Just completed: Full run of Topps regular issue Hank Aaron cards

BaltimoreYankee

Hank Aaron has always been my favorite player. I’ve had a bunch of his cards in my collection for a long time. After building a 1954 Topps set (and acquiring his rookie card), I decided to go for a complete run of his regular issue Topps cards.
Here they are in chronological order. The last one I needed was the 1960 issue – just got today in the mail.
It’s interesting that Topps used the same head shot for Aaron’s first 3 cards (with Willie Mays sliding in the background of the 1956 card). My favorite Aaron cards are: 1955, 1957 (reverse negative showing Hank as a lefty hitter), 1965 and 1967. I also like how the ’76 card has Hank sporting the “M” logo on the helmet as he finished his MLB career where he started: back in Milwaukee.

Stone193

Congratulations Daniel.

I think my favorites? 1957 and 58.

Agree on the head shot on the first 3 cards - seemed very lazy on their part or perhaps that was the best they had?

BaltimoreYankee

@Stone193 said:
Congratulations Daniel.

I think my favorites? 1957 and 58.

Agree on the head shot on the first 3 cards - seemed very lazy on their part or perhaps that was the best they had?

Thanks Mike! - It also looks funny seeing the 1968 and '69 cards side by side. That was Topps being lazy with an established superstar.

ahopkins

Major props! That is awesome, Daniel!

What's the next project?

Andy

jlvette50

Very nice!! Well done. Great looking cards. I like the look of the 1970 card, I'm not sure why.

JBrules

Nicely done. Congrats. An Aaron run is on my bucket list. Do you have another player run you are working on?

BLUEJAYWAY

Looks great. You did well. Now get started on the Topps Coins,Stamps etc. if you haven't already.

jay0791

Super nice run.
I also like the 68 and 69 s-s.

all in nice eye pleasing grades.

I like portrait and stance type cards vs action scenes....so I love all of Aaron's cards. The 57 Rev Neg is my fav,

GreenSneakers

You know thats Munson in your profile pic, right? Time to change that to Hank!

Nice job

AFLfan

Very nice! I've been really appreciating player collections recently. You picked a great one!

GregB

Wow, beautiful run, those early ones all look undergraded, nice work !

bishop

Great run of a great player

mexpo75

Congrats! That is a cool run of cards.

BaltimoreYankee

Thanks all for the comments. To me, these boards are great to gain knowledge and also to share our collecting passions. One other comment on Hank's cards in general: It would have been nice if Topps did a regular 1974 card and used the card they made as a special.
Regarding the questions in this thread: next for me is a nice grade (raw) 1972 set build and no, I don't have another particular player I want to build a complete run on. The Aaron thing just kind of happened once I realized I had a great majority of his cards. Brooks Robinson might be cool as he had a long run all with one team.

rbsalezman

"BaltimoreYankee Posts: 2,420 ✭✭✭ March 9, 2019 3:33PM
@Stone193 said:
Congratulations Daniel.

I think my favorites? 1957 and 58.

Agree on the head shot on the first 3 cards - seemed very lazy on their part or perhaps that was the best they had?

Thanks Mike! - It also looks funny seeing the 1968 and '69 cards side by side. That was Topps being lazy with an established superstar."

The reuse of the photo in 1969 wasn't lazy on Topps part. Marvin Miller, the head of the players union, had the MLBPA members boycott taking new pictures with Topps in order to get paid more for their photo rights. It's why the lower series photos (Aaron is card #100) are full of players photos that were taken from years prior as well as lots of hat-less poses or photos with airbrushed caps. Topps also filled the early series with more rookie prospect cards than usual because they planned for the boycott by taking a lot of additional photos of up and coming minor leaguers.

The deal wasn't settled until after a few series came out which is why it's mainly a low series problem.

stwainfan

Awesome cards.

flatfoot816

congrats on a super completion! My fav is the '55

pab1969

Great run of cards. They are very well presented. Are you going for his league leader cards or record breaking cards (1975 and 1976) too? You might as well.

slum22

This is fantastic. Congratulations Daniel. Very impressive run of cards. I love seeing player threads like this where you can see the progression of a player go from young guy with potential to end of career HOFer.

ssdawg77

Very nice. I would like to do this one day with several players, unfortunately I can't seem to stay focused long enough.

NGS428

Very nice cards of Hank!