Gypsy Queen: Through The Years

The Queen Is Alive

I loved Gypsy Queen last year and continue to add as many of the bronze- and green-paper parallels as possible. There was never any doubt whether I'd buy into it this year.

Still, I'm stopping short of declaring I'll collect the set. I'm directing the greater portion of my budget to completing sets from my youth and to old-fashioned cards.

But I know I'll look to pick up the Reds and Tigers and Cubs and favored players and the veterans in the set. I have the Tigers in Cardboard Heaven's group break, so I should be set with them. Take a look at his break, by the way, plenty of good teams available.

Today, I snagged two of the hanging value packs from Walmart. Each includes three paper frames. I'll show them near the end of this post. 

It's tough for me to know yet if I like 2012 more than 2011. It was all fresh and new last year so I'm partial to that on one hand. On the other hand, 2012 is fresh and new now and so I can't help but like it more at this particular moment. On the third hand (don't judge), oh, wait, there is no third hand. 

Let's do some comparisons, shall we?

It's a great shot of Chapman this year (left) but you'll see that the new design seems to intrude more into the photo. The "Gypsy Queen" logo - continuing a Topps theme in 2012 - is in a surfboard of sorts.

Yet, I like the ornamental design this year and I also prefer how the player's names are presented in the new set. It's just less intrusive on the photo.

The backs on the base cards are similar and a team logo is included on both. This is different than with the inserts - the backs of which I have some problems with.

Advantage: Even

Next, we have Moonshots, a not-so-veiled repeat of Home Run Heroes from 2011 (pictured left).  

The purple is going to have to grow on me and I'm not sure it will. And, why no artsy moon anywhere on the card? Maybe it's just the amateur astronomer in me nit-picking but I feel this is a lost opportunity. On the plus side, I pulled that Willie Mays as well as Babe Ruth.

As for the backs, I kind of like the off-white this year. But, my problem referenced above is that there are no team logos with the inserts. I also don't like the lack of a number for filing purposes. Not a fan of the initials. Perhaps minor quibbles.

Advantage: Home Run Heroes

Here we have Future Stars 2011 vs. Future Stars 2012. Really, Topps? No other names popped to mind. 

I like the color this year and it just feels like there's more picture - but perhaps that's an optical illusion. I guess I like both.

Advantage: Even

Ah, Great Ones of 2011 vs. Hallmark Heroes of 2012. I really like the look of Hallmark Heroes. I feel like I'm looking through a picture window or into a mirror. It's a softer, more eye-appealing design.

Advantage: Hallmark Heroes

I'm taking liberty here comparing this year's Sliding Stars to Sticky Fingers from last year. I didn't pull any Glove Stories today so this will have to do. Suffice to say, I love the look of Sliding Stars. The ornamental design is very artsy and I love the way the player's name is shown.

Finally, perhaps my favorite insert set of all-time - the paper frames. Here's a quick look at similar frames from 2012 (top) and 2011 (below). Of my three frames pulled today, I got Koufax, DiMaggio and Maris.

This is where the "Gypsy Queen" surfboard seems particularly unwieldy. There isn't enough room for the photos.

I also feel that the 2011 version is simply the better frame.

Advantage: 2011

So, it's clear I like and somewhat dislike parts of both releases. It'll be interesting, to me at least, to see if my perspective changes in a few more weeks.

Meanwhile, here are some other cards I snagged today.

Above are three of the six minis I opened. Three all-time favorites of mine! Also, the first card I saw today was the regular version of Warren Spahn. 

Next, it was nice to see Catfish Hunter in the checklist. And one can never argue with Bob Feller.

Finally, I'll close with some trade bait. The below three cards appeared in two separate value packs in the exact same order, thus I have dupes of these legends.

I'll be interested to read more about how others feel about this year's Gypsy Queen. I think I'll go explore the blogs.

Enjoy cards!