Help me decide what vintage Topps set to complete!

Hey guys,

What vintage Topps set would you complete yourself? I'm thinking 1955 as a lot of good rookies but I love the 1956 Mantle card. I also want it to be a set that has good rookies and a Mantle card.

Help me decide!

1957 is a great set. Mantle, Ted Williams, Brooks and Frank rc's and more.

Re: Help me decide what vintage Topps to complete!

Let me suggest 1957 Topps.
Stylistically, it is one of the more popular Topps sets of all time. The card design features a minimalistic approach with a large color photograph, subdued white border, and simple text design.
It is also the first year Topps began producing cards in the size we have come to accept as the industry 'standard.' This makes them easier (and cheaper) to protect than the 1955 and 1956 Topps sets you mentioned.
The set features an astonishing six of Joe Orlando's Top 250 Sportscards of all time including: #1 Ted Williams, #18 Don Drysdale (RC), #35 Frank Robinson (RC), #302 Sandy Koufax, #328 Brooks Robinson (RC), and #407 Yankee Power Hitters.
The set is reasonably affordable. In this week's auction from Hunt lot #941 features a near set they estimate will fetch between $2,500 and $3,500. http://www.huntauctions.com/live/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=24&lot_num=941&lot_qual=
Also worth looking at is Matt's set at the SGC registry. He has completed the set in SGC 8 or better and has each card scanned: http://www.sgccardregistry.com/set.aspx?cat=1&set=1129&userset=2052

NYCrulesU said:

1957 is a great set. Mantle, Ted Williams, Brooks and Frank rc's and more.

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I agree. 1957 Topps has one of the best designs in Topps history, a great player selection, and is a set that won't be completely impossible to complete. I've always wanted to pursue the set, but never got around to it. I did complete a 2006 Topps Heritage set, though.

Re: Help me decide what vintage Topps to complete!

Chris Levy said:

Let me suggest 1957 Topps.
Stylistically, it is one of the more popular Topps sets of all time. The card design features a minimalistic approach with a large color photograph, subdued white border, and simple text design.
It is also the first year Topps began producing cards in the size we have come to accept as the industry 'standard.' This makes them easier (and cheaper) to protect than the 1955 and 1956 Topps sets you mentioned.
The set features an astonishing six of Joe Orlando's Top 250 Sportscards of all time including: #1 Ted Williams, #18 Don Drysdale (RC), #35 Frank Robinson (RC), #302 Sandy Koufax, #328 Brooks Robinson (RC), and #407 Yankee Power Hitters.
The set is reasonably affordable. In this week's auction from Hunt lot #941 features a near set they estimate will fetch between $2,500 and $3,500. http://www.huntauctions.com/live/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=24&lot_num=941&lot_qual=
Also worth looking at is Matt's set at the SGC registry. He has completed the set in SGC 8 or better and has each card scanned: http://www.sgccardregistry.com/set.aspx?cat=1&set=1129&userset=2052

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+1

Only negative I could say about 57 Topps is no Musial.

1956, my favorite post-war Topps set. Dual action/portrait shots with a horizontal (with a few exceptions) format make for a visually stunning set.

Since you're considering it, I am about 3 cards shy of the complete '55 set missing only the Clemente and two high number commons. It's a great set, looks nice in the binder, and is fairly easy to put together. Other than the big two in the set, the cost is not bad at all.

1957 has a ton of competition which drives your prices up. Go for 1968 Topps. Has Mantle, and Bench and Ryan rcs. Nice looking set.

Later in his career, but I always liked the design of the 1965 Topps set myself.

The 50s is the most frustrating decade. Musial not being in most of the mainstream sets, and DiMaggio retiring, and the exclusivity battle between Topps and Bowman through '55 means it's almost impossible to find the 'perfect' set checklist. When I was looking for a 50s set to go after for the PSA registry, I think it came down to 1952 Berk Ross, which has Mantle, Mays, Musial, DiMaggio, J. Robinson and Ted Williams. No Spahn or Mathews, though. But then the cards aren't much to look at. For the checklist I wanted, I think I had to go up to 1959, but then that was missing some guys that should've been in it. 1963 is close, too, with Musial's last card and Rose's RC, plus a great design.

Based on aesthetics, I like both 1956 and 1957, though they are very different. You're right about the '56 Mantle being just a great image, really a classic card. But 1957 has so many great rookies, although some people don't like the washed-out look of the photos. 1959 has Bob Gibson's RC, and the design started to grow on me, but in the end I didn't go for any of them.

smapdi said:

The 50s is the most frustrating decade. Musial not being in most of the mainstream sets, and DiMaggio retiring, and the exclusivity battle between Topps and Bowman through '55 means it's almost impossible to find the 'perfect' set checklist. When I was looking for a 50s set to go after for the PSA registry, I think it came down to 1952 Berk Ross, which has Mantle, Mays, Musial, DiMaggio, J. Robinson and Ted Williams. No Spahn or Mathews, though. But then the cards aren't much to look at. For the checklist I wanted, I think I had to go up to 1959, but then that was missing some guys that should've been in it. 1963 is close, too, with Musial's last card and Rose's RC, plus a great design.

Based on aesthetics, I like both 1956 and 1957, though they are very different. You're right about the '56 Mantle being just a great image, really a classic card. But 1957 has so many great rookies, although some people don't like the washed-out look of the photos. 1959 has Bob Gibson's RC, and the design started to grow on me, but in the end I didn't go for any of them.

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the more things change, the more they stay the same

Being the proud owner of both a 56 and 57 set, I like the 56 just a little bit more. But this is like a Megan Fox VS Angelina argument, your not wrong either way.

1955 and start with the Boyer RC PSA 8 that is on eBay. I wish I could go after it!

Adamsince1981 said:

1955 and start with the Boyer RC PSA 8 that is on eBay. I wish I could go after it!

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why cant you?

ThoseBackPages said:

Adamsince1981 said:

1955 and start with the Boyer RC PSA 8 that is on eBay. I wish I could go after it!

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why cant you?

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Unkie Sam is expecting something on the 15th and I didn't pay him all year.

Adamsince1981 said:

ThoseBackPages said:

Adamsince1981 said:

1955 and start with the Boyer RC PSA 8 that is on eBay. I wish I could go after it!

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why cant you?

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Unkie Sam is expecting something on the 15th and I didn't pay him all year.

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i hear that

AKT74 said:

Being the proud owner of both a 56 and 57 set, I like the 56 just a little bit more. But this is like a Megan Fox VS Angelina argument, your not wrong either way.

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Angelina

JackLondon said:

AKT74 said:

Being the proud owner of both a 56 and 57 set, I like the 56 just a little bit more. But this is like a Megan Fox VS Angelina argument, your not wrong either way.

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Angelina

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Yeah but I bet you wouldn't kick Fox out of bed for eating crackers :mrgreen:

Sorry to pimp my auctions but I thought this info might be useful...

In case you decide on the 57 Topps set. Last weekend I listed the Red Sox and Yankees Team cards with .99 cent opening bids. They each have some flaws but might be acceptable depending on what condition you are looking for to build your set.

57 Topps Red Sox Team Card with Ted Williams

[ebay:nyde8j39]170449712697[/ebay:nyde8j39]

57 Topps Yankees Team Card with Mantle, Berra, etc.

[ebay:nyde8j39]170449713062[/ebay:nyde8j39]

Tom Oates
ebay ID: oates

Note: Links added after reading the below message in this thread from our friendly neighborhood moderator