Iconic RCs

Hey everyone,
I've decided to shift my collecting habits. I get IP autos and my favorite cards to get autographed, besides A&G, are RCs. Keeping in line with this, I'd like to pick up some great players' autographed RCs from time to time. This got me thinking, which RC do I go after if I decide I want a certain player. Sometimes, the answer is easy, like when I picked this up a few months ago:

And sometimes the answer is easy because I am able to get different versions autographed pretty easily (all from free signings he does at El Cajon Ford):


But what about some others? I am not talking about the player's most expensive RC, I'm talking about the player's iconic RC (see Frank Thomas). Let me know what you think. Feel free to add/alter the list. I've just added players I've been considering:

1980:
Henderson (Topps)

1982:
Ripken (Even though it's not a true RC, I'm considering my options for getting a signed Topps Traded)

1983:
Boggs (?)
Sandberg (?)

1984:
Mattingly (Donruss)

1985:
?

1986:
?

1987:
Maddux (not sure which one is considered Iconic--I have a Donruss RC of his that I got signed IP)

1988:
Smoltz (Fleer Update, or go after the 89 UD?)

1989:
Griffey (UD)
Johnson (UD)
Vizquel (UD... I saw him at ST this year and got him on a ball. I hope he sticks around long enough for me to get him on his RC)

1990:
Frank Thomas (Topps... I don't know, it just seems more like an iconic card than the Leaf)

1991:
Chipper Jones (Topps for sure)

1992:
?

1993:
Helton (Topps Traded)

That's about as far as I'll go for now. Feel free to add to the list!

85=Puckett and Clemens (both Topps)
86=Canseco and McGriff (both Donruss)

For Smoltz the 89 UD is the way to go:

Ah, McGriff--I've got to remember that one.

I'd add the '85 USA McGwire, although there is probably slim to no chance of getting it signed.

add these, imo...

1984: Puckett, Clemens, Gooden FUpdate

1985: McGwire Topps

1986: Canseco, McGriff, Galarraga Dunruss

1987: Fleer Bonds

1988: Alomar, Biggio Score R&T

1990: Frank Thomas Leaf, absolutely Leaf

1992: Bowman, many.

1993: Jeter SP

1994 ARod SP

I collected all of the stars from 1980 to 1994 for the players who don't have a limited print rookie.



I haven't updated my scans in awhile, but I have all but a couple of the stars during that period now...here's a few to look at...if you want to see a scan of someone not below, let me know and I will scan it for you.

The leaf for the most part is the premium for most of the rookies, but vhtg.
http://www.sdlink.com/upload/dna/

Cool idea, I've been thinking of starting a collection consisting of every important Topps rookie cards, graded, from 1951 to 1999. The list is at about 50 cards but it's sometime difficult to narrow it down because there are literally dozens of Topps RC's that I'm on the fence about as to weither to include them or not.

However, I'd just like to add...

Being a collector for the past 20+ years, the LEAF Frank Thomas RC card is way more "iconic' than his Topps counter part. The 1990 Leaf card was, at one time, one of the most important RC cards of anyone ever made. Almost in the same league as Griffey's UD RC.

heres a good one for you

http://cgi.ebay.com/1990-Leaf-Larry...0?hash=item3ef1ebd32e&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

I would add 1992 Topps Traded Nomar Garciaparra & Jason Varitek.

This is still a work in progress(the final list), but I would like to put together something like this.


Here is my list...

1951 Topps: PSA 3 or BGS 3
-M Irvin

1952 Topps: PSA 3 or BGS 3
-E Matthews
-B Martin
-H Wilhelm
-D Groat

1953 Topps: PSA 4 or BGS 4
-J Gilliam

1954 Topps: PSA 4 or BGS 4
-E Banks
-H Aaron
-A Kaline

1955 Topps: PSA 4 or BGS 4
-S Koufax
-H Killebrew
-R Clemente

1956 Topps: PSA 4 or BGS 4
-L Aparicio

1957 Topps: PSA 4 or BGS 4
-D Drysdale
-B Mazeroski
-F Robinson
-R Colavito
-B Robinson
-J Bunning

1958 Topps: PSA 5 or BGS 5
-R Maris
-O Cepeda

1959 Topps: PSA 5 or BGS 5
-S Anderson
-B Gibson

1960 Topps: PSA 5 or BGS 5
-C Yastrzemski
-W McCovey

1961 Topps: PSA 5 or BGS 5
-B Williams
-J Marichal

1962 Topps: PSA 5 or BGS 5
-B Powell
-G Perry
-L Brock
-B Uecker

1963 Topps: PSA 5 or BGS 5
-P Rose
-W Stargell

1964 Topps: PSA 6 or BGS 6
-T John
-P Niekro

1965 Topps: PSA 6 or BGS 6
-J Morgan
-S Carlton
-J Hunter
-T Perez

1966 Topps: PSA 6 or BGS 6
-J Palmer
-F Jenkins
-D Sutton

1967 Topps: PSA 6 or BGS 6
-R Carew
-T Seaver

1968 Topps: PSA 6 or BGS 6
-J Bench
-N Ryan

1969 Topps: PSA 7 or BGS 7
-G Nettles
-R Jackson
-R Fingers

1970 Topps: PSA 7 or BGS 7
-T Munson

1971 Topps: PSA 7 or BGS 7
-B Blyleven
-S Garvey
-D Baylor

1972 Topps: PSA 7 or BGS 7
-C Fisk
-R Cey

1973 Topps: PSA 7 or BGS 7
-R Gossage
-M Schmidt
-D Evans
-B Boone

1974 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-D Winfield
-D Parker

1975 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-R Yount
-G Brett
-J Rice
-G Carter
-F Lynn

1976 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-D Eckersley
-W Randolph
-R Guidry

1977 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-B Sutter
-A Dawson
-D Murphey
-J Clark

1978 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-E Murray
-J Morris
-L Whitaker
-Molitor/Trammell

1979 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-O Smith
-B Welch

1980 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-R Henderson

1981 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-Wilson/Brooks
-F Valenzuela
-H Baines
-T Raines

1982 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-C Ripken
-D Stewart
-L Smith

1983 Topps: PSA 8 or BGS 8
-T Gwynn
-W Boggs
-R Sandberg

1983 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-D Strawberry
-J Franco

1984 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-D Mattingly
-D Strawberry
-A Van Slyke

1984 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-D Gooden
-B Saberhagen

1985 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-R Clemens
-D Gooden
-K Puckett
-E Davis
-B Saberhagen
-O Hershiser
-M McGwire

1985 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-O Guillen

1986 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-L Dykstra
-O Guillen
-C Fielder

1986 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-B Bonds
-J Canseco
-W Clark
-B Jackson

1987 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-B Bonds
-B Jackson
-W Clark
-R Palmeiro

1987 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-G Maddux
-M Williams

1988 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-K Caminiti
-M Williams
-T Glavine

1988 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-J Abbott
-R Alomar
-M Grace
-D Wells

1989 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-C Biggio
-G Sheffield
-J Smoltz
-R Johnson

1989 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-K Griffey Jr
-D Sanders
-O Vizquel

1990 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-J Gonzalez
-F Thomas
-S Sosa
-B Williams
-L Walker

1991 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-C Jones

1991 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-J Bagwell
-J Giambi
-I Rodriguez

1992 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-M Ramirez

1992 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-N Garciaparra
-J Varitek

1993 Topps: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-D Jeter

1993 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-T Helton

1994 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-J Schmidt
-P Konerko

1995 Topps Tr: PSA 9 or BGS 9
-C Beltran
-H Nomo

For Bagwell I think 91 Stadium Club is the best... Unless you want topps traded tiffany.

just a hint though, you will probably finding yourself happy to find any rookie signed, as many are VHTG, so I wouldn't worry so much about what is the "iconic" rc, as you will find yourself extremely satisfied finding any rc for many of the players, as it's not like finding unsigned ones, and if you don't buy already slabbed, make sure you spend the $7 for the psa/dna quick opinion...lots of fake unslabbed out there.

tonsofcommons said:

I would add 1992 Topps Traded Nomar Garciaparra & Jason Varitek.

Click to expand...

+1.

Not mine, but I wish it were:

hofautos said:

heres a good one for you

http://cgi.ebay.com/1990-Leaf-Larry...0?hash=item3ef1ebd32e&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

Click to expand...

Great card, his best RC, but that auto is not a very good example of his auto. JMO

Call me dumb but I'd go with the 1992 Bowman Chipper Jones.I know its not a rookie but that is the best earl card he has IMO.

I like this one:

matfanofold said:

Cool idea, I've been thinking of starting a collection consisting of every important Topps rookie cards, graded, from 1951 to 1999. The list is at about 50 cards but it's sometime difficult to narrow it down because there are literally dozens of Topps RC's that I'm on the fence about as to weither to include them or not.

However, I'd just like to add...

Being a collector for the past 20+ years, the LEAF Frank Thomas RC card is way more "iconic' than his Topps counter part. The 1990 Leaf card was, at one time, one of the most important RC cards of anyone ever made. Almost in the same league as Griffey's UD RC.

Click to expand...

I'm doing the same thing. Going for Topps RC's of HOFers (or HOFers to be) graded by PSA. My only grading requirement is based on the decade (5's for the 50's, 6's for the 70's....and so on). I still haven't gone for any big ones.

I'm wanting to do this first, then go after auto'd RC's of the same bunch. It'll be a long term thing, but rewarding.

I know this is old, but I like your style and am doing the same thing. I'm using the East Coast National to pick up a few of my best ones, as I'll get a 65 Topps Steve Carlton RC I just won signed, a 58 Topps Orlando Cepeda RC I just won signed, and a 61 Topps Juan Marichal RC signed (if I can win one on time). I can also get my 74 Topps Dave Winfield RC signed and would love to, but the $79 asking price for a signed card is a bit steep for me right now and I'll have to pass unless I can sell some stuff.

As for others I currently have from all sports, they include the following...

Baseball:
- 00 Bowman Draft Adrian Gonzalez RC (base card I got IP, looks great)
- 87 Topps Mark McGwire RC
- 90 Bowman Bernie Williams RC
- 91 Ultra Update Bernie Williams (kind of a RC, his best early card)
- 71 Topps Bert Blyleven RC
- 70 Topps Vida Blue RC

and

Football:
- 64 Topps Matt Snell RC (Jets)
- 70 Topps Alan Page RC (HOF)
- 64 Philadelphia Willie Davis RC (HOF)

Needless to say it could get pricey, but I think it's a great way to have a helluva unique collection. I think back to the others I could already have and cringe at what I passed up...