In your opinion, what is the definitive Baseball Fleer BASE set?

ThoseBackPages · June 7, 2011 2:27AM

We can all debate day and night which is the definitive Topps Base Set and of course we all have our own feelings/attachements to different years.

Since Donruss and Fleer do not have the long history that Topps does, its open to more debate.

I feel with a very strong confidence that the definitive BASE Donruss set is 1984. When it comes to Fleer, i don't have a super strong definitive base set. i'd love to hear what you guys think and your thoughts for thinking so.

saucywombat · June 7, 2011 2:35AM

I always liked the 1988 Fleer best - good photos and crisp imagery with an all american theme. Total value of $2 however.

I'd have to say 84 fleer is the pinnacle of Fleer existence because of the Mattingly and the big time cards in the Update set. Total value of at least $300.

sportscardtheory · June 7, 2011 2:39AM

Between 1984, 1985 and 1989, it's hard to say. It is one of those though. I nominate 1991 as the worst Fleer set... if not the worst set ever.

fkw · June 7, 2011 2:41AM

FYI Fleer made baseball cards 25 years before Topps ever thought of the ideal back in 1948 (not 1951, not 1952).

Though extremely rare, they do exist...

Here is mine...

alnavman · June 7, 2011 2:42AM

Although not sets issued for a specific year I still like the two all star sets from the early 60's.

YogiBerraFan · June 7, 2011 2:51AM

I always liked the 1963 set. As far as full sets go I would say 1984.

CrazyMind2017 · June 7, 2011 2:57AM

82, 90 - too bland

83, 85, 86 - too drab

84 - nice set

87 - love the nice blue borders, glossy cards look great

88 - too gimmicky

89 Griffey rookie and Ripken "error," they finally issued a nice set with gray as the main color

91 - yellow border is stupid

92 - nice set, has a premium feel to it, probably trying to compete with premium sets like Stadium Club and Ultra and even Upper Deck - i think the 92 fleer set is nicer than 91 Ultra

All that being said, the answer is 1981.

dontippet · June 7, 2011 3:22AM

1987 is the first set I thought of. Nice design, great selection of rookies.

ShootyBabitt · June 7, 2011 3:24AM

I remember the 1987 set being well received/reviewed back in the good ol' days (I was a proud subscriber to Baseball Card Monthly). It looks nice and has a lot of good RCs.

Nathaniel1960 · June 7, 2011 3:56AM

1961 Fleer.

Planemonkey · June 7, 2011 4:15AM

1987 jumps out to me as well

andycapper · June 7, 2011 4:57AM

love the 1992, and for whatever reason i found the design of 90 to be classic.

msassin · June 7, 2011 5:40AM

1987 came first to me as it was the start of my recognition that cards had value (I was 11 going on 12 that summer)

mlbfan2 · June 7, 2011 5:44AM

I say 1985 or 1987.

Griffins · June 7, 2011 5:54AM

'63.

the '23's look like strip cards. Are they a W- designation?

jacksoncoupage · June 7, 2011 6:08AM

Design-wise, 1990 will always be the definitive Fleer set for me. Building a master set of this is one of those "If I were a billionaire with nothing but time" list items.

Planemonkey · June 7, 2011 6:30AM

Just bought 5 1990 fleer sosa PSA 9 rookies off thePit thanks to this thread. at .95 each why not

Morgoth · June 7, 2011 7:14AM

1999 Fleer Tradition Glossy

rbdjr1 · June 7, 2011 7:22AM

1987, 1959 Ted Williams, 1961

(credits: all 3 are selling now on fee-bay!)

CrazyMind2017 · June 7, 2011 7:25AM

CARDSANDCOINS · June 7, 2011 7:57AM

I LIKE THE 2000 FLEER TRADITION (1954 STYLE)

fiveniner · June 7, 2011 8:31AM

1959 Ted Williams Set Vintage/1984 Modern

VitoCo1972 · June 7, 2011 8:47AM

If we're talking all time, 1963 Fleer football has to be in the discussion. For modern, I've always liked the 1984 baseball set. Clean. 85 would be second for me.

SDavid · June 7, 2011 8:49AM

fkw's and the 84's are the only ones I ever really cared for. If basketball were included, then the 61's would win out.

ThoseBackPages · June 7, 2011 10:20AM

great feedback everyone, i really appreciate it.

i've been bouncing back and forth between years myself, trying to make up my mind on just one is tough.

the tough part with the '87s seems to be finding centered PSA 9s

Edited to add: im an 80s fan, so im looking at one of those years

bigreddog · June 7, 2011 10:30AM

I also like the simple classic design of the 90 set, But overall I would have to go with the 87 set as tops.

sportscardtheory · June 7, 2011 10:35AM

'89 Fleer to me is the most fascinating '80s Fleer set. It has everything. A handful of future Hall of Famer rookie cards, error cards, variations and even a Future HOFer rookie card with rare variations. Plus an update set and rarer glossy versions of both the regular and update sets. All you can ask for from an '80s set.

jimmyg · June 7, 2011 11:03AM

It's so hard to separate the year from what was going on in my life what I was collecting:

'84 is the best because it has the update with Pete Rose in an Expos uniform and I watched him get his record breaking hit (on tv)

'86 is the best because of the Canseco rookie and I almost traded a Topps Mattingly rookie for that card (I did trade it for a Gooden Topps rookie with a creased corner)

'87 is the best because of the Joyner and Devon White rookies... one of the only years it was ok to be an Angels fan in LA

'89 is the best because I was in middle school and saved three weeks of lunch money to buy 18 of the Brookens/ Heath errors (I still have them)

(Honorable mention goes to '88 because there was the Jerry Browne error and Target had packs on sale for 27 cents a pack that year).

Ah, this hobby is chock-full of nostalgia and great years...

Dpeck100 · June 7, 2011 11:06AM

1985 Fleer. Nice design, mega star power and we drove all over Orlando looking for the cello packs.

Downtown1974 · June 7, 2011 11:22AM

I dont know why, but I really liked the 88 Fleer design. Could not stand the Donruss borders for 1988.

fkw · June 7, 2011 11:28AM

the 1923 Fleer issue uses the same strips as the W515-1 strip cards of the same year but have a back that is printed on (not stamped) and they are all machine cut (though many off center), making them different than their "W" card relative. Not all 60 players known in W515-1 have been found with a Fleer back, but probably did exist at one time. Ive only had 3 in last 30 years.

In case you cant see the writing too good the back says ...
"Every Five Cent Package of Fleer's Bobs and Fruit Hearts contains a picture of a famous person. Get the complete set of 120. FRANK H. FLEER CORPORATION Philadelphia"
so there may have been a 60 card nonsport issue also in this series

PS besides these, Id say I like the 1963 cards

thehallmark · June 7, 2011 12:40PM

<< <i>'89 Fleer to me is the most fascinating '80s Fleer set. It has everything. A handful of future Hall of Famer rookie cards, error cards, variations and even a Future HOFer rookie card with rare variations. Plus an update set and rarer glossy versions of both the regular and update sets. All you can ask for from an '80s set. >>

Totally agree with this. 1989 has something to offer in a lot of different areas.

On looks alone, I'd go for 1987 or 1990. The vintage Fleer sets look awful imo.

Big80s · June 7, 2011 12:46PM

I'd vote for 1985. One of my favorite sets from the 80's.

In your opinion, what is the definitive Baseball Fleer BASE set?

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