Favorite/best and least fav/worst '53 to '79 vintage complete sets?

[Phil68]

I am assuming these in properly printed, centered, pack-fresh condition:

Best of the 50's...
1955

Worst of the 50's...
1959

Best of the 60's...
1967

Worst of the 60's...
1968--frankly, IMO, by far the ugliest set ever made.

Best of the 70's...
1977

Worst of the 70's...
1974...although their are an handful of worthy recipients

Overall Best for me...
1955

Overall Worst...
1968

Taking it a step further...
Best of the 80's...
1988

Worst of the 80's...
1989

[BillP]

1950's -
1) 54 Always been partial to the format, wished more stars were included
2) 58 just a personal preference for color background and player selection

1960's - tough choice
1) 67 - Clear photos, clean back with stats, high numbers challenging
2) 63 - I like the color format
3) 66 - 3rd choice but on any day could be #1
4) 62 - different, try to get past the headshots

1970's -
1) 75
2) 78

least favorite:
1950's -
1) 55
2) don't have another

1960's -
1) 61 - just can't collect this year, there's nothing that holds me in on this year
2) 60

1970's-
1) 73
2) 79
3) 72

[55koufax]

Obtuse, snide, and overly offended? HUH?

I am not offended in the least. I prefaced the entire commentary acknowledging you are quite entitled to your own subjective views on 1964 Topps.

I just corrected all the assumptions you erroneously made. It is evident you know very little about the set perhaps other than an expertise in 3's, 4's and 5's.

Does it make you feel good by bashing me and every other collector in 8+ that disagree? I and all the others that are serious collectors that respect and "cherish" the 1964 set will keep on doing what we do - and that is to collect the best possible cards in HIGH GRADE for this wonderful set.

I (we) only wish you were right about how inexpensive it is....

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by 55koufax

Obtuse, snide, and overly offended? HUH?

I am not offended in the least. I prefaced the entire commentary acknowledging you are quite entitled to your own subjective views on 1964 Topps.

I just corrected all the assumptions you erroneously made. It is evident you know very little about the set perhaps other than an expertise in 3's, 4's and 5's.

Does it make you feel good by bashing me and every other collector in 8+ that disagree? I and all the others that are serious collectors that respect and "cherish" the 1964 set will keep on doing what we do - and that is to collect the best possible cards in HIGH GRADE for this wonderful set.

I (we) only wish you were right about how inexpensive it is....

Your preface went out the door with your original point 7. If you can't sense your offense taken and snide tone there, then I don't know what to tell you. Now you've run with that even further with the "bashing" claims. I'm not peronsally bashing anyone. It's only about what I think of the set, just like others have already talked about how substandard they think my pride (the '55T is) and the other "worst" descriptions.

And for the record, the only assumption you "corrected" was that top grade '64s may not apply to my point. Everything else was more or less a difference of opinion or your own biases/exaggerations.

Anyway, I have no interest in a prolonged flame war, here or anywhere else. Good luck to you and your collecting

[55koufax]

Good luck to you..

[JollyElm]

I only really collect two 1950's sets, so my love/hate is very limited.

1957, although very murky looking, is my favorite. A huge number of star cards, the Bums are still in Brooklyn, and the tough semi-highs and rookies make it quite an (arguably fun) burden to complete. And ending it with Yogi and the Mick? Nice.

1959, with a knothole thing??? Come on, Topps. They basically blocked out half of the picture for no reason whatsoever.


The 1960's has all sorts of great things.

1969, with it's clean and beautiful look, shoulda/woulda/coulda been my favorite, but so many of the pictures are just reused shots from other years due to the labor climate, so it doesn't count. If you collect autographed cards, this set is perfect for you.

1961 has too many headshots, but the wicked tough high numbers save the day.

1962, with the green tints and other variations, makes it a fun and challenging set to collect, but the woodgrain itself? Yick.

1965 is my favorite. I love the pennant design, and in the years before action shots were introduced, it provides so many beautiful portraits. The lack of tough high numbers is the biggest problem with it.

1968 burlap is the worst. Not a fan.


The 1970's was a roller coaster ride with many cool sets.

1974 was an incredibly great looking set. I have no idea why people throw so much disdain at it. Yowza. Here's a celebratory thread from a hundred years ago...https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=172335

1972 is my favorite set of all time, and I could yammer on about it forever. Because the cards were way overproduced, they are pretty easy to find...but you need to secure 787 different ones. Ouch. And trying to complete a CENTERED set????!!!!!! That is a frustrating journey. Although they feature such a B-list of players, the 'In Action' cards are quite delicious, and then throw in the wide variety of other things (some weird) like awards, boyhood photos, playoffs and WS, it becomes a hugely extensive thing to assemble. The high numbers with the awesome 'Traded' subset is a great way to cap it off. One hundred thumbs up!!!

1971 is a thumbs down only due to the black borders. You just look at them and the corners start turning white with wear. The set itself in theory is beautiful, and I've come to adore it greatly, but that black just negates it all. I mean, just thinking about removing cards from your binder to send them off for grading makes you sweat like a bomb tech trying to cut the right wire and defuse the explosive.

[kailes2872]

It always starts with 56 for me. 340 cards. 34 HOfers. Just perfection.

As an aside, in retrospect, it is hard to believe that Topps won the card wars. We think about 54 for Aaron, Banks, and Kaline and 55 for Clemente, Koufax, and Killebrew - but in 54 and 55 those were just dudes. All of the names were in Bowman. 53 Bowman is considered by most the best post war set of all time. The 55 TV set was innovative - like if Topps did an iPhone set in 2008. Still Topps won out. 56 is the culmination of their creative apex in fighting the card war - so much that they went to 57 and copied the 53 Bowman idea but put names on the front of the cards.

58 is probably my least favorite. Just too plain with the solid backgrounds. Definitely a step back from the prior years.

I love the 65s with 63 a close 2nd. I don’t like 68 and 69 is a combo of 67 & 68.

The magical mystery tour set of 72 will always be a favorite because it is my birth year. I like 73 because it has a cool Mays, Clemente, and Aaron. Sort of the end of an era. I like 78 because it was the first cards I collected. And the all star badges are awesome. With the Jackson perhaps the greatest baseball card ever made.

79 Topps ugh. So utterly terrible in every regard. I also hate the ‘70 set but the yellow backs are nice.

[cesarcap]

Favorites:
50's - 56 over 300 pieces of art, excludes team cards (I like backs) and Harridge
60's - 67 great design, multiplayer cards, popular RC's and highs
70's - 75 good r/c's, minis, HoF's and affordable

Worst:
50's - 58 if they only used the 59 font here...
60's - 68 others have already noted the negatives
70's - 70 I actually think some of the pix and subsets are cool, but the grey borders are so bland.