The top baseball card set of all time is.... 1965 Topps?!

[oldjudge]

The best major set of all time was also the first major set of all time. No set is more interesting, more challenging, or more iconic than the Old Judge set.

[bmattioli]

Mine are:

1975 Topps
1971 Topps
1984 Donruss

[Misunderestimated]

interesting list -- like many elections it may say more about the voters than the candidates.... "Best" can mean a lot of things.
Personally, I would have the Cracker Jacks, the Old Judges and the T202s near the top and put the 53 Bowman Color higher. The T3s are great too.
In a quick read of the whole list I noticed one weird thing: the Topps Heritage set for 2019 (in 1970 style) actually defeated the 1970 Topps set itself. I guess from the present vantage point the 2019 set does have better rookies. Unless I'm missing something 1970 had zero HOFers -- the best rookies are shared cards for Munson, Darrell Evans, Bill Buckner and Vida Blue.

[egri]

Originally Posted by Misunderestimated

In a quick read of the whole list I noticed one weird thing: the Topps Heritage set for 2019 (in 1970 style) actually defeated the 1970 Topps set itself. I guess from the present vantage point the 2019 set does have better rookies. Unless I'm missing something 1970 had zero HOFers -- the best rookies are shared cards for Munson, Darrell Evans, Bill Buckner and Vida Blue.

I noticed that too. I wish they had left the Heritage sets out of it and just looked at base sets. It would have made for more of an apples to apples comparison, and I just don’t consider a 1970s design reused with 2010s players to really be a 2010s set. I think it’s a bit lazy to do that, but Topps is making money hand over fist, so they must be doing something right.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

The best major set of all time was also the first major set of all time. No set is more interesting, more challenging, or more iconic than the Old Judge set.

+1

[toledo_mudhen]

My vote is 55 Topps - How can you not just love these things?

[icollectDCsports]

Originally Posted by toledo_mudhen

My vote is 55 Topps - How can you not just love these things?

Such a great card. That's the card that got me so interested in the '55 Topps cards. First saw it in the Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading, and Bubble Gum Book.

[campyfan39]

For me:

53 topps
56 topps
52 topps
73 topps
75 topps

[darwinbulldog]

Nice cards, but just from the Topps sets I'd rank 1965 behind 53, 55, 56, 71, 75, and 83.

[pcelli]

Is it the historical importance(to our hobby) or the aesthetics? Is it both? What sets strike this balance?
No such thing as a perfect set. Best by decade I suppose is the most equitable way to go..