talking then."

It usually doesn't go well for me after that.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by investinrookies

This thread is about Jackie Robinson and the two cards in the poll, it’s not about opinions on under appreciated Stan Musial cards.


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"What about Berk Ross?"

" Sorry, THREAD's only about JACKIE ROBINSON"

[G1911]

Originally Posted by investinrookies

throw the 1948 swell into the mix here, where would it rank?

This thread is about the two cards in the poll, it’s not about the 1948 Swell. Stay on topic.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by G1911

This thread is about the two cards in the poll, it’s not about the 1948 Swell. Stay on topic.

+1 LOL.....

I am sticking with the 1947 issues...

I took the cheaper route on the Bond Bread cards...

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by G1911

This thread is about the two cards in the poll, it’s not about the 1948 Swell. Stay on topic.

OK, mom.

[irv]

Value/rarity aside, I prefer the Bond Bread card.
Wish I owned either one, however.

[pokerplyr80]

In general I prefer color issues to black and white, especially on the prewar stuff. This is no exception. Bond Bread is a great card, and I may pick one up some day. But I'd take the Leaf and it's not even close.