General Forum

We have done this before, but I think we all will take any excuse to talk about it again, I know I will. 

For the NBA, my favorite set is 1996-97 Ultra. The design, the photography...it has it all. The subsets are fun and the inserts are great. The debut of the Platinum Medallion and the first time Gold Medallion covers the whole set. What sets it off are the memories. I discovered the NBA in February 1996 so the 96-97 releases were my first full season with the sport. There's not a single set from that season I don't love. In fact 1996-97 is my favorite season for NBA cards.

For NASCAR I flip back and forth between two sets- 1991 Maxx and 1994 Action Packed. Right now Action Packed gets the nod. It has no real theme to the set...it's got about a dozen different base card designs. But every one is embossed and most feature a lot of gold foil, which, as a 9 or 10 year old, I thought was great as I was getting them new...now that I scan, not so much. But I still love the set. I'm getting really close to completing it, too. Interestingly, 1994 was my 2nd year in that sport but is my favorite year in it's history as well. 

While I'm still new and learning about NHL, 1990-91 Pro Set has my early lead as a favorite. A large set, very colorful, and several relevant subsets such as all stars, award winners and more. The team history subset from series 2 is just about perfect. Even has coaches and referees! What it doesn't have much of is inserts. There are a couple of very rare holograms and a one per pack ad card, and that's it. 

For non-sports my favorite is 1954 Topps Scoop. As a history nut there's no set better...it actually covers history, it doesn't just pretend history started with the USA. I've actually got about 3/4ths of the set now...not bad for a set issued when my parents ages were single digits! 

I don't really have a favorite Olympics set. They are all kind of lackluster. I want a set that actually documents the Olympics and the winners of the events, that's NEVER been done. Every Olympic set has been issued before the games, and generally only covers the US team. While I gladly collect them, it's not the way it should be...but it's better than nothing, which is traditionally what they got. 

I've recently been thinking and I've come to the conclusion that the 2nd Sports Illustrated for Kids set (1992-00) may be the best sports card set ever. I'll talk more about that in a future post on Cardboard History. 

Favorite due to sentiment is 1981 Topps baseball (first packs I opened).  Favorite due to general awesomeness is possibly 1996-97 Finest basketball.

1969 Topps would be mine for the reason, as many of you have said, was my first year collecting. The Detroit Tigers had just won the World Series the year before, so the Tiger cards were loaded with my favorites. 

Like others on the site, my favorite set because of sentimental value would be 2012 Choice Bowie Baysox (first pack bought, not including 2010 Topps Attax). But my personal favorite based on design, I’d say 1983 Topps.

Billy, we were typing at the same time, and we both picked a 1996-97 basketball set.  I believe this has happened before.  Best year for cards for any single sport during the modern (post-1980) era, in my opinion.  It's not easy for me to say Finest is better than Ultra.  Just personal preference.  Ultra is fantastic too.

Are you enjoying Heritage this year?  My 1981s won't get the Heritage treatment for another 12 years!

1978 was the first year I started getting cards and I think will always remain my favorites . I got packs for the first time for baseball , football , hockey , basketball and Star Wars . I won a complete set of baseball as well from a local kids tv show that year . They may not be my favorite designs but overall my favorite sets due to the memories I have from the first year I got alot of cards .

I’m loving it too because a 1969 Jim Mahoney was the oldest card in my collection for years until I got into buying vintage.

I can agree with Mheilenman,  77 and 78 were the first years I bought packs from and I still love the basicness of the four 78 Tools sets.

1982 Fleer baseball was the first set I tried to put together.

Favorite designs 1956, 1978, and 1983 Topps baseball.

Topps Football 1972,1978, and, 1984.

Hockey 1978 and 1984 topps and 1990 Upper Deck.

My favorite set was the Topps set in baseball for 1967.

Love the design 

I like posed photos  not action shots.  some of them you can't deside who is the card of. or the back of a player sliding.