I don't have a lot of regrets about leaving the hobby between 1995-2005. Most of the cards issued at that time, I don't consider favorites and in many cases I can't even imagine wanting to buy a pack.
About the only sets issued during my hobby hiatus that I could say I would have definitely collected, are the legends sets from that time period.
The retro craze was all the rage about 20 years ago, and it's been a long time since we've seen sets like Topps Super Teams or Fleer Greats of the Game. Stupid lawyers.
Between a glorious 10-year period that ranged approximately from 1999-2007, some of the greatest legends sets were issued. They continued the tradition of sets such as early '60s Fleer Greats, TCMA sets of the '70s and '80s, and the Ted Williams Company sets from '93 and '94.
Those sets were born out of the respective companies' inability to show photos of current players on cards, but the byproducts were what I consider masterpieces and some of the most collectible sets out there.
The tradition reignited at the turn of the century, I believe Upper Deck's Century Legends set in 1999 kicked off the retro trend that would continue for another 10 years. However, I don't consider that set a "true great" when reviewing those sets of the greats.
That's because Century Legends mixed current players with legendary players, something that still happens today and something that has never made sense to me. Why do we have a set of guys who play now with guys who played decades ago, some of whom aren't even alive? That was very weird to me when I first saw it (probably in a set like 2011 Lineage) and although I've gotten somewhat accustomed to it just because there are SO MANY sets just like that now (looking at you, Archives), I actually prefer the sets that have legends and legends only in them. To me, those are the True Greats of legends sets.
So I'm doing a little countdown of my favorite legends sets from the golden era of legends sets, which were the early 2000s. See if your favorite is on here:
10. 2001 Topps American Pie
This is a 150-card set that focused on the pop-culture aspect of baseball and also included famous people from the nonsports world, as well as notable American events from the previous 50 years. Basically, the precursor for the reboot of Allen & Ginter that would arrive five years later.
I'm sure this set was popular upon release but annoyed the "Just Baseball" people. It's a somewhat limited baseball checklist, but it does feature folks like Curt Flood, Ron Swoboda, Mark Fidrych, Bucky Dent and Tony Conigliaro.
Random favorite name on the checklist: Tony Kubek
9. 2004 Fleer Greats of the Game
A 145-card set and the last one actually issued by Fleer.
I like the look of the base cards a lot, and the checklist is pretty interesting, but the way Fleer issued this set makes me know it would have irritated the heck out of me. The first 80 cards in the set were issued in June and then the final 65 were issued as part of a "Cut Signatures Edition" in December. I don't give a crap about autographs (none of these sets are ranked by the autographs that are offered) so monkeying with the base set in this way means the '04 version isn't rated higher.
Random favorite name on the checklist: Cecil Travis
8. 2003 Topps Retired Signatures
Here's a set that actually was all about the autograph, it's even in the set's name. Apparently each pack of Retired Signatures contained an encased autograph. So I bet this was not for the bargain-basement shoppers.
However, if I ignore all that, it's a solid set with an interesting look, even if its only 110 cards. Topps took the 2003 base set and changed the borders from blue to white and then slapped legends in the frame. Seeing old baseball figures on a new design must have been a hoot when these came out, and I still think it looks cool.
Random favorite name on the checklist: Jerry Koosman
7. 2006 Fleer Greats of the Game
Upper Deck had taken over the Fleer show by 2006 but it knew something about the legends-set game so the Greats set didn't suffer. It's only 100 cards but the best part of this set for me are the inserts, especially the nickname set (although true to Upper Deck form, it gets a little weird).
There are lots of unexpected names in this set and it makes me want to collect it.
Random favorite name on the checklist: Garry Maddox
6. 2000 Fleer Greats of the Game
This 107-card set is really the one that propelled the card world into a legends/retro frenzy. This is the first set since I don't know when that included retired players only. For that reason, I have a good deal of affection for it -- as much as I can for a set that came out when I wasn't collecting.
Random favorite name on the checklist: Al Lopez
5. 2001 Upper Deck Legends of New York
I know, I know, there are only four teams included (Dodgers, Giants, Yankees and Mets), but if you collect one of those teams it is such an awesome set.
There is a lot of duplication with the card subjects in this 200-card set but at least they are presented in a variety of ways with several different pictures presented. It shows off a lot of the older era players that get ignored (players like Travis Jackson and Babe Herman) and the photos from that time period are fun. If you want to see a player posing with at least seven bats, this is the set for you.
It's so great, I don't even mind the fuzzy logos that they put on this thing.
Random favorite name on the checklist: Wayne Garrett
4. 2004 Upper Deck Timeless Teams
This is a really cool idea, profiling the players on various famous teams. Like the Legends of New York set, some teams get shut out, but it's not nearly as exclusive as LONY.
At 300 cards, there is some padding and Upper Deck does that thing where there are multiple cards of the same player (4 Ron Ceys, etc.), which makes it super confusing when you're trying to assemble the set.
However, the photos are well-presented (even if the period of the picture isn't accurate sometimes) and there are lots of fun names. As someone who grew up in the '70s, it means a lot to me to be able to collect more cards of Cey and Garvey and Guerrero.
Random favorite name on the checklist: Pete Richert (he has two cards!)
3. 2001 Upper Deck Decade '70s
Weird set name aside (I still don't get it), this is the first legends set I ever saw and I even grabbed a few cards during the very depths of my collecting dark period. I stood dumbfounded in an aisle of Fay's Drugs, staring at the display. I couldn't believe there was a modern set -- Upper Deck, no less -- dedicated to the '70s.
I have since completed it, one of the few legends sets that I have finished off. I love the subject matter and I really love the bright-colored borders that are a riff on the 1975 Topps set. The inserts are fun, too, although UD struggles with the photos/time era thing again.
There are probably too many black-and-white photos though for it to get the No. 1 or No.2 rating. You can tell from some of the pix that UD wasn't around in the '70s.
Random favorite name on the checklist: Don Money
2. 2001 Topps Archives
I've come around on this set. I used to think that it was almost pointless to collect a card that was essentially the same as the original except for the gold foil stamp.
However, I was looking at it from 10, 20 years down the line and many, many Topps tributes to its past designs have appeared in packs since the original '01 Archives. That tends to water down interest.
But in '01, this was your first chance maybe of possessing a card very much like the '52 Pafko or the '59 Gibson or the '54 Ted Williams. That's where the fascination lies (as well as with some of those cards that show rookies who originally appeared on four-photo cards with a card of their own).
This 450-card set also focuses exclusively on a player's first card and his last card, which is about the only reason I'd want to collect another 1987 Hal McRae.
Random favorite card on the checklist: Ted Kluszewski (Angels)
1. 2003 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites
I hope you knew that this would be my favorite. I've written enough about the All-Time Fan Favorites sets over the life of this blog.
I've completed the 2004 and 2005 versions of Fan Favorites and I should have the 2003 debut wrapped up in the next month or so.
This set (the 2004 one actually) and the 2001 Upper Deck Decade '70s set were my introduction to what cards were doing while I was on my hiatus. I loved the concept of the Fan Favorites cards and I still do: Old players on old designs with different pictures! Gimme!
This is a spin on the original '01 Archives set but in a much more interesting way, at least for me. And there are so many players and other baseball figures in this set that you cannot find in any of the other legends sets.
Take all of that and it's my favorite legends set. A true great.
Random favorite name on the checklist: Mario Mendoza
I really wish we could have sets like this again. But the restrictive MLB licensing agreement forces current players into every set that's made these days. I hate the ideas that are behind this requirement and if I think of it long enough, I want to throw all my current Archives sets in the garbage.
But there's nothing saying I have to collect modern cards. Especially when there are still all those truly great legends sets from 20 years ago out there.
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