Is "modern" still "modern"?

[nolemmings]

While I can understand the series/one shot breakup at '74. I think it's probably insignificant enough compared to other changes that were to come...

Yes and no, IMO. I think the changes were more significant, and they began in 1973, not 1974. That was the first of what I consider the "canned" 660 series sets-- five in a row of exactly that same size, with the cards printed all at once and available all at once (at least in parts of the country for '73). It also was the first year where Topps began to transition to "action" rather than posed photos as the standard card depiction, having experimented with a couple handfuls of such photos in 1971 from some New York games and then creating a subset of "in action" cards for 1972. I know it's all relative to where you were at any particular time, both geographically and developmentally, but for me 1973 marked the beginning of a new era in cards and the end of a better one.

[ALR-bishop]

Since I have used the SCD Catalog as my want list and checklist for Topps and Fleer, which is what I collect, and since it uses 1980 as a cut off, like Bob, that is what I used for my first divider

Up until 1994 I collected every set or card or insert or test set listed for Topps in SCD. Because of the huge proliferation of products for Topps starting in 1994, I then cut back to just the main sets and any updates. I later expanded to include Heritage sets as well. So for just me personally, 1994 became my second cut off date

[journeyto407]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Since I have used the SCD Catalog as my want list and checklist for Topps and Fleer, which is what I collect, and since it uses 1980 as a cut off, like Bob, that is what I used for my first divider

I'm a newbie, what is SCD Catalog?

I would love to have a way to keep track of my cards digitally in an online catalog...does SCD allow you to do this?

[novakjr]

double post...

[steve B]

Here's some of those cutoffs don't work for me.

White cardstock --- Mid 60's and especially 68,69, and 70. and late 70's with basketball. Yeah, the thin stuff started in 93, but there was a lot of white stock earlier.

Inserts? ---- Early 60's. Sort of stopped in 73-4 with the team checklists, but there were other inserts throughout the early 80's in certain packs.

Shiny? - Much of what Topps makes isn't. (A+G, Gypsy Queen, most of heritage....) Even the base stuff isn't much different than 89 UD.

So maybe 81 works as the year the competition began. (Of course ignoring 51-55 and 59-60)

I see the cards as a continuing thing, each decade has it's "thing", and also for the most part some throwbacks and sets ahead of their time.

Steve B

[Vintagevault13]

I was discussing this thread today with a co-worker and he suggested that "modern" began when gum was no longer included in the packs. While it was an off-the-cuff, lighthearted comment, maybe it makes sense.

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Yes and no, IMO. I think the changes were more significant, and they began in 1973, not 1974. That was the first of what I consider the "canned" 660 series sets-- five in a row of exactly that same size, with the cards printed all at once and available all at once (at least in parts of the country for '73). It also was the first year where Topps began to transition to "action" rather than posed photos as the standard card depiction, having experimented with a couple handfuls of such photos in 1971 from some New York games and then creating a subset of "in action" cards for 1972. I know it's all relative to where you were at any particular time, both geographically and developmentally, but for me 1973 marked the beginning of a new era in cards and the end of a better one.

Yeah, I didn't mean to completely diminish the significance. I just don't think it was significant enough to be the start of a major era... Major change at the time, YES. Major change, in terms of lasting impact on the hobby. Not so much... It's one of the reason's I'm undecided on where the current era should start. Yes, high gloss, inserts, autographs, refractors and the such were major changes, but the competition factor that started in '81 is what really fueled all of those. I think the pre-rookies/inserts probably more currently fuel the hobby, and could be more worthy of an era change than high gloss..

'73 is a nice debate, but it wasn't exclusively a single series release for everyone, as that appears to have been a test to see what they would do going forward. So I'd be more inclined to look at '74 as the first decidedly single release year..