What are your 3 favorite baseball sets?

[Big35Hurt]

I am talking main sets, but if there is a certain subset you just have to talk about, feel free. :)!

I like the older cards from when I was a kid. My 3 favorite sets are:
1983 Topps - loved trying to get my hands on Boggs, Gwynn and Sandberg rookies
1978 Topps - first baseball cards I ever collected, loved the game on the back of the cards although it left me with some cards in less than desirable condition
1976 Topps - just like the look of these for some reason

Honorable mention: 1980 Topps, 1984 Donruss, and 1985 Topps

Subset - I've always like the 1994 Upper Deck Holoview cards

Least favorites:
1982 Topps - despite the Ripken rookie, the hockey stick like design was kind of ugly
1981 Donruss - paper thin junk
1990 Topps - despite the Frank Thomas rookie being in the set, the design and color patterns were pretty hideous

[Halonut]

Favorites

1. 1962 Topps-As an Angels fan/collector, I really love this set as it more accurately represents the Halos 1st season in the league than the 61 issue. It has RC's of 4 Angel legends; Dean Chance, Jim Fregosi, Buck Rodgers and Bo Belinsky.

2. 1987 Topps-I love this set despite the vast over production. One of the 1st products I can remember busting as a kid. An awesome RC class including a few notable Halos (Finley, Devo and Wally). I still regularly bust this product whenever I come across a cheap box.

3. 1956 Topps-Classic design, loads of HOF'ers despite a weak RC class.

Least Favorite

Anything from Fleer/Donruss from the tail end of the overproduction era (90-93)-Designs were awful, RC classes were weak as they shifted their focus to their premium brands.

[Bhenry4]

1. 59 Topps
2. 75 Topps
3. 89 UD

[66_Fiat]

1) '58 Topps AS subset. Some great names and can be had at a n overall cheap price.

2) Upper Deck Iooss Collection. Probably the first set that had a highly regarded professional photographer for each card in the set.

3) '11 Topps Update Hope Diamond parallel set /60. Trout's most valuable non auto, and great eye appeal.

Special mention, '91 Fleer base set. I like mustard. Hate mayo.

[SportsAutoFreak]

Favorites

#1 1953 Topps - The illustrations, the back. It was just there. All is unique and lively.

#2 1954 Topps - Looking at a player's face with a shadow action and background borders was cool. There was an interesting factoid on the back.

#3 1952 Topps - It's just a classic. The box for names, being the first, the designs of Mantle, Pafko, Zernial, Jansen. They're classics.

Honorable mentions

1962 Topps - The wooden borders do it for me. The players, the pictures are top notch.

1965 Topps - The blue back, plus the pennant flags for teams are remarkably interesting to me. It evokes an emotion in me.

1987 Topps - It recycles the wooden borders, but it works. Why not try it again?

Least favorites

#1 1967 Topps - It's an ugly design. I don't care for the pictures, borders or backgrounds. This does nothing for me. It's the only set from the '60s in which I have no signed cards. There's a reason for that. 1963 and 1966 don't do a whole lot for me either.

#2 Most 21st Century Topps with white borders - How unoriginal can one get?

#3 1992 Topps - It isn't memorable.

Dishonorable mentions

#1 1977 and 1978 Topps - Nothing is special or unique. I think, for the most part, they went downhill in designs in this period.

#2 1988 Topps - It's slapping a stripe onto an action card. Where's the excitement?

#3 1982 Topps - It's just something I don't care for.

[Big35Hurt]

I like the '62 and '87 Topps with the wood grain look, but oddly don't care for it as much when Bowman did it in the 50's. I like those early 50's Topps as well.

1988 Topps - horrible

I thought 1981 Topps was kind of boring and lacked any big time rookie, which made it even less desirable for me.

[kyle1707]

56
75
80

[Big35Hurt]

1) '58 Topps AS subset. Some great names and can be had at a n overall cheap price.

I like these too. I just picked up a Ted Williams card from that set. When I see some of the other big name players, I am tempted to buy them up.

[smanzari]

1. 1953 Topps- Love the "art" in these
2. 1957 Topps- Simple Awesomeness
3- 1933 Goudey- See #1

[SportsAutoFreak]

I like the '62 and '87 Topps with the wood grain look, but oddly don't care for it as much when Bowman did it in the 50's. I like those early 50's Topps as well.

1988 Topps - horrible

I thought 1981 Topps was kind of boring and lacked any big time rookie, which made it even less desirable for me.

I like that 1955 Bowman set. Wood grain is appealing to me and there are the TVs, too. That could also reflect culture at the time with how prevalent technological instruments like TVs and washing machines became in that decade.

[66_Fiat]

I like that 1955 Bowman set. Wood grain is appealing to me and there are the TVs, too. That could also reflect culture at the time with how prevalent technological instruments like TVs and washing machines became in that decade.

I've been waiting for the iPad border for a while now.

[SportsAutoFreak]

I've been waiting for the iPad border for a while now.

2007 maybe?

[EB31]

63 Topps
71 Topps
83 Topps

[13goyankees13]

I only collect modern stuff, so these are all modern. I like the historical value of some older sets, but I don't like them as a collector as I've never collected them.

2008 UD
2005 Fleer Tradition
2011 Bowman (chrome)

[Big35Hurt]

63 Topps
71 Topps
83 Topps

Good call on the 1971 Topps....that black border!

[crazy4kinsler]

I know what you mean here. I picked up a Mantle with some writing and a bit of paper loss on the back for $10. Probably won't ever move it. This subset was one of my favorite things to put together when I was building the 1958 Topps set.

1) '58 Topps AS subset. Some great names and can be had at a n overall cheap price.



Here's my list:
1987 Topps - my all-time favorite because my grandparents got it for me for Christmas in 1987, and my grandmother and I sat and looked at every card that Christmas Eve. She's gone, but I still have that set in that box and will never get rid of it.

1962 Topps - like the wood-grain look and the first vintage set I ever laid eyes on. My uncle was putting this set together in the late 1980s and I would help him pick them out when we'd go to shows and the LCS.

1990 Donruss/Fleer/Topps - I know most people say they hate these sets. But these 3 sets are what I remember from my childhood. Every Friday after school, we'd go get ice cream at this small ice cream shop that was next to a Winn Dixie. I'd walk over to Winn Dixie and spend my allowance on rack packs (the ones that had three stacks and showed one card on the front and back of each stack). I bought probably 10 rack packs every Friday throughout the course of the school year.


My least favorite:
2007 Fleer and anything OPC. As a team collector, these were hard as heck to figure out. Some had one logo on the front, but another team name. These are about the only team sets I don't own right now.

[66_Fiat]

I only collect modern stuff, so these are all modern. I like the historical value of some older sets, but I don't like them as a collector as I've never collected them.

2008 UD
2005 Fleer Tradition
2011 Bowman (chrome)

While I do like full bleed color photos, I hate any design where I have to tilt the card in the correct lighting to read the name. It was just too small.

[callou2131]

48 bowman
71 topps
89 ud

[Mikegioseffi]

1998 topps hold label. Full of the guys I grew up watching and bunch of hofers and cuter hofers.

2000 fleer showcase

1997 SPX

[SportsAutoFreak]

My system of 1960s Topps sets:

Legendary/Cream of the crop

1962
1965

Job very well done. Topps should be proud

1960
1968
1969

Decent

1961

Underwhelming

1963
1966

Just downright ugly/forgettable/awful

1967

[EB31]

Good call on the 1971 Topps....that black border!

Absolutely! Seaver and Rose are my two favorite cards in the entire set.

[SportsAutoFreak]

1971 is okay. My favorites from that decade are 1972 and 1973. 1971 is nowhere near as bad as some towards the later part of the decade.

[Big35Hurt]

1987 Topps - my all-time favorite because my grandparents got it for me for Christmas in 1987, and my grandmother and I sat and looked at every card that Christmas Eve. She's gone, but I still have that set in that box and will never get rid of it.

Very cool story...you have a great set and a great memory to go with it.

I have to admit I am a sucker for these when I come across them cheap. I bought a rack pack box off Ebay for $17 delivered back in June, and may end up buying more. At a card show a week and a half ago, I got a tub full of rack packs that end being around 54 total packs for $10. The guy just wanted them gone. If it wasn't for all of the steroid crap, this set would be chock full of cool rookie/1st regular issue cards for alot of good players.

[douglasfir]

1994 Flair
1996 Fleer (bring back Matte finish)
90's Pinnacle/Select sets

...one more: 1995 Bowman's Best

[Big35Hurt]

1971 is okay. My favorites from that decade are 1972 and 1973. 1971 is nowhere near as bad as some towards the later part of the decade.

I am hit or miss on the 1972 set. Some of them just look so cool, but then others don't do it for me at all. There's a 1972 Frank Robinson PSA 8 on Facebook in one of the buy/sell groups that I am eyeing up. :)!

[66_Fiat]

1994 Flair
1995 Fleer (bring back Matte finish)
90's Pinnacle/Select sets

...one more: 1995 Bowman's Best

Ohh, this reminds me, what was the UD set with the canvas finish? I like that set as well. I think it is '08, but my memory fades with Pujols' BA...

[SportsAutoFreak]

My ranking for the 1950s Topps sets

The big three/Greatest of all time

1953
1954
1952

Very good
1956 (This one's grown on me)
1958
1959

It's fallen out of favor with me

1955

I've never been wowed by it/least favorite Topps set of the decade

1957

[SportsAutoFreak]

I am hit or miss on the 1972 set. Some of them just look so cool, but then others don't do it for me at all. There's a 1972 Frank Robinson PSA 8 on Facebook in one of the buy/sell groups that I am eyeing up. :)!

I just like the shape design. Robinson's a cool card. I'm not sure if I like the close up Dave Laroche. Billy Cowan was great.

[mfw13]

Vintage (pre-1980):

1954 Topps
1955 Topps
1956 Topps
1965 Topps
1976 Topps

Modern:

1992 Upper Deck
1993 Upper Deck
2008 Goudey
2009 Goodwin

[crazy4kinsler]

I believe you're talking about the 2007 or 2008 UD Masterpieces set?


Ohh, this reminds me, what was the UD set with the canvas finish? I like that set as well. I think it is '08, but my memory fades with Pujols' BA...

[66_Fiat]

I believe you're talking about the 2007 or 2008 UD Masterpieces set?

Yes, that's it! Did they make this for 2 years? I was away from collecting then, but have picked up some singles.

[phillies347]

Off the top of my head, Ive loved these sets the most (picked one from each decade):

1959 Topps, hands down one of my favorite sets
1965 Topps, and the 1968 Topps Game Subset
1972 Topps, and the 1977 Cloth Stickers
1980s-90s not a huge fan of any really
2003 Topps
2011 Topps, loved the diamond anniversary and hope diamond, and the HOF shortprints. Definetely my favorite out of all the newer topps sets.
2011 Topps Tier One, although its not base topps...this is my favorite "high end" set, Ive enjoyed putting together the On The Rise Auto set and also the Blacks /50. In love with the parallels

[bwalter1]

97 Bowman Chrome
01 Bowman Heritage
Stadium Club - Pick a year its about the photos

[ilovethelakings]

I have fond memories of the following sets for different reasons:

87 Topps
78 Topps
83 Fleer

[edgeusaf1]

1909 T206
1975 Topps
1953 Bowman Color

[Big35Hurt]

I have fond memories of the following sets for different reasons:

87 Topps
78 Topps
83 Fleer

I agree with 83 Fleer...not sure what it is about them but I enjoyed that set. It could be because the 82 Fleer sit was hideous in my humble opinion. I also liked the 84 and 85 Fleer sets.

[SportsAutoFreak]

Some of my favorite non-Topps sets

Bowman

1950
1951
1952
1955

Donruss
1987
1991

Leaf
1991
1996

Score
1991

1909 T206

1933 Goudey

[gpenko826]

1987 Topps is my all time favorite - the first set I ever collected. I bought a billion packs of these trying to chase down that damn Steve Ontiveros to finish my set in the summer of 1987! I still love the borders and the way the names pop out, plus the backs are pretty cool to read.

I also have a soft spot for 1993 Score and 1992 Fleer Ultra. I loved buying packs of these and chasing down The Franchise and Award Winners insert sets. The marble effect on the Ultra in 1992 and 1993 still catches my eye, and the simple design of the 1993 Score coupled with those sharp black-background Franchise inserts put them in my top 3.

Vintage-wise, 1956 Topps was SO cool to me as a kid - the bigger size, the horizontal cards, the "second" picture on the front... Not to mention there was a local celebrity in that set! Hal Naragon ran the sporting goods store in my hometown and he proudly displayed his 1956 Topps card on the counter in a case. Every year when we came in to get our Little League uniforms, that was the first thing we all went to go see :)

[Skipscards]

1957 Topps - My Uncle died of Hodkins Disease when he was 16 and collected baseball cards. My brother and I collected growing up and Mom gave us each half of his collection. You could tell the years he felt a little better (1957 and 1959) vs ones where he was pretty sick (1958) because of the number of cards. At my brother's wedding he gave me his half of the collection as my 'best man gift'. And since then I've slowly been working to pick up a card here and here in an attempt to finish what Uncle Mitchell started all those years ago.

1971 Topps - Black border, iconic cards, what's not to like? Also the year I was born so I've always had a spot in my heart for them.

1975 Topps - Loaded set. So many HOFers in this set that played throughout my childhood. The style screams "1970s" and it has George Brett's RC to boot.


Least favorites would be any of the nondescript sets of the 2000s where the designs are all essentially the same. Though, Topps finnaly stepped it up in 2013, 14, 15, and 16 simply be mixing things up finally like they used too.

[lindeman79]

Now this a thread!

[cyndeeg3]

1990 Topps - despite the Frank Thomas rookie being in the set, the design and color patterns were pretty hideous

That's what makes this hobby fun (ok, USED to make it fun)

I LOVE the 1990 design, I like the fan favorites or hometown heroes or whatever they are auto's being released recently in recent Topps products with the 90 color scheme...

1993 Finest

2000 Ultimate victory

[davidk]

1955 and 1956 topps - i seriously think these two might be the best looking sets of all time. For me it really captures that era. The addition of background in 56 is just amazing.

2013 topps heritage - people will think i'm crazy. I'm not worried about value. I'm just going by best looking set.If i was going for the most expensive, i'll just go the oldest set. Once you own this set and you put it all together and look at it, you just realize how beautiful this set is. It is not only better than the original 1964 set, but there's a lot going on in this set. Trout and Harper for example. Short prints, error cards, really short prints, etc. I'm telling ya, it'll be a really sought after set in ten years.

1952 topps - if i could have one graded set, this would be it. And yes, it is because of the mantle card.

[THE(NEXT)LEVEL]

1971
1975
1980

[whitesoxfan3579]

FAVORITES:

1957 Topps - I love the color photos and this is the year when the "standard size" baseball card was born.

1983 Topps

1990 Leaf - When I first started collecting I kept trying to pull a Frank Thomas from a pack. Eventually my mom bought the card for me. 25 years later (I wasn't trying to do this in between all these years) I pulled a Frank Thomas rookie from a pack. What a great feeling!

1992 Bowman

1992 Fleer Ultra

1993 Donruss Elite Dominators

1993 Topps Finest Refractors

LEAST FAVORITES:

1981 Donruss

1987 Topps

1990 Donruss

[Jopeal]

52 Topps
89 UD
98 Metal Universe

[rrd111]

I am going really new

'15 Diamond Kings is one of my favorites in recent memory. Prior to that I liked '03 Diamond Kings

Others

'13 Heritage, '12 Heritage and '15 Topps (The look has grown on me)

[Big35Hurt]

1990 Leaf - When I first started collecting I kept trying to pull a Frank Thomas from a pack. Eventually my mom bought the card for me. 25 years later (I wasn't trying to do this in between all these years) I pulled a Frank Thomas rookie from a pack. What a great feeling!

I like that set as well. It's just solid all around. How many packs did you have to open to find the Frank Thomas rookie?

[lindeman79]

1989 Upper Deck
1975 topps (mini)
1987 topps

[Melagoo]

1980 O-PEE-CHEE ...
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l99/Melagoo/04036e20-274c-40ad-9e29-3fc82a9b9d51.jpg

1990 Leaf ...
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l99/Melagoo/e6fbe522-ffb5-4972-b02e-2907918347c7.jpg

2011 Bowman Draft ...
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l99/Melagoo/TROUT/33ff43c9-aa19-4cff-9752-40267a9f8381.jpg

[66_Fiat]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Sportflics yet. $0.75/pack for 3 cards. Way ahead of their time.

[chadomac]

1984 donruss
1977 topps
1971 topps
1983 topps

[ToppsCollector1]

1988 1957 and 1971 Topps

Although id have to give 2007 1984 and 2011 the honorable mentions here. Great sets.

[rats60]

T206
T205
1933 Goudey

[Big35Hurt]

1988 1957 and 1971 Topps

Although id have to give 2007 1984 and 2011 the honorable mentions here. Great sets.

You're one of the few people I have seen that likes 1988 Topps. Nothing wrong with it....to me it was such a let down after the 1987 design. Love your choices of 1957 and 1971, though.

[Big35Hurt]

Ok I have to revise my list.

1) 1983 Topps
2) 2015 Allen & Ginter
3) 1976 Topps

Honorable mention: 1971 Topps, 1978 Topps, 1987 Topps, 1980 Topps,

[needmore]

1956, 1965, and 1967 Topps Baseball

[Chicosbailbonds]

71 Topps
72 Topps
57 Topps

Honorable mention to 84 Donruss

[Crisscross4767]

1974 Topps
1966 Topps
2012 Topps Chrome

[2pacfan21]

1. 1963 Topps
2. 1965 Topps
3. 1955 Topps

[seabass97166]

52 Topps - The Mick, nuff said
67 Topps - Nice player signatures on every card
T206

[SportsAutoFreak]

Every person has their own taste. One set I really used to like that has since fallen out of favor is the 1961 Topps set. Others have surpassed it for me.

[ThePumaLives]

1951 Bowman
1958 AS Subset
1989 Topps

HM: 1953 Topps, 2015 Topps

[lamiwe21]

1987 Topps, 1990 Leaf, and 2009 Topps

I also have a lot of love for the 1996 Bowman Best set.

[NickM]

1960 Morrell Meats
T201 (Mecca Double Folders)
1954 Topps

[lobo_hacker]

-Baseball design: 1987 Topps, 1952 Topps, and 1990 Leaf.

Honorable mention to 1971 Topps, a couple years of Stadium Club, and any card design that's clean with major league logos present on them.

lobo_hacker, looking forward to a Donald Trump White House next year

[tonyr]

I'm late to the party but the '68 Topps set is my sentimental favorite because it was the first pack of cards I ever opened.

For design I like the '67 Topps, '71 Topps, and the '88 Score with the color photo on the back and great stories.

[Tom Oates]

1996 Pinnacle afficianado
1999 Upper Deck Ovation
Xxxx Donruss Studio

[tonyr]

The 1996 Pinnacle is an interesting choice. Isn't it the first set where all the cards are horizontal?

[tonyr]

here is a couple scans of my favorite sets. You gotta love the cartoons and the trivia questions (sigh)....

308736

308737

[cyndeeg3]

1990 Leaf
1993 Finest
1995 Bowman Best

[hyzdubats]

1972 topps has always been a favorite of mine.
1989 Upper deck is a great set,
1986 topps is also a set that takes me back.
Honorable mention- 1990 topps. I know...but it's so 90's.

Worst set..any bowman set with small foil names that are hard to see.

[Tom Oates]

The 1996 Pinnacle is an interesting choice. Isn't it the first set where all the cards are horizontal?

Yes, the base set of 1996 Pinnacle Afficianado is horizontal. The inserts are portrait. The base set player silhouette is some kind of black ink that is on the surface of the card and is fairly thick. It is raised and gives the card an almost 3D effect. The insert sets are some of the nicest ever produced too. Have to hand it to Ponnacle on the printing technology. Nothing has ever been done like this printing technology in the industry. Truly unique.

[Americards]

2008 Topps Moments & Milestones
1998 Topps Tek
2008 UD Documentary

[COEFOR]

Vintage
1964 Topps
1952 Topps
1966 Topps

Modern
2010 Bowman Sterling
2013 Topps Five Star
2008 Bowman Chrome

I also like the look of 1989 Topps. When baseball cards smelled like baseball cards.:D

[jmscoggin]

2013 Five Star
2015 Five Star
1989 UD

[Big35Hurt]

Who the hell bumped this?? Just kidding...always interested to see what others like.

[LCM1223]

1. 2008 Upper Deck Heroes
2. 2005 Topps
3. 1975 Topps

[yanks2323]

I love vintage cards, and been collecting since the mid 70's. I have most of the Yankees from 50's on up to present. Except for the Mantles

#1 1965 Topps
#2 1962 Topps
#3 1971 Topps

[base set]

1975 Topps
2011 Lineage
2024 Heritage

[mfw13]

Only three? Tough choice!

2008 Goudey
2009 Goodwin
2003/04/05 Topps Heritage (1954/55/56 styles)
2005 Topps All-American FB (1955 Topps All-American FB style)
2001 Topps Heritage FB (1956 Topps FB style)
2001 & 2002 Topps Heritage Hockey (1954-55 and 57-58 styles)
2005 & 2006 Upper Deck Legends FB
1992 & 1993 Upper Deck BB
1993-94 Upper Deck HKY

[tonyr]

That '72 Topps set is a love or hate it thing for most people that I know. The artwork certainly is a sign of the times! Currently I'm upgrading that set from when I was a kid, trying to get NM or better. The centering on those is certainly a challenge.

1972 topps has always been a favorite of mine.
1989 Upper deck is a great set,
1986 topps is also a set that takes me back.
Honorable mention- 1990 topps. I know...but it's so 90's.

Worst set..any bowman set with small foil names that are hard to see.

[MotorboatJones]

#1 1975 Topps
#2 1972 Topps
#3 1976 Topps

[superjames27]

2012 gypsy queen 2013 topps 2012 bowman chrome blue refractors

[CM Sports Memorabilia]

61 Topps- I love the straight lines
72 Topps- The design screams the times of the early 70's!
93 Finest- it made the hobby/business what it is today!

Worst-
Anything from Topps base set from 1986 on