What do you think are the 10 pre 1968 cards every collection should include? I took affordability and availability into account and came up with this list:
1966 Topps Bobby Orr
1955 Parkhurst Jacques Plante
1953 Parkhurst Jean Beliveau
1951 Parkhurst Maurice Richard
1951 Parkhurst Terry Sawchuk
1954 Topps Gordie Howe
1965 Topps Phil Esposito
1957 Parkhurst Frank Mahovlich
1952 Parkhurst Tim Horton
1963 Parkhurst Gordie Howe
Well Jim all rookies of star players and first Topps card for Mr Hockey. Which I do follow. Have to say that in high grade the 52-53 Maurice #2 is very hard to find. Also the 57-58 Doug Harvey #1 or the 55-56 #37 Maurice Richard. Also Horton's second year in NM-MT tough to find,think, Mr Yawitz can agree with that comment.Rookies are the most easily recognizable and as the link and title suggest "must have" but for me as my message title suggest the "most elusive" becomes the more admirable and as circustances would have it "the bigger fish stories to tell others".
Must concur the Plante in NM condition or better is certainly almost never seen. I recall and recorded BMW had Jacques Plante 55-56 #50 in SGC 9 sold for 10,000 in Apr 22 2003 on Ebay.
Dan
True indeed. I think both '52 and '53 Hortons are very difficult cards. I can't recall seeing one for sale between the time I bought my PSA 8 and the time I sold it.
Anyway, I think I'd strike Beliveau's rookie card from the list as it's just not a very attractive card. Even when the card has near-perfect registration, which isn't often the case, he looks like a ghost on it. One of his mid- to late '50s Parkie cards would be a better choice.
Heck, now that I think about it, the '51 Parkies aren't all that good looking either. I guess if one equates "must-have card" with "rookie card," then the Richard and Sawchuk cards would be good choices, but I think "must-have" has more to do with striking imagery, set popularity, etc. The '63 Howe pretty much fits that perfectly.
Dan. Most elusive, good topic for another thread. I'll start my list with the #1 cards from 1951 to 1957 parkhurst sets in near mint or better.
Steve. I know the Beliveau rc isn't the nicest looking card, especially when you consider that the 53 set does have some really sharp cards like the Howe and Richard, but I have always had a soft spot for it. Never mind that it is the rookie card of one of the best players ever, but it is the rookie card of one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. I used to be involved in alot autograph signings and I can honestly say that Beliveau is not only one of the best former athletes to work with but truly a class act. I'll just add that hockey does have alot of former players that are really good people, a few just stick out in my mind and Beliveau is number 1. Nothing to do with the card but just thought I would throw that in. Jim.
I am going to break a taboo on our forum and talk about and ebay auction also since it is a buy it now there is no biddin wars on it. It is Guy Lafleur's son's auction, Martin Lafleur. Most of us are active on ebay and you simply can not miss his auction as they are hard to miss.
Just wanted to bring it up since we are on the "Beliveau talk" . I must say I love the one picture with Maurice Richard, Beliveau and Guy Lafluer on it all holding the Stanley cup and each personally autographed. I would love to buy it but my wife would never sit still for it if I attempted to put it up in our house. She is good enough to let me spend thousands on little pieces of paper and plastic but I think I would push my luck if I tried to acquire this photo. Here is the link in case any of you actually did not see this auction:
Dan. It's not really taboo to post ebay listings. There were 2 reasons I made that a rule, so people don't bitch that we outed an item they were bidding on, which is pretty tough with so little hockey listed on ebay anyway. And to keep sllers from pumping thier own auctions with bogus questions. It was not meant to keep people from posting listings like this one.
I've always liked that piece and the one taken the same evening with the three of them at center ice. Believe it or not, at one time we used to wholesale this photo for $75/8x10 - $110/11x14 Can$. Which I held on to a few. Jim
well being new to vintage my 10 must haves would be all rc's
51-52 parkhurst howe
51-52 parkhurst richard
51-52 parkhurst sawchuk
51-52 parkhurst harvey
53-54 parkhurst beliveau
55-56 parkhurst plante
57-58 topps hall
58-59 topps hull
60-61 topps mikita
66-67 topps orr
These are not necessarily my favorite, as I collect predominantly pre-war hockey. However, if I were to recommend to someone 10 hockey cards that encompass the breath and depth of hockey history, this is what I would say:
1910-11 C56 Newsy Lalonde
1911-12 C55 Georges Vezina
1924-25 Champ's Cigarette Howie Morenz
1951-52 Parkhurst Gordie Howe
1951-52 Parkhurst Maurice Richard
1951-52 Parkhurst Terry Sawchuk
1954-55 Topps Gordie Howe
1955-56 Parkhurst Jacque Plante
1958-59 Topps Bobby Hull
1966-67 Topps Bobby Orr
1979-80 OPC Wayne Gretzky
Yes, I know that there are 11 cards on the list. It's a toss-up between the 51-52 Parkhurst and 54-55 Topps Howe. The Topps definitely is considered by most to be more attractive. Both have their historical significance, 51-52 Parkhurst being the first major post-war hockey set and 54-55 Topps being the 1st U.S. hockey set. 51-52 Parkhurst is more expensive. In the end, if I have to choose one, I would choose the 54-55 Topps Howe as the 51-52 Parkhurst set is already represented by the Richard and Sawchuk.
