How about the best set of the 1960's.........

[theseeker]

As a follow up to the thread covering the best set of the seventies, I'd like to hear some opinions on personal favorites from the '60's. I'll start it off with my picks. Although IM(not so)HO you can't go wrong with any of the sets from the sixties, 1967 is numero uno for me. I love the clean, classic design. Next would be the least popular set for collectors from the decade, the 1966 set for much the same reason that I like the 1967 set.Finishing third for me is the 1968 set. Similar to Bulldogs, I somehow find it ugly, yet appealing.

[mjmj1966]

First for me would be the start of the decade 1960. Love the horizontal design and really want to start this set. Next for me is close between 1963 and 1965 and then 1968.

[Gr8Beldini]

1965 by a wide margin. Followed by 1969 which I always thought was awsome in design and as a transitional year. Beautiful old guard cards: Last Mantle, very nice Mays Aaron, Clemente, FRob, Killer, Banks, McCovey, nicest Gibson card ever and the new guard of young guys Jackson, Seaver, Carew, Ryan, Bench, Sutton, Fingers. Simple design with the colorful dots and the cool pink reverse.

Actually I think the 60's were a magnificent decade for the company. My 2 least favorite sets being 66 and 68, both of which were still nice looking.

[bcbgcbrcb]

1963

[ALR-bishop]

I generally like them all, but 67 is my personal favorite

[vintagecpa]

IMO, the 1963 set is the best. All you need to do is look at the Mantle and Maris cards.

[Robextend]

1967

[vintagetoppsguy]

1961 Topps for me. I am less than 20 cards from finishing my set.

Followed by '60 and '63 Topps.

[xdrx]

1960 for me. l really like how different it is. Followed by 67 and 61. Not a big fan of 68s, but they're OK; really don't like 62s even a little.

[BearBailey]

1965 For Me. Although a great decade of sets overall. Brutal high numbers throughout the decade!

[novakjr]

Most of the sets from the 60's were great. I'd go with '65, followed by '62, then possibly '68 or '60.

[GasHouseGang]

I'd have to go with 1961 as the best of the 60's. Followed by 1963 (something quirky about them that I like). Then 1967 tied with 1962. I'd have to give a nod to the 1963 Fleers too. It's a shame they weren't allowed to finish the set.

[ALR-bishop]

I can find no indication that Topps litigation stopped this set. If someone else has, I would be interested in cites or references. I have seen figures from an old FTC complaint filed by Fleer against Topps that indicates their sales were very poor in 63 and that plans to issue more cards were hindered by such poor sales and difficulty getting more players under contract.

Topps had exclusive contracts with many players for any distribution of player cards involving gum and candy...hence the cookies which avoided those specific exclusive limitations ( which is what also got Topps around the anti trust laws since their contracts did not prohibit Fleer from publishing cards without candy or gum). But I have not yet seen a Topps injunction stopping that set and would be interested if anyone else has.

Fleer and others can be more grateful to Marvin Miller for breaking the Topps "monopoly"

[39special]

I always liked the '65's.The 1960 set would be a close 2nd.

[hangman62]

Id vote for -

1) 1967 T

2) 1963 T

30 1966 T

[GasHouseGang]

Well Al, I'm no lawyer, so I don't have anything but hobby lore to go on. I've always heard Topps stopped Fleer from producing more than the first series. But you could be correct. Maybe it was poor marketing that killed the set and not Topps.

[scmavl]

1. 1967
2. 1964
3. 1969
4. 1963
5. 1968
6. 1962
7. 1960
8. 1961
9. 1966
10. 1965

[Beatles Guy]

I'll take beginning, middle, and end (though not in that order). '65, '69, and '60.

[ALR-bishop]

GHG---I am not sure either and know the same hobby lore, but could not find anything to support it. Maybe someone else can help on that. I do know that although selling the cards with a cookie rather then gum got Fleer around the exclusive Topps contracts, there was apparently little interest by kids in 1963 for cards with a stale cookie as opposed to stale gum. I have an unopened 63 pack. Can you imagine what that cookie is like today, and what if any impact it has had on the top card.


I do have and like the 63 Fleer set and would rank it ahead of some of the Topps 60s sets in terms of appearance. I also liked the modern retro set Fleer put out in that style ( not sure what year it was).

Al

[4k6]

In rough order of preference always subject to change:

67 - just beautiful, best Topps set ever
65 - dynamic
60 - horizontal layout with two pics
64 - sharp, simple, fun coin scratch back
63 - two pics
66 - straightforward, nice color
61 - plain but appealing
69 - meh
62 - sticker peeling off a woodgrained background
68 - burlap sack

[skelly]

Best Backs- 1963 & 1969.

Overall I'd go with the 1960 & 1965 sets.

[Doug]

It's kinda tough to pick one. It seems like most of the sets are pretty bland or just bad in the case of the '62 and '68 sets. If I was forced to pick one I'd go with the '69 set, but IMO any of the '50s Topps sets are better.

[wolfdogg]

1965 by long shot............then 1962 and 1961 for me

[U240robert]

I'm working on several sets from the 60's.
I need less than a hundred cards for each - '60, '61, '63, '64, and '67

My favorite is 1963. Then 1960, 1967, 1961, 1966, 1965 and then '62.
Of the Topps sets 1951-1980, my least favorite set is '68.
As many cards as I have, I have less than a dozen from '68.
Also, not a huge fan on 1969

[Orioles1954]

1.) 1967--Great photography, clean cards and outstanding high numbers.
2.) 1963--Clean multi-color design and great rookie selection
3.) 1965--Best design of the decade
4.) 1961--Clean set with outstanding high numbers.
5.) 1962--Busy but appealing design. Great subsets and classic floating head rookie high numbers
6.) 1960--Guess I'm the only one not in love with the design. Yaz and high numbers saves this.
7.) 1964--Clean design but bland with weak player selection
8.) 1968--Rookies and specialty cards are nice. Design....not so much
9.) 1966--Boring and bland. Rookies save this from total suckiness
10.) 1969--Boring

[Bigdaddy]

My top three would be:

1. 1967
2. 1965
3. 1961

And bringing up the rear would be the 1968 set.