1980's Topps: Lazy or Nostalgic?

vintagefun

At least 4 Topps issues from the 80’s bear striking resemblances to previous counterparts (some more than others). Maybe this is well-known and already discussed at length in previous posts, but I could not find any and thought it might be a fun topic for discussion, and hopefully quell my curiosity. Coincidence? Laziness? Nostalgia?

25 Years after the 1962 issue Topps goes back to the wood borders.


20 years after the 1963 issue Topps goes back to the circles with player photo


15 years after the 1971 issue Topps goes back to the black borders


Maybe a bit more of a stretch, the 1966 and 1988 issues look similar in the 45 degree bar across the corner (especially if you turn the 88 upside down).


Just curious if this was an intentional tribute, a la Heritage, or just coincidence or laziness...or option 4, I've spent too much time looking at cards lately, so they're all starting to look the same.

jmaciu

I will say nostalgic. I think there are too many instances of these things for them to be coincidental. With the heritage series now, it is obvious that Topps like to reminisce so to speak. Me personally, I like the nostalgic technique that they use.

72skywalker

I think the 1971s and 1986s look nothing alike but I think that there are diferences in the rest to make them not at all lazy. The designs from 2000 on look almost the same to me now. If you show me a Topps card from 1952 to 1990 I could tell you the year in 2 seconds but the recent cards all look alike. (at least to me)

itzagoner

i never noticed before but Garv looks rather nostalgic and wears the confident smirk of a veteran player beloved in many a Major League town.

bishop

Very interesting post Vintage. I have all those sets but would have only made the 62 association before your post

CubsKiller99

I never really thought about the 1966-1988 similarity until you showed it side by side.

The 1988 set always seemed like a really uninspired design to me but 1966 isn't really any better.
I think the the difference is in the photography. The 1966 photos overall are just better IMHO.

The eighties sets don't have anything comparable to 1967 per photgraphy either.

billwaltonsbeard

I always thought the 1985 design kind of looked like a 'modern' version of the 1965 design.

sdsalezman

At the time, 1986 Topps was thought to be modeled after 1975 Topps and not 1971 Topps.




I'd note that Topps had a habit of having a circle inserted in the bottom of the card in years ending in three. Look at 1953, 1963, 1973 and 1983.






They didn't do this in 1993 or 2013 but they produced something similar in 2003.



One set that I think you missed is 1980 Topps which looks a lot like 1974 Topps.

Stingray

<< <i>i never noticed before but Garv looks rather nostalgic and wears the confident smirk of a veteran player beloved in many a Major League town. >>




No, it's the "I just laid my teammate's wife" and he doesn't know about it look!!

vintagefun

1974 and 1980...nice catch.

I think I see the 86 and 71's as similar due to the black border (at least on top), but I can see the 75 relation as well.

I do like that they've borrowed from the past throughout the 80's though.