10 All-Time Favorite Baseball Cards (irrespective of monetary value)

bobbybakeriv

This post is absolutely just for fun. These aren't necessarily the cards I'd prefer owning, but they are my favorites in terms of personal sentiment and aesthetic appeal. My list is admittedly fluid (i.e., it changes nearly every time I go through my stuff ). Post yours if/when you can! I enjoy learning about the preferences of others (and why).

I love the Nettles card simply because the Yankees were my favorite team as a kid, I played 3rd Base in little league, and he was the first AS card I ever pulled. I love the Kingman due to its eye appeal and the surprise (to me) of seeing someone I'd never even heard of being designated as an AS. Plus, "Kong" as a nickname was fantastically cool to an impressionable kid. Just examples. I'd love to see your comparable lists and hear some of your rationale as well.

My Top Ten:

1) 1976 Topps Graig Nettles
2) 1976 Topps Rod Carew
3) 1975 Topps Pete Rose
4) 1977 Topps Steve Garvey
5) 1978 Topps Reggie Jackson
6) 1977 Topps Thurman Munson
7) 1977 Topps George Brett
8) 1976 Topps Reggie Jackson
9) 1976 Topps Pete Rose
10) 1977 Topps Dave Kingman

ahopkins

1) 1984 Topps Mattingly
2) 1950 Bowman Williams
3) 1980 Topps Henderson
4) 1969 Topps Bench
5) 1988 Topps Greenwell
6) 1968 Topps Ryan
7) 1967 Topps Yastrzemski
8) 1985 Fleer Clemens
9) 1974 Topps Schmidt
10) 1948 Bowman Musial

These are cards I could stare at (and have stared at) forever. They are images of baseball to me, past and present. They are what formed my impression of the hobby and baseball culture. I shall always look upon them fondly.

countdouglas

These are the first 10 that come to mind, the ones that got me excited when I was starting out in the 80s, and yet they still bring a thrill.

1974 Reggie Jackson
1971 Thurman Munson
1980 Rickey Henderson
1976 Johnny Bench
1980 Nolan Ryan
1981 Topps George Brett
1984 Topps Darryl Strawberry
1986 Topps Don Mattingly
1987 Donruss Bo Jackson
1987 Classic Update Barry Bonds

SpinFadeSplash23

1) 1985 Donruss Eric Davis

softparade

@ahopkins said:
1) 1984 Topps Mattingly
2) 1950 Bowman Williams
3) 1980 Topps Henderson
4) 1969 Topps Bench
5) 1988 Topps Greenwell
6) 1968 Topps Ryan
7) 1967 Topps Yastrzemski
8) 1985 Fleer Clemens
9) 1974 Topps Schmidt
10) 1948 Bowman Musial

These are cards I could stare at (and have stared at) forever. They are images of baseball to me, past and present. They are what formed my impression of the hobby and baseball culture. I shall always look upon them fondly.

Don't you mean 1987 Topps Greenwell?

ahopkins

@softparade said:

@ahopkins said:
1) 1984 Topps Mattingly
2) 1950 Bowman Williams
3) 1980 Topps Henderson
4) 1969 Topps Bench
5) 1988 Topps Greenwell
6) 1968 Topps Ryan
7) 1967 Topps Yastrzemski
8) 1985 Fleer Clemens
9) 1974 Topps Schmidt
10) 1948 Bowman Musial

These are cards I could stare at (and have stared at) forever. They are images of baseball to me, past and present. They are what formed my impression of the hobby and baseball culture. I shall always look upon them fondly.

Don't you mean 1987 Topps Greenwell?

Nope. The 88 Topps is my favorite Greenwell. It's got the cup and a great action shot. In 1987, Greenwell wasn't the hitter he was in 1988 and 1989, and so the 88 emerged at the same time as he emerged.

brad31

Cards shown not mine (I wish they were!) just for illustrative purposes

1) 1953 Bowman Pee Wee Reese

2) T202 Hassan Triple Folder Ty Cobb/Hugh Jennings/Cobb sliding

3) 1953 Bowman Eddie Mathews

4) 1953 Topps Jackie Robinson

5) 1956 Topps Clemente

6)1950 Bowman Yogi Berra

7) 1955 Bowman Hank Aaron

8) 1982 Topps Carlton Fisk In Action

9) 1958 World Series Batting Foes

10) 1953 Topps Satchel Paige

graygator

The ones I always seem to pause over.

10) 1989 UD Murphy reverse negative
9) 1935 Diamond Stars Mickey Cochrane
8) 1984 Fleer Glenn Hubbard
7) 1971 Topps Munson
6) 1985 Donruss Clemens
5) t206 Speaker
4) 1989 UD Griffey
3) 1987 Topps Rick Schu (the torn knee captured me at age 11)
2) 1953 Bowman Reese
1) 1987 Topps Bo Jackson

jackstraw

In no particular order:
1976 Topps Lou Brock
1976 Topps Reggie Jackson
1976 Topps Rod Carew
1975 Topps Brooks Robinson
1976 Topps Hank Aaron RB
1977 Topps Thurman Munson
1977 Topps Robin Yount
1979 O Pee Chee Pete Rose
1980 O Pee Chee Nolan Ryan
1981 O Pee Chee Reggie Jackson

ahopkins

@graygator said:
3) 1987 Topps Rick Schu (the torn knee captured me at age 11)

I'm a big fan of that card, too. I always point it out to my son when he gets out his little collection of Phillies cards.

Darin

The 1970 Tom Seaver. It was the first star card my brothers and I ever got
from opening wax packs. Back then we opened packs, never heard of ripping them. LOL.
Also 75 Brett because its his rookie and 81 topps Brett because I liked seeing that .390 avg on back.
Always liked the 67 Stargell because its just a really good picture of Willie.

bobbybakeriv

@graygator said:
The ones I always seem to pause over.

10) 1989 UD Murphy reverse negative
9) 1935 Diamond Stars Mickey Cochrane
8) 1984 Fleer Glenn Hubbard
7) 1971 Topps Munson
6) 1985 Donruss Clemens
5) t206 Speaker
4) 1989 UD Griffey
3) 1987 Topps Rick Schu (the torn knee captured me at age 11)
2) 1953 Bowman Reese
1) 1987 Topps Bo Jackson

That's quite an eclectic list! NIce.

DBesse27

I can’t put together a list of 10 right now, but the 51 Bowman Campanella has always been my choice for #1.

Kid4hof03

This is a very cool thread. Just going off the top of my head:

1964 Roger Maris
1956 Mickey Mantle
1971 Thurman Munson
1976 Pete Rose
1979 Rod Carew
1981 Reggie Jackson
1973 Roberto Clemente
1960 Bob Gibson
1974 Hank Aaron
1971 Brooks Robinson

jordangretzkyfan

You can always tell which era we were kids based on the cards people select. That’s what I like about this thread...everyone focuses on what is nostalgic to them. I am going to start with the cards of the three historic RCs that I idolize. Simply perfect pictures of these “future stars” captured on cardboard immortality...

Great players play the game well, the greatest players change the way the game is played. That is why this card easily makes my top 5. Rickey disrupted pitchers, destroyed the base paths and changed what a lead off hitter can do...

I was a kid collector in the 1980s, so my bias is from this era. I know the 1989 UD is the most iconic card from the decade, but I personally love his first card issued. Junior is only 17 in this picture and this card predates his “rookies” by 2 full years...

My favorite player as a kid was Frank Thomas and this card is simply stunning of a young Big Hurt...

As a collector in 1987 and 1988, there were no two hotter rookie cards than these two studs. The Grace will always be associated with the first box my grandpa bought and opened with me. The Eric Davis RC was a card my grandmother gave me for my birthday...

This was the first “big time” card I landed as a kid and it still remains one of my favorite cards of all time...

My very first set I collected as a kid was 1987 Topps. Kevin Mitchell cards heated up big-time in 1989 as the Giants made the World Series. Playing alongside Will Clark and Matt Williams, the trio bashed all kinds of long balls. The image on this RC has always been one of my favorite action shots...

WFFL

@brad31 said:
Cards shown not mine (I wish they were!) just for illustrative purposes

1) 1953 Bowman Pee Wee Reese

2) T202 Hassan Triple Folder Ty Cobb/Hugh Jennings/Cobb sliding

3) 1953 Bowman Eddie Mathews

4) 1953 Topps Jackie Robinson

5) 1956 Topps Clemente

6)1950 Bowman Yogi Berra

7) 1955 Bowman Hank Aaron

8) 1982 Topps Carlton Fisk In Action

9) 1958 World Series Batting Foes

10) 1953 Topps Satchel Paige

Great eye! Those are awesome!

bobbybakeriv

@jordangretzkyfan said:
You can always tell which era we were kids based on the cards people select. That’s what I like about this thread...everyone focuses on what is nostalgic to them. I am going to start with the cards of the three historic RCs that I idolize. Simply perfect pictures of these “future stars” captured on cardboard immortality...

Super cool list and rationale.

soxaddict

These were my first additions to my card collection. My dad bought these for me at the Nashville flea market for my birthday in 1980, I was 10. I remember wanting a 1952 Mantle, but my dad was unwilling to fork out the $1500 book value at the time, haha!

1. 1967 Topps Mickey Mantle
2. 1959 Topps Duke Snider
3. 1963 Topps Stan Musial
4. 1964 Topps Willie Mays
5. 1961 Topps Carl Yastrzemski
6. 1958 Topps Warren Spahn
7. 1959 Topps Roberto Clemente
8. 1968 Topps Mickey Mantle
9. 1958 Topps Hank Aaron
10. 1958 Topps Eddie Matthews

OAKESY25

1983 FLEER RON KITTLE
1982 TOPPS in action Carlton Fisk
1971 Thurman Munson
1978 Reggie Jackson
1962 Roger Maris
1963 Post Blue Lines Roberto Clemente
1984 Fleer Don Mattingly
1987 donruss Bo Jackson
1985 Topps Mark Mcgwire
1989 UD Ken Griffey JR

off the top of my head, I will probably want to edit this 45 times.

bobbybakeriv

@soxaddict said:
These were my first additions to my card collection. My dad bought these for me at the Nashville flea market for my birthday in 1980, I was 10. I remember wanting a 1952 Mantle, but my dad was unwilling to fork out the $1500 book value at the time, haha!

1. 1967 Topps Mickey Mantle
2. 1959 Topps Duke Snider
3. 1963 Topps Stan Musial
4. 1964 Topps Willie Mays
5. 1961 Topps Carl Yastrzemski
6. 1958 Topps Warren Spahn
7. 1959 Topps Roberto Clemente
8. 1968 Topps Mickey Mantle
9. 1958 Topps Hank Aaron
10. 1958 Topps Eddie Matthews

What a great birthday and cool Dad !!!!!!

bobbybakeriv

@ahopkins said:

@graygator said:
3) 1987 Topps Rick Schu (the torn knee captured me at age 11)

I'm a big fan of that card, too. I always point it out to my son when he gets out his little collection of Phillies cards.

What's the story there? I don't believe I've heard about that one.

graygator

@bobbybakeriv said:

@ahopkins said:

@graygator said:
3) 1987 Topps Rick Schu (the torn knee captured me at age 11)

I'm a big fan of that card, too. I always point it out to my son when he gets out his little collection of Phillies cards.

What's the story there? I don't believe I've heard about that one.

He just looked like a hard-nosed ball player to me. Not my image.

bobbybakeriv

@graygator said:

@bobbybakeriv said:

@ahopkins said:

@graygator said:
3) 1987 Topps Rick Schu (the torn knee captured me at age 11)

I'm a big fan of that card, too. I always point it out to my son when he gets out his little collection of Phillies cards.

What's the story there? I don't believe I've heard about that one.

He just looked like a hard-nosed ball player to me. Not my image.

I get it now. His uniform is torn at the knee. He does look like a hard-nosed player!

1957Braves

I have always loved the look of this card (not my image). Seems to capture exactly what the early ‘80s Brewers were. American League Champs or third-shift beer league softball. Could easily be both. Lots of great stories of Mr. Thomas having a cold one in the parking lot with fans after games.

If anyone has an ‘83 Fleer Cello with this card on top, let me know if you’re willing to sell.

AC000000

1) Old Judge - Art Whitney with Dog - Don’t need to say nothing. All you gotta do is look at it and you know.
2) T205 - Ty Cobb - Joe Orlando said it best: “This card is like a piece of art.”
3) 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #144 - Ruth swinging. Maybe the greatest baseball card of all time.
4) 1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig #37 - just a beautiful portrait.
5) 1941 Play Ball Joe DiMaggio - Terrific swinging portrait and beautiful colors.
6) 1948 Leaf Ted Williams - Again, a terrific swinging portrait.
7) 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle - c’mon man. Handsome portrait. Whadda action shot!
8) 1961 Topps Ron Santo - I think maybe the most perfect card of all time. Rookie Card. Terrific clean and clear batting stance pose. Topps All Star trophy in the foreground and in the background beautiful Wrigley Field - the ivy, the old cat walk pre built up stadium club buildings.
9) 1985 Topps Dwight Gooden - look at that glare. If I were a hitter I’d take an intentional strike out than take an at bat against that.
10) 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr - it’s like the modern day ‘34 Goudey Gehrig. And it’s the watershed card of today’s modern baseball card. From this card, baseball card production and quality finally took a 50 year leap forward.

mintonlypls

1. '56 Mick (added action shot is a show stopper)
2. '57 Mick (added bonus is the groundskeeper Rookie Card in the background)
3. '74 Nolan Ryan (hit it if you can...it's coming at you!)
4. '78 Reggie (powerful swing)
5. '76 Bench (dust all around him...dirty job)
6. '64 Rose (nice portrait of hit King...like him or not)
7. ''56 Mays (safe at home)
8. '66 Mays (Glove and ball in hands...just hit one my way)
9. '63 Clemente (gorgeous colors)
10. '63 Koufax (colors are beautiful again)
11. '64 Koufax KKs 15 (beautiful action shot of pitching pose of Sandy) I'm on a roll and can't stop at 10
12. '55 Aaron (yellow background really sets off portrait better than 54 orange of same portrait)
13. '63 Brock (love the coloration...beautiful Topps production!)
14. '62 F.Robinson (watching the ball in flight)
15. '66 Joe Morgan (fielding stance of one of the all time best 2nd baseman)
16. '55 Jackie Robinson (gradual tones of background yellow really sets off his portrait of an iconic African American ballplayer... just like the '55 Aaron)
17. '65 Bob Gibson (looking in for the sign...and batter don't dare to dig in)
18. '54 Ernie Banks (when centered top to bottom...a beautiful shot of Mr Cub)
19. '61 Berra (Yankee facade of the house that Ruth built is an added bonus to nice batting pose of Yogi)
20. '61 Santo (for reasons stated above)
21. '74 Schmidt (batting pose of all-time 3rd baseman)
22. '54 Ted Williams (colors, action swing, portrait to boot)
23. '67 Brooks Robinson (always liked this batting pose of the human vacuum cleaner)
24. '58 Roger Maris (beautiful portrait when colors pop and registration is dead on)
25. '57 Whitey Ford (okay I will stop here...nice full body pitching pose))

bobbybakeriv

" I'm on a roll and can't stop at 10"

I get it. My list could go on or change on a near daily basis.

PNWcollector

1949 Bowman Stan Musial
1951 Bowman Roy Campanella
1953 Topps Satchel Paige
1955 Bowman Mickey Mantle
1956 Topps Hank Aaron
1957 Topps Duke Snider
1957 Topps Mickey Mantle
1959 Topps Ernie Banks
1963 Topps Sandy Koufax
1966 Topps Billy Williams

In4apenny

1988 Donruss Mark Grace 10? Unbelievable!

coinspacks

I like this one

VitoCo1972

I look at that 82 Fisk and am honestly reminded that he has the best career run of cards and I don't think it's close. 73 Topps he looks like a complete badass even though he's like 24. 74 Topps is great In Action shot, 77 Topps is a fantastic action shot, that 1982 Topps you posted, 1984 and 85 Topps are both good, 1991 Topps is more great action.

nam812

@VitoCo1972 said:
I look at that 82 Fisk and am honestly reminded that he has the best career run of cards and I don't think it's close. 73 Topps he looks like a complete badass even though he's like 24. 74 Topps is great In Action shot, 77 Topps is a fantastic action shot, that 1982 Topps you posted, 1984 and 85 Topps are both good, 1991 Topps is more great action.

How the heck did he play so long and only end up with 2,300+ hits?

mrmopar

I was a big fan of the AS badges of the 70s myself, probably because they were usually the better players, but often there were some great action shots with them as well when they weren't necessarily the best of the best, like the Staub from 1977.

I would agree with several myself, and using just the AS cards from that era, my top picks from memory would be:

1980 Ryan
1979 Rose
1979 Carew
1978 Jackson
1977 Garvey
1977 Carew
1977 Fidrych
1977 Rose
1976 Bench
1976 Brock

@bobbybakeriv said:
This post is absolutely just for fun. These aren't necessarily the cards I'd prefer owning, but they are my favorites in terms of personal sentiment and aesthetic appeal. My list is admittedly fluid (i.e., it changes nearly every time I go through my stuff ). Post yours if/when you can! I enjoy learning about the preferences of others (and why).

I love the Nettles card simply because the Yankees were my favorite team as a kid, I played 3rd Base in little league, and he was the first AS card I ever pulled. I love the Kingman due to its eye appeal and the surprise (to me) of seeing someone I'd never even heard of being designated as an AS. Plus, "Kong" as a nickname was fantastically cool to an impressionable kid. Just examples. I'd love to see your comparable lists and hear some of your rationale as well.

My Top Ten:

1) 1976 Topps Graig Nettles
2) 1976 Topps Rod Carew
3) 1975 Topps Pete Rose
4) 1977 Topps Steve Garvey
5) 1978 Topps Reggie Jackson
6) 1977 Topps Thurman Munson
7) 1977 Topps George Brett
8) 1976 Topps Reggie Jackson
9) 1976 Topps Pete Rose
10) 1977 Topps Dave Kingman

bobbybakeriv

@mrmopar said:
I was a big fan of the AS badges of the 70s myself, probably because they were usually the better players, but often there were some great action shots with them as well when they weren't necessarily the best of the best, like the Staub from 1977.

I would agree with several myself, and using just the AS cards from that era, my top picks from memory would be:

1980 Ryan
1979 Rose
1979 Carew
1978 Jackson
1977 Garvey
1977 Carew
1977 Fidrych
1977 Rose
1976 Bench
1976 Brock

FANTASTIC list! I can't argue with a single choice.

totallyradd

These are the ones I came up with just off the top of my head. Those junk wax cards were my favorites as a kid, still love em.
By year:
1950 Bowman Jackie Robinson
1953 Bowman Pee Wee Reese
1959 Topps Bob Gibson
1979 Topps Paul Molitor
1989 Topps Don Mattingly
1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr
1990 Score Bo Jackson (Black And Blue)
1991 Upper Deck Nolan Ryan
2013 Topps Mike Trout #27
2018 Topps Update Ronald Acuna #HMT25

But after scrolling through this list to make sure I didn't miss anything, I seriously gotta find that Old Judge of Art Whitney and the dog. We have a Maltese Shihtzu, that card is amazing. I'm sure it comes at a hefty premium, and most likely one out of my range. The reprints won't do that one justice.

bobsbbcards

My list changes from time to time, but some cards that keep bubbling to the surface are:

1953 Bowman B&W #39 Casey Stengel

1953 Bowman Color #8 Al Rosen

1954 Wilson Franks Ted Williams

1964 Kahn's Pete Rose

1965 Topps #450 Elson Howard

1967 Topps #505 Tommy Helms

1969 Topps #90 Jerry Koosman

1969 Topps Super #60 Bob Gibson

1971 Topps Greatest Moments #48 Frank Howard

bobbybakeriv

@bobsbbcards

Those are outstanding!

AFLfan

This has always been a favorite... (not my card)

72skywalker

1. 1981 fleer Craig Nettles (this is the error version of the Greg Nettles card that my father had a hard time finding for us in 1981)
2. 1980 Topps Reggie Jackson (My favorite player as a kid on the first year of collecting)
3. 1979 Topps Reggie Jackson (Favorite player )
4. 1984 Topps Don Mattingly (First rookie card to have)
5. 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly (First high dollar card to get)
6. 1978 Topps Johnny Bench (Just a cool looking baseball card)
7. 1968 Topps Mickey Mantle (My father gave it to me)
8. 1988 Donruss Greg Jeffries (first card that I got from a pack that I saw was listed over $1.00. listed at $1.25 when I only paid $.25 for the pack.)
9. 1976 Topps Kurt Bevaqua bubble gum card (I don't know why but I just always liked it.)
10. 1954 Topps Jackie Robinson (card)
11. 1989 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr. (my cousin and I busted many packs for these back in 1989.)

blurryface

fun cards from growing up:

84 fleer hubbard w snake
87 donruss greenwell w red mark
89 ud murphy reverse neg.
88 topps wade boggs
86 donruss canseco
72 topps billy martin
89 ff
91 ud jordan sp
89 procards keith comstock
84 ryan tiffany

bobbybakeriv

@blurryface said:
fun cards from growing up:

84 fleer hubbard w snake
87 donruss greenwell w red mark
89 ud murphy reverse neg.
88 topps wade boggs
86 donruss canseco
72 topps billy martin
89 ff
91 ud jordan sp
89 procards keith comstock
84 ryan tiffany

I love it that all you have to put is "89 ff" and most of us know what card that is.... LOL. Billy may not have achieved a ton on the field (relatively) but he will live on in the collecting world forever. How they didn't catch this is beyond me.