Rank your top5 favorite sets 1950-1979

[JollyElm]

Take a look at this very old thread showing (some) of the beauty of the 1974 set...

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=172335

I personally think it's pretty darn majestic. An awesome design with the colors highlighting the team names perfectly done, a wonderful integration of very cool game-action shots, plenty of variations to chase, and just a sharply focused, rich printing job. Truly, an awesome set to flip through.

[Frankish]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Take a look at this very old thread showing (some) of the beauty of the 1974 set...

It's a beautiful set. And the second I put together as an adult, after 1971.

The lack of significant rookie cards keeps it affordable...part and parcel of being ignored by investors and "serious collectors."

Anyway, you are right. It was a brilliant job by Topps.

[jchcollins]

Random and subject to change: This is not what my list would have looked like as a kid interested in vintage cards in 1990, and it may be different still in another 5 or 10 years. But here is what I would say today:

1. 1956 Topps
2. 1972 Topps
3. 1967 Topps
4. 1965 Topps
5. 1971 Topps

Honorable mention to 1959 Topps. I think in terms of "pop culture correct", it's hard to beat the '59 and '72 Topps efforts.

[Bill77]

1. 1953 Topps I love the art work on this set.
2. 1956 Topps The small action shots on the front are a nice addition to the portraits.
3. 1975 Topps Great colors.
4. 1952-55 Red Man I like the art and the size gives them more room to work.
5. 1950-51 Bowman I like small cards as much as big cards and the art on this and the 51 set remind me of comic book art and early 80s cartoons, which I also like.

[skelly423]

I’ll give some love to the 1950 Bowman, which somehow hasn’t had any on this thread. It is a throwback to an earlier era of cards, the art is spectacular, the cards are affordable in decent condition, and there’s one iconic card of Jackie Robinson for good measure.

1953 Bowman Color. If you’ve ever seen them in person, you understand.

1956 Topps. A bridge across eras. You have the last of Jackie, Feller and Rizzutto, but you also have young Aaron, Koufax, and Clemente. The young stars aren’t rookies, so you can get the entire set in decent condition without breaking the bank

1971 Topps. Who doesn’t love the black borders.

1964 Topps giants. Big, beautiful, and available in great condition

[Tere1071]

My choices, not necessarily in order:

1953 Bowman Color
1971 Topps
1958 Hires Root Beer
1954 Wilson Franks
1951 Bowman
1957 Topps
1963 Topps
1959 Topps
1974 Topps (for nostalgia purposes)
1971 Kellog's 3D

[JollyElm]

I am really baffled by the consistent appearance of the 1971 Topps set on this list. Only recently have I begun 'liking' these cards, and that's simply because when housed in TPG holders, there's no worry about them turning white right before your very eyes. At the height of my youthful card collecting, you could never find even a single one of them that didn't look like a nun's habit. And we weren't into condition (like it is nowadays) at all. All of our other cards had the usual wear on them, but we didn't mind. The 1971's, though? They were a nightmare! Like musical tastes, it's fascinating how perceptions vary.