When I primarily collected cards in the 70s and 80s I approached collecting in a similar manner. I collected cards from each season featuring HOFers that I found aesthetically pleasing. Below are the Topps cards I added to my collection because I found them to be most attractive or important from the sets I collected. At the time my choices were pretty constricted by my budget as well
1952 Feller, Slaughter
1953 Paige, Campanella
1954 Aaron, Kaline
1955 Koufax, Clemente
1956 Williams, Robinson
1957 Frank and Brooks Robinson
1958 Mantle, Maris
1959 Gibson, Cepeda
1960 Mantle, Clemente
1961 Marichal, Yazstremski
1962 Managers Dream Mantle and Mays, Lou Brock
1963 Drysdale, Banks
1964 Mays, Rose
1965 Carlton, Aaron
1966 Billy Williams, Palmer
1967 Aaron, Mays
1968 Ryan, Bench
1969 Jackson, Seaver
1970 McCovey, Morgan
1971 Clemente, Stargell
1972 Clemente, Mays
1973 Clemente, Jackson
1974 Aaron, Ryan, Brooks Robinson
1975 Yount, Brett
1976 Bench, Ryan