Pack Preview: 2013 Topps Gypsy Queen

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Here is the full checklist for ’13 Gypsy Queen

Topps Gypsy Queen is returning for its third year and is sure to be better than ever. Fans of this set will love that Topps is keeping a lot of what worked in previous years and is adding something a little extra to give it that extra push. Just like past years, every hobby box is going to contain two autograph cards, two relic cards and one 10-card mini box.The big difference is this year Topps is introducing bat barrel and mini button cards from the top players of the year.

The 350-card base set will feature veterans, rookies and reitred players. Also this year will be 50 short-printed cards from the first 300 cards in the set. Additionally, there will be base card variations that will be from any of the total 350 cards. If it sounds confusing, it was to a lot of collectors in the 2012 set as well. Here’s hoping they fixed the images that are going to be variations in 2013’s set.

One of the draws to Gypsy Queen is the mini cards in this set. With 2013, base mini-cards will be one per pack and can also be one of three colors of parallels; Black (#/99),Green (#/99), and Sepia-tone (#/50). Inserted into each hobby-box of Gypsy Queen is also a 10-card mini box that will contain mini-box variations that can only be found inside. Just like regular-sized cards, mini will also have printing plates, (hobby-only), wood minis (#/5), and leather texture (1/1).

2013 GQ will feature a handful of parallel cards that include:

• Hometown Currency-Relic cards featuring a U.S. State Quarter or foreign currency from where the player was born. These will be numbered to five. This is a new addition to the ’13 Gypsy Queen.
• Framed Parallel- Back for a third installment, the framed parallels will have a blue paper frame sequentially numbered, or a silver frame that will be numbered one of one. This is also a new addition. With the last two years, retail may see another version of this.
• Printing plates-These hobby-only printing plates will features four different colors of actual printing plates used to make the set.

The inserts in Gypsy Queen give collectors more to hunt down while putting together a master set, but they do it in a way that is unique to this set. Back for another installment is “Glove Stories”, these inserts highlight a spectacular moment in glove work. New to 2013 is “Collisions at the Plate”, these will feature several of the most spectacular and memorable home-plate collisions. Also new will be “Gypsy Kings”, not to be confused with the band, these will be a fantastic opportunity for collectors to be featured in the years’ set. The Topps’ Facebook page, collectors can enter to tell them why they deserve to be a Gypsy King or Queen. Topps will pick a winner and feature them in the upcoming set. Pretty, pretty, pretty neat.

Other insert cards will include:

• No-Hitters- These will feature a selection of current and retired pitchers that have thrown a no-hitter.
• Dealing Aces- The top pitchers in baseball will be featured in all four suits: Heart, Club, Spade, and Diamond.
• Sliding stars
• Insert card Printing plates

One of the amazing aspects of sets like Allen&Ginter’s and Gypsy Queen are the framed mini-relics. 2013 GQ will be no different as it will contain game-used bat and game-worn jersey cards in regular size and mini-relic versions. The difference to next year’s set will be a black parallel relic card that will be numbered to 25, and numbered to 10 in the mini-version.

Also include relics will be an original art patch cards will be hand-painted Gypsy Queen-style portraits that will feature a game-used patch. These masterpieces will be numbered to one copy each and hobby only. Mini autographed relic books will join the club and will feature one panel with a relic and the other with an autographed sticker. These new designs will be numbered to five. Start looking for a way to display these gems.

With two autographs per box, Gypsy Queen allows for a deeper checklist. Is that always a good thing? No, but with GQ you will a wider scope. These autos will be from veterans, rookies and retired stars. Autographed relic cards are back and will be standard-size featuring a game-used relic. All of these will be numbered to 25 or less. Dual auto’d relic cards will have two autos and two relic swatches- also be numbered to 25 or less. It gets better- triple auto’d/relic cards will feature three auto’d stickers and three relic swatches. The triple auto/relic cards will be numbered to 10 or less. And to top off the autos will be autographed minis. These will be signed ON-CARD and numbered to only ten copies. The amazing part of these is these will be exclusive to the mini-box, so hopefully that means the mini-boxes will be sealed. We’ll find out-

Two spectacular inserts completely new to 2013 will be bat barrel inserts and mini button cards. Bat Barrel cards will feature the name plate from the barrel of the bat and will be numbered to one of one each. Mini button cards will be relic cards featuring a button from the player’s jersey. They will be exclusive to the mini-box and be numbered to only 3 copies each.

Topps seems to be a little more open with the fact that most of the autos will be stickers. Collectors will know what to expect going into the product and have less to complain about. But with on-card autos on minis there should be a lot more redeeming qualities. Please visit Sports Card Radio for checklist updates as they arrive!