1979 my first year of buying baseball packs probably collected 4 full sets just from wax packs and rack packs. For the most part I believe most of us prefer the first year we all started collecting as our favorite year, for the most part not all of us
For the 50's I would pick 56 Topps and 57 Topps with a slight edge to 57.
For the 60's I would pick 61 Topps and 67 Topps.
For the 70's I would pick 77 Topps.
The 80's have a few, 83 and 87 Topps. Donruss would be 81, 84 and 85.
Fleer would be 84 and 87.
I like 1961. A lot of great head shots and the Maris, Mantle home run chase is classic. Tough high #’s and All Star subsets. Ton of HOFERS too. Nice design. Can’t go wrong with a 60 year old set.
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
As a collector it is very hard to pick just one year. Here are a couple years that I love.
1953 Topps and Bowman Color- Art work and color for Topps and photography for Bowman.
1976 Topps because this was the first year where my dad and I started working on sets.
1973 Topps because of the vivid memories spending my $5 a week assembling the set at First Base card store in Dallas.
Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
I think overall 1956 Topps would be my favorite vintage set. In terms of stuff I collected as a kid, I have to go with 1984. Love the Donruss and Topps designs (especially the Topps All-Star cards) and 1984 Fleer was the first set I ever completed.
Todd Tobias - Grateful Collector - I focus on autographed American Football League sets, Fleer & Topps, 1960-1969, and lacrosse cards.
I'm sentimental about 1980 Topps, but I think the best design is 1956. I love the size, the horizontal layout and the combination of portrait and action photo on each card.
Collecting anything and everything relating to Roger Staubach
I'm afraid I can't play by the rules. T-202 are really nice, but is not a year.
1953 Bowman B&W for baseball. Color is very nice, but the B&W really pops. It's just too bad that there is so much less star power.
Hockey is 1954 Topps.
Football is 1962 Topps.
FUN QUESTION:
1952- Both football and baseball look great.
1977- Both look fantastic again
Can't go with 1967 only because Mantle and Mays are not really great looking cards.
1971
Thanks to those that participated by sharing images and expanding the question to select a favorite by decades. This question was initially posted about 10 years ago. I thought it was worth resurrecting to see if tastes and opinions have changed over time. In hindsight, I should have asked favorites by decade
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Comments
1958 Topps
1979 my first year of buying baseball packs probably collected 4 full sets just from wax packs and rack packs. For the most part I believe most of us prefer the first year we all started collecting as our favorite year, for the most part not all of us
1957 Topps. Clean design and true images depicting players.
For the 50's I would pick 56 Topps and 57 Topps with a slight edge to 57.
For the 60's I would pick 61 Topps and 67 Topps.
For the 70's I would pick 77 Topps.
The 80's have a few, 83 and 87 Topps. Donruss would be 81, 84 and 85.
Fleer would be 84 and 87.
1965 rose
1955 Aaron and 1955 Mays
1957 Clemente
1963 Koufax
1964 Rose
1965 Gibson
1967 Aaron
I like 1961. A lot of great head shots and the Maris, Mantle home run chase is classic. Tough high #’s and All Star subsets. Ton of HOFERS too. Nice design. Can’t go wrong with a 60 year old set.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
As a collector it is very hard to pick just one year. Here are a couple years that I love.
1953 Topps and Bowman Color- Art work and color for Topps and photography for Bowman.
1976 Topps because this was the first year where my dad and I started working on sets.
1973 Topps because of the vivid memories spending my $5 a week assembling the set at First Base card store in Dallas.
I think overall 1956 Topps would be my favorite vintage set. In terms of stuff I collected as a kid, I have to go with 1984. Love the Donruss and Topps designs (especially the Topps All-Star cards) and 1984 Fleer was the first set I ever completed.
Gotta go with 59's , but the 53 Bowman set is the most creative and simplistic for it's time and the photography is super.
I'm surprised no one said 1910; T206, E93, E96, E103, E104, E105, T210, Orange Borders, D322, etc.
Favorite set design is 1987 Fleer…
Favorite Topps set is 1983…
I'm sentimental about 1980 Topps, but I think the best design is 1956. I love the size, the horizontal layout and the combination of portrait and action photo on each card.
I'm afraid I can't play by the rules. T-202 are really nice, but is not a year.
1953 Bowman B&W for baseball. Color is very nice, but the B&W really pops. It's just too bad that there is so much less star power.
Hockey is 1954 Topps.
Football is 1962 Topps.
Not partial to anything special in basketball.
IMO, 1965 Topps is the most perfect design ever. 1975 is a close second.
FUN QUESTION:
1952- Both football and baseball look great.
1977- Both look fantastic again
Can't go with 1967 only because Mantle and Mays are not really great looking cards.
1971
Thanks to those that participated by sharing images and expanding the question to select a favorite by decades. This question was initially posted about 10 years ago. I thought it was worth resurrecting to see if tastes and opinions have changed over time. In hindsight, I should have asked favorites by decade
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
72 topps & 75 topps
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest