2013 Gypsy Queen: The Verdict & Trade Lists

I won't be collecting the 2013 Gypsy Queen base set.

Don't get me wrong, I picked up a blaster and enjoyed my packs.   No wait....they were out of blasters.   I snagged three "rack" packs....of packs.....not that it matters.   I enjoyed checking the set out.   There was a healthy dose of inserts and parallels throughout and I even pulled a Mattingly base card!   Yep, I was mystified as to why the previous two editions of GQ blacklisted The Hit Man and even tweeted to @ToppsCards about it.   Obviously, they listened to Ryan's Pitch and decided to include him in this year's release.   I'm ecstatic to make it the latest addition to my Mattingly PC!

The cards were sorted and reviewed.   By yours truly, so it was pretty technical.

I've set aside a few cards for my collection - mostly Braves, Yankees and a few legacy stars.   But otherwise, the base card design just didn't do it for me.   I don't necessarily hate it.   Remember, the 2011 Gypsy Queen set was what welcomed me back into the hobby a couple of years ago ( my goodness!?).   I pursued it with reckless abandon and flip back through my (almost complete!) master set on a regular basis.   I dig the artistic nature of the cards' pictures and I really enjoy the mixture of current and past players.   It's just that...the design of the cards aren't that much different, and I just don't think they have enough color.   Or the right color, I guess, as the '11 versions were strictly tan and black:  

Gateway Set

Yeah, I don't get it either - I just enjoy the 2011 design much more.   This latest attempt just seems more cheap and bland.   And that's fine - you can't win them all.   We'll try again next year.

In my opinion, Topps got it right with the initial release as far as base, relics, inserts and production numbers are concerned.  

Hawkish

They took a step back last year with some inserts that just didn't appeal to me and a design that was so-so.   There seemed to be a lot more "blah" names on the relic and autograph list, too.   But I chased it anyways and have almost completed the base set.

Just.....no.

This year, I think the inserts are spectacular for the most part and I will actually try to collect a few of them: "No Hitters", "Sliding Stars" and "Collisions at the Plate".   I'm really glad that Topps brought back the 'Sliding Stars' inserts.   I still dig them and the 'Collisions' was a great idea.

  

 

Therefore......I don't need all of the cards I have but I need some that I don't!   The cards below are "For Trade" and can be yours if you need them - just let me know!   If possible, I'd really like to swap them for cards I need.  

Here's the situation:

For Trade

Base:                    4, 7 (Mike Schmidt SP), 25, 43, 52, 59, 68, 88, 105, 129, 153, 165, 206, 214, 235,
                             241, 256, 261, 278, 338, 343, 345

White Parallel:     Ben Revere (269), Alex Gordon (141), Darwin Barney (341), Jemile Weeks (214),
                             David Wright (37), Yonder Alonso (173), Chris Capuano (241)

Mini:                    CJ Wilson (224), Vida Blue (157)

Black Mini /199:  Alex Rios (65/199, #114)



Dealing Aces:      Stephen Strasburg, David Price

Glove Stories:      Manny Machado

Cards I Need 

Sliding Stars: Austin Jackson, Adam Jones, Andrew McCutchen, Bryce Harper, Carlos Gonzalez,
                       Derek Jeter, Jason Heyward,  Joe Morgan, Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Trout, Ozzie Smith,
                       Prince Fielder, Rickey Henderson

Collisions at the Plate:   McCann, Posey, Fisk, Carter, Bench, Montero, Rosario, Molina

No-Hitters:   Feller, Hunter, Abbott, Santana, Weaver, Millwood, Ryan, Humber, Halladay, Koufax,
                     Spahn

For Yanks & Braves Team Sets, here is what I have (below).   I will gladly take any that I don't have and any parallel version from my favorite teams!

Yanks

A-Rod (#6), Ivan Nova (#21), Paul O'Neill (#316)

Braves

Chris Johnson (#195), Craig Kimbrel (#257), Tim Hudson (#344)

Yanks & Braves Mini's & Parallels

Mariano Rivera (#86)


Thanks for reading guys - have a great weekend!