A List of "Iconic Post War Baseball RCs" from the wax era.

Here is a list I am working on of "Iconic Post War Baseball Rookie Cards"
from the end of WWII through the end of the wax era (wax packs were discontinued in 1991).

Now keep in mind I am talking about iconic cards, not necessarily the player pictured on the card.  For example, the 1986 Donruss Canseco absolutely belongs on this list, but the 1956 Topps Aparicio does not, even though one is a HOFer and one isn't.  This list is about the cardboard.

I'd appreciate you letting me know any cards that should or shouldn't be on the list...Also, convince me that such and such should or shouldn't be on the list with reasoning, not just a one word answer.


1948 - Berra, Musial
1949 - J Robinson
1950 - 
1951 - Mantle, Mays
1952 - Mathews
1953 - 
1954 - Aaron, Banks, Kaline
1955 - Clemente, Koufax
1956 - 
1957 - B Robinson, F Robinson
1958 - Maris
1959 - Gibson
1960 - Yaz
1961 - 
1962 - 
1963 - Rose
1964 - 
1965 - 
1966 - 
1967 - Carew, Seaver
1968 - Ryan, Bench
1969 - Jackson
1970 - 
1971 - 
1972 - 
1973 - Schmidt
1974 - 
1975 - Brett ,Yount
1976 - 
1977 - Dale Murphy
1978 - Molitor, Murray
1979 - 
1980 - Henderson
1981 - Topps Raines, Fernando
1982 - Topps & Traded Ripken
1983 - Topps Boggs, Gwynn, Sandberg, Strawberry
1984 - Donruss Mattingly, Joe Carter
1984 - Fleer Update Clemens, Gooden, Puckett
1984 - Topps and Topps Tiffany  Gooden, Mattingly, Strawberry
1985 - Topps and Topps Tiffany Clemens, McGwire, Puckett
1986 - Donruss Canseco
1986 - Topps and Topps Tiffany Bonds, Canseco, Clark, Bo Jackson
1987 - Donruss Maddux
1987 - Fleer & Fleer Glossy Bonds, Clark, Bo Jackson, Maddux
1987 - Topps and Topps Tiffany Maddux
1988 - Score and Score Glossy Alomar
1989 - UD Griffey
1989 - Topps & Bowman Tiffany Griffey
1990 - Leaf Sosa, Thomas
1990 - Topps Thomas NNOF & Topps Tiffany
1991 - Topps Tiffany & Desert Storm Chipper Jones

1979 Ozzie Smith

1962 Lou Brock

'Nuff said.

wouldn't the 1952 (i think that's the right yr)Topps #1 Andy Pafko card qualify. It's the first card issued in what is the standard size card of today.

Even though you have Mantle for '51 I believe he should also appear for '52. It's one of the most iconic cards from the era and most consider it a rookie even though it technically isn't.

1961 Maris was a pretty iconic card IMO.

I think you're emphasizing too much from the '80s, I think this is when you started collecting so its hard to purge Iconic to me means a short list thats easy to remember.

I wouldn't include '84 Carter, '81 Raines, probably not '81 Fernando, or '88 Alomar. Mostly because people should be able to envision these cards in their minds but probably couldn't...although I suppose I could be wrong.

For a player to have multiple cards on this list, all the cards would need to be extra special IMO. So I'd leave off the Topps Traded and Bowman Griffeys and Topps Maddux, Traded Ripken, would have to think more about the other multiples.

Murphy, Straw and Gooden are probably borderline at this point. Sosa in a few years. People just tend to remember HOF more.

I don't think Tiffany or Glossy cards are iconic by themselves!

I'd probably add '72 Fisk and *maybe* '70 Munson.

uniquebaseballcards said:

I think you're emphasizing too much from the '80s, I think this is when you started collecting so its hard to purge Iconic to me means a short list thats easy to remember.

I wouldn't include '84 Carter, '81 Raines, probably not '81 Fernando, or '88 Alomar. Mostly because people should be able to envision these cards in their minds but probably couldn't...although I suppose I could be wrong.

For a player to have multiple cards on this list, all the cards would need to be extra special IMO. So I'd leave off the Topps Traded and Bowman Griffeys and Topps Maddux, Traded Ripken, would have to think more about the other multiples.

Murphy, Straw and Gooden are probably borderline at this point. Sosa in a few years. People just tend to remember HOF more.

I don't think Tiffany or Glossy cards are iconic by themselves!

I'd probably add '72 Fisk and *maybe* '70 Munson.

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I agree with this almost entirely. Too many 80's RC's I could care less about.

1953 Satchell Paige, Whitey Ford
1956 Luis Aparicio
1961 Juan Marichal, Ron Santo
1962 Lou Brock
1964 Tommy John, Tony Oliva
1965 Steve Carlton
1966 Jim Palmer
1970 Thurman Munson, Vida Blue
1971 Steve Garvey, Bert Blyleven
1972 Carlton Fisk
1974 Dave Winfield
1976 Dennis Eckersley
1979 Ozzie Smith

Mentions of 1952 Topps Pafko and Mantle? 1961 Maris? These aren't RC's. Stick with your prospects boys.

IndyMann said:

Mentions of 1952 Topps Pafko and Mantle? 1961 Maris? These aren't RC's. Stick with your prospects boys.

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Prospects? I don't do prospects.

Many view the '52 Mantle as a rookie card despite the fact that he has a '51 Bowman.

ffgameman said:

IndyMann said:

Mentions of 1952 Topps Pafko and Mantle? 1961 Maris? These aren't RC's. Stick with your prospects boys.

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Prospects? I don't do prospects.

Many view the '52 Mantle as a rookie card despite the fact that he has a '51 Bowman.

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Many are morons.

Steve Carlton 1965

Duke Snider 1949

uniquebaseballcards said:

I wouldn't include '84 Carter, '81 Raines, probably not '81 Fernando, or '88 Alomar. Mostly because people should be able to envision these cards in their minds but probably couldn't...although I suppose I could be wrong.

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Carter, Raines and Alomar RCs are iconic in Canada

Killer is not on your list!

G $MONEY$ said:

uniquebaseballcards said:

I wouldn't include '84 Carter, '81 Raines, probably not '81 Fernando, or '88 Alomar. Mostly because people should be able to envision these cards in their minds but probably couldn't...although I suppose I could be wrong.

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Carter, Raines and Alomar RCs are iconic in Canada

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OPC! OPC!

My only adds (depending on how you define "iconic") would be:

1957 Topps Don Drysdale (extremely popular set, the first to settle on the 2.5 x 3.5" card size according to PSA, and the last year of the Dodgers and Giants in NY)

1960 Topps Willie McCovey (have you seen this card? it's beautiful--every bit as iconic as the Yaz IMHO)

In my humble opinion, the 1953 Bowman Color Pee Wee Reese #33 is about as iconic as a piece of cardboard can get. Any list is just plain silly without it.

ok, maybe the list is too '80s heavy. But that is when the card hobby became a booming business and those not around then cannot understand how HUGE cards like Gooden and crew were.

my list is not posted to just assemble "rookie cards", that is an easy list to compile. Hell, i already have most of them already. i want this list as more of a guide as to what to focus in on as i am running out of rookie cards that i need.

gmarutiak said:

In my humble opinion, the 1953 Bowman Color Pee Wee Reese #33 is about as iconic as a piece of cardboard can get. Any list is just plain silly without it.

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RC does not stand for "remote control" here. The Reese is not a Rookie Card!