Which Decade offered the best Collecting.
 

If you could collect cards from just 1 decade, which would it be....For me it is definitely the 1990s'. I am biased because that was when I grew up. But if you think about it I was lucky then. We had the best Football decade, definitely the best basketball Decade, and a pretty darn good Baseball Decade. Not to mention the brands and the INSERTS.

the 60's

How do you define "best"?

For me, best designs were the 1950's.

Highest level of affordability....the 80's.

Best overall products....1989-1993.

Id say 2000-2009 because of the multiple licenses.
Yes, it created a glut that held values down somewhat for both singles and wax.
But for "Collecting"? There was never a better time IMO.

A lot of it is likely tied to nostalgia. For me that’s going to be 2000-2009 if I’m tied to a decade. But 90s and 00s were fun for me with multiple licenses and insert and parallels and the introduction of memorabilia cards and autos

Now I hate the 1000 different parallels and worthless memorabilia cards I’ve accumulated. But in that time I really enjoyed the newness of it and the rarity of some of that stuff (or what felt rare to me at the time)

Another vote for the ‘90s

4 way tie! 1880s, 1910s, 1990s, 2000s.

Since I was born in the late 90s. My favorite was 2011 and 2013 (especially the card stock and gloss). Loved the flagship designs. Topps heritage 1964 was my favorite as well.

I’d probably choose the 3000s.

Definitely the 2000’s.

Starting with ichiro/pujols to trout - cut autos, bowman chrome draft autos, three companies, the best decade of innovation and competition.

90’s for the same reason as the OP. Miss the creativity with the inserts vs 38 parallels per set, all with the same predictable color scheme. It’s great for RC’s and terrible for just about anything else. I would love some awesome non RC chase inserts of Vlad, Tatis, Soto, Guerrero, Acuna and others for example, but there’s not much to pick from. Some of the 90’s inserts are just gorgeous and have no current competition aesthetically.

Although I will say even the parallels meant more because there weren’t massive amounts. For example, I fell in love with atomic refractors in the 90’s.


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Besides the 1980s?

90's is the best to collect, but awful for those who busted wax. Most products you opened just for 1 or 2 cards per box. Atomics, refractors, artist's proofs or very limited inserts. A lot of filler a.k.a. Junk.

2010s

The hobby is meant to be fun, right?

The ‘90s were certainly the most fun, especially the second half of the decade, and can never be repeated. It just had the perfect confluence of events: namely manufacturers extending themselves in competition that only Topps was able to afford.

Late ‘90s.

That’s when low-numbered cards and premium sets exploded. And several companies were competing, trying to outdo each other.

Select Certified mirrors
Essential Credentials
Leaf R&S Longevity
Flair Showcase Legacy
Fleer Brilliants 24 kt Gold
Skybox Rubies
Ultra Platinum Medallion

In other sports, Contenders autos and SP Authentic made a big splash, and the rookie auto was born. ‘97 Bowman helped with that, too.

Finest and Bowman’s Best were new and fun.

And it’s when Chrome was born.


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[QUOTE=eye4talent;17708683]Late ‘90s.

That’s when low-numbered cards and premium sets exploded. And several companies were competing, trying to outdo each other.

Select Certified mirrors
Essential Credentials
Leaf R&S Longevity
Flair Showcase Legacy
Fleer Brilliants 24 kt Gold
Skybox Rubies
Ultra Platinum Medallion

In other sports, Contenders autos and SP Authentic made a big splash, and the rookie auto was born. ‘97 Bowman helped with that, too.

Finest and Bowman’s Best were new and fun.

And it’s when Chrome was born.
[/QUOTE]

Technically Chrome was born the first half of the decade and wasn’t called Chrome :coffee:

[QUOTE=MoreToppsPlease;17708688]Technically Chrome was born the first half of the decade and wasn’t called Chrome :coffee:[/QUOTE]


Well, you do you.

But I’m referring to 1996 Topps Chrome across the big three sports (including 96-97 for basketball), 1997 Bowman Chrome baseball, and the rise to relevance in 1997 when the Kobe rookie took off.


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[QUOTE=ThoseBackPages;17707933]the 60's[/QUOTE]

This I agree... simple back then

[QUOTE=eye4talent;17708719]Well, you do you.

But I’m referring to 1996 Topps Chrome across the big three sports (including 96-97 for basketball), 1997 Bowman Chrome baseball, and the rise to relevance in 1997 when the Kobe rookie took off.[/QUOTE]

Sure, Chrome tech was a few years old by then and had been used in multiple Topps products, including Finest and Bowman’s Best - but of course those products weren’t parallel products like TC.

I agree with the 90’s. It seemed like every year each card company was trying to one up the other guys which made for some great cards. That is why I am a firm believer that having one card company have a single sport license is actually bad. Competition breeds innovation. Anyways, the 90’s brought us refractors, pack inserted autographs, serial numbered cards and best of all none of it really broke the bank like today. As a kid who collected in the 90’s I was able to buy packs and have fun. I am not sure how much money a kid has to have in today’s market to rip packs but it must be a lot.


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[QUOTE=rogueriver;17707930]If you could collect cards from just 1 decade, which would it be....[/QUOTE]

[B][U]If[/U][/B] money were no object, 1930’s

Another vote for the 90s as it ties back to my childhood..I loved how many different brands there were. I loved going to the local shop or walmart to buy a pack of new product with my allowance.

They only right answer is the 90s. The amount of competition forced manufacturers to produce the most creative sets we've ever seen. Refractors, crazy die cuts, dufex, serial numbered cards and game used all made their first appearance in the 90s. Plus, more than a players RC mattered. It still amazes me that most people don't give a #@#@#@#@ about almost any card produced today unless it's a players RC. Takes a lot of the fun out of collecting.

Now if I could pick any 10 year stretch I'd go 93-02 just so I could get Pujols in there.

2000s. Best of everything and innovation at its peak. Went downhill from there after 2009