What was the best year for baseball cards?

[ChasHawk]

Easily 2005 for me, because of the multiple good choices from multiple companies.

 

[matchpenalty]

2010

Love that not every week more junk isn't flooding the market and rotting on shelves.

Chicle was very cool product, Topps still has plenty of choices for people to buy from. Nice that releases now are something to look forward to.

 

[ChasHawk]

2010

Love that not every week more junk isn't flooding the market and rotting on shelves.

Chicle was very cool product, Topps still has plenty of choices for people who collect current players and minor leaguers to buy from. Nice that releases now are something to look forward to.

fixed.

 

[Exposfan]

I can't decide.
2001 with Pujols and Ichiro. or
2005 with DLP products and Bowman Draft.

 

[ffgameman]

2005 also had Topps Chrome Update.

 

[bballcardkid]

I'll always be a sucker for mid-late 90s wax. I know it's not the 'best' for baseball cards, but it's the time period where I was in my collecting peak. I loved those matte Fleer cards in '96 and '97, especially the "Lumber Company" inserts.

I was going to say 96/97 but realized the OP is wanting the best year for baseball cards, not basketball. 96/97 epitomized the insert/parallel card in basketball. No game used, no autos except for Skybox Autographics, Score Board, Press Pass ,etc. The cards were designed better and just looked better than any other era. As for baseball, I have no clue. 2005 was full of neat stuff, but I think it was a year that set the hobby back with all of the overproduction taking place. I'd say 2001 since every box had the big 2 in it. 2010 won't be too far behind.

 

[BunchOBull]

1998 was the height of modern collecting to me. The best '90s inserts came to the market and were swept away with the demise of Donruss and Pinnacle.

 

[n1astrosfn]

1998 was the height of modern collecting to me. The best '90s inserts came to the market and were swept away with the demise of Donruss and Pinnacle.

could not agree more.

 

[shanks25]

2005

I loved the DLP inventory dump. 2005 Prime Cuts is still my favorite release of all time.

 

[JoshHamilton]

1997

First year of Bowman Chrome with a loaded rc lineup

Donruss Preferred with Precious Metals

Donruss Signature

Finest, with the Embossed Gold Refs

First year of Flair with Legacy and Masterpiece 1/1's.

Fleer and Ultra with Ortiz rc's. Ultra had some awesome inserts as well.

Pinnacle Certified with Mirror Golds

SP with the '94 Arod buyback auto

Topps Screenplays. I'm a sucker for motion cards

Topps Stars with one of the first rc reprint auto sets

Zenith. Probably my all time favorite modern sets

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

I'd agree 1997 was the best/had the most fun sets to collect, probably slightly ahead of 1998, but much better than anything previous. I'd also include the atomic refractors to your list. Beckett was still widely used by all, and it was absolutely incredible to see the BV on this stuff... almost as amazing to see how those BVs declined over the next decade.

1997

First year of Bowman Chrome with a loaded rc lineup

Donruss Preferred with Precious Metals

Donruss Signature

Finest, with the Embossed Gold Refs

First year of Flair with Legacy and Masterpiece 1/1's.

Fleer and Ultra with Ortiz rc's. Ultra had some awesome inserts as well.

Pinnacle Certified with Mirror Golds

SP with the '94 Arod buyback auto

Topps Screenplays. I'm a sucker for motion cards

Topps Stars with one of the first rc reprint auto sets

Zenith. Probably my all time favorite modern sets

 

[JoshHamilton]

Actually, I was using the May 2010 Beckett to formulate my list. Most of the book values for inserts haven't really changed.

Of course, real world sell values for nearly everything has tanked, but apparently 13 years isn't long enough for Beckett to catch up

 

[BunchOBull]

I agree 1997 was a great year, but for me, some of the designs were still a bit contrived. 1998 inserts perfected the theme in my eyes.

 

[17ROCKIES12]

2006 was the best for me. Barmes autos in every Topps product.

 

[smapdi]

For me it was 1991, the year I returned to the hobby. UD's appearance forced everyone to upgrade, leading to Stadium Club and Leaf (though I missed the '90 version). I also liked Ultra, though it was notch below, and a lot of people liked Studio. Plus, Nolan Ryan threw his 7th no-hitter, leading to four-digit prices for his RC, leading the resurgence of near-vintage material, and there were more collectors, shops, and shows than ever. Inserts were just starting to take hold, whether it was the Gold Leaf cards or the Mantle, DiMaggio and Williams autographs. I still remember the awe of seeing a signed Sandberg Elite in an inch-thick lucite in a dealer case at a show, along with something like an $800 price tag on it. Even "the Jordan card" in UD was super-special to pull. It was a lot of fun then, and it wasn't all about BV.

 

[ChasHawk]

I agree about 97 & 98, but 2005 pretty much had it all for just about every type of collector.

2005 Bowman Chrome - 1st year for superfractors
Topps ATFF
Topps Retired Signature
Topps Finest - with supers & retired players
UD Trilogy - Some great looking RETG cards with on-card autos
Donruss Signature Series
Diamond Kings & Update
Absolute Memorabilia & Update
Donruss Champions
Playoff Prime Cuts
Leaf Limited
Fleer Patchworks
UD Heroes
UD Origins

There was somehitng for prospectors, player collectors, retired/HOF collectors.

Some of the BEST game used cards ever made and a HUGE majority of the vintage game used still available came from 2005.

 

[fitefansho]

2008 was a good year.

Longoria RC stuff, some great looking cards were made. When I saw this one come out of a pack I bought...

:shock:

It reminded me of the early 90's and a real can't miss prospect with good looking cards. Had to have more...

 

[brouthercard]

1987, 1989, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2010 - too many to choose from.

 

[MOFNY]

For me nothing will be like 1998-2001. Trying to isolate one of those years is tough. 2005 is very close too.

 

[thefatguy]

05