Hobby Box Break and Review: 2011 Gypsy Queen

I was very excited when my review box came in the mail from Topps because I had a ton of fun opening the case of
2011 Topps Gypsy Queen and was excited to get to open another one (and get to keep whatever cards of other teams I like).

I am going to show you the highlights of the box, plus let you know what I think of each insert set.

Hobby boxes contain 24 packs per box with 10 cards per pack. You are guaranteed 2 relics AND 2 autographs per hobby box. As per Topps press release before this product went live, there was a problem where many boxes only got 1 autograph so if you only got 1 auto you need to mail them your hobby box UPC code ASAP.

Base card total: 184
Base card duplicates: 0
Short prints (301-350): 6

I didn't scan the base cards, but I did scan the short prints to show you what the cards look like and which short prints were in the box.


Short Prints


Homerun Heroes (25 card set)

I like this insert set because it is short and sweet. There aren't a bunch of cards to chase and it looks nice and vintage-like. It's also hard to dislike a set that contains some of baseball's biggest sluggers.


Future Stars (20 card set)

This is a fun insert set for prospectors and rookie card collectors. It adds a little something different to the typical base cards you tend to see for rookies. Also, it's one of those cards that not every rookie will have making it cool if you collect one of the 20 guys featured in the set.


Great Ones (30 card set) Now this is great for some of the "old timers" who still collect cards of the players they grew up with, or people who like collecting the older players. I can imagine it gets boring when you collect a guy who hasn't played in 15+ years and there are like 2 cards a year of him. I would imagine it's cheaper, but not as much fun.

The Homerun Heroes, Future Stars, and Great Ones are 3 insert sets that actually offer something for everyone. You can find at least one card out of these 3 sets to love, or collect a full set. Plus, they would look sweet displayed in your binder.

Framed Paper /999 This may be my favorite part of the whole Gypsy Queen set. I absolutely love these framed paper cards. The border is a bronze/brownish type color and it is raised slightly. The border is more like the color of the infield dirt, which makes it super sweet looking on cards that have just the right color dirt. (Check out the Tim Lincecum card) These are gorgeous looking inserts and probably one of the best inserts of the year.


Gypsy While I am aware that the set is called, "Gypsy Queen" I find no need to have included actual gypsies in the set. No card collector really gives a hoot about pulling one of these. And furthermore who on Earth wants to get an auto of a gypsy? It's worth about as much as me signing a card. Jewel cards are a case hit = LAME. Again, worthless card. If this set is produced again in the future we can all do without the gypsies. Sorry, Oriana.

Mini (regular back) Mini cards... hard to find anything cooler than tiny baseball cards. They are fun size cards perfect to add a little something to any set. I am all for a mini version in every set, I like tiny cards. Actually I think I just like how they look in the binder sheets. Anyway, they are the same as the base version unless you get the variant from the box topper pack. The variant is a slightly lighter card with a different pose, which you will see in a little bit.

Mini (red backs)

Mini black parallels These are the "cooler" version of the mini cards, if you will. They are black cards, not serial numbered and very nice looking. I can't wait to get my mitts on the Cano, Martin and Pujols black mini's (hint hint if you have one I need please e-mail).


Mariano Sepia Mini /99 This is just plain awesome. It makes Mo look like he pitched 30 years ago. Sepia cards are a nice variant for baseball cards, but I think they work best on current players. A sepia mini of Babe Ruth just wouldn't have the same coolness to me. Sepia mini = happy MarieBay.


Mini's from the little bonus pack of mini cards.

The only way to get one of the insert set mini's is from the mini box topper pack. So you can definitely expect to pay more for these if one of your guys is in one of the sets.

Lighter mini variant exclusive to the mini pack.


Prince Fielder relic I'm honestly not a fan of the relic cards, but then again I never am. These look just like the base cards with a plain ol' swatch on 'em.



Josh Hamilton Framed Relic Love, love, love framed relic cards. I have no reason why I dislike regular ones but I am okay with the framed ones. Maybe because in the card is a tiny card with a swatch or bat piece, and I like tiny cards. Personally, what I think would have made the framed relics more awesome would be if there was another version (different color border), serial numbered, and a PATCH with more than one color. That would have made a great case hit instead of the lame jewel cards.

Josh Hamilton auto redemption Hooray it's Josh Hamilton, and boooooo there was only one auto and it was a redemption. The whole fun of this product was the promise of on card autographs in every box and then when you are jipped one auto and the other is a redemption it kinda sucks some of the fun out of it. But when it's Josh Hamilton I guess I can let it slide. (On hold for the Woodpecker.)

This definitely might be one of the most fun products so far this year. So here is my report card:

Design: A

It gets an A from me based more on the framed paper cards than the base cards. The base cards are nice in that they look vintage and all that jazz, but the framed paper and the inserts steal the show and won me over. Mini cards? Yes, Topps has a winner here.

Value: B-

The value rating is reflected by the current price point of over $130 per hobby box currently. Not to say that you don't get a ton for the money (like 4 hits per box guaranteed) but with the way the economy is right now and people are trying to save money while still indulge in things they like the resellers are making it hard for the average person to afford to open a box of this set. If the price leveled out around $90 per box I would give it an A.

Quality: B

Why not an A? Well, the fact that the product was advertised for months to have 2 autographs per box and 24 hours prior to the product going live they announce an "oops, sorry we forgot one" press release.... Not cool. Maybe it's Quality Control, and not so much the quality category of the cards themselves. The cards themselves were great. I don't recall seeing a single damaged card in the case we opened or in this hobby box which is always nice. Again, the inserts are an added bonus for this category as well.

Overall: A-

I know it doesn't average out, but the pricing is set by resellers not Topps so that grade isn't totally their fault. The quality issues, while yes there should have been 2 autographs the cards themselves were definitely on point and very nice looking. I did take a little something off for those issues.

The product offers a great range of extras, and inserts which make it a super fun box to break if you can afford one. If you can buy a retail blaster or rack pack at Target or Walmart and not a whole hobby box I can assure you that you will have a ton of fun with either option. Even retail packs have had autographs in them. This product has potential to throw you a hit in any version, plus with the autos on card those pesky pack searchers can't find them.

New Retail Store Opening!

Most of us are very familiar with the Freedom Cardboard website, and message boards by now. If you are not, well you need to crawl out from under your rock and make your way over there.

The site owner recently started working on opening a retail location in addition to being able to purchase items online from the site. The store is scheduled for a Grand Opening on Saturday June 4, 2011. So if you are in the Atlanta area, you will not have a new favorite hangout and place to buy cards. Here is the information that was in their press release.



On Saturday June 4th at 11:00 AM FCB will open it’s doors a bit early to
accomodate one of the best prospects in all of baseball. Atlanta Brave
Julio Teheran will be signing autographs live in the store from 11:00 AM to
12:30 PM. These autographs are free on a first come, first serve basis.
We will hand out tickets as people arrive insuring that no one waits in
line for a couple hours only to get turned away.

The event is brought to you by the good people at Onyx Authenticated, hobby
new comers who offer up a mystery balls type product called The Preferred
Players Collection. They also have an extensive roster of young players
signed as autograph exclusive such as Yankee super prospect Manny Banuelos,
the previously mentioned Julio Teheran, and Mariner flame thrower Michael
Pineda. A full list of clents can be found at the Onyx Authenticated
website. Game used and autographed items can be purchased via thier online
store.

We will also have an absentee mail order program. You may send in your
item to get signed for a flat rate of $15 plus return shipping cost.
Please note that inscriptions are not allowed, but personalizations are.

We will also offer special FCB Retail Store grand opening items. Item one
is a Rawlings Major League Baseball autographed on the sweet spot with a
special COA from Onyx and FCB. The ball will be limited and serial
numbered to only 100 copies. The price for this item including a ball cube
and shipping is $39. The second item is an autographed 2010 Bowman Black
Border Julio Teheran rookie card with an Onyx and FCB COA. Copies of this
card are limited to 20 copies and will cost $20 each. These items can be
purchased on the FCB Blog. They will
be shipped out Monday after the signing.

Thank you for your support of FCB, it's been a fun ride. I look forward to
more years of growth and milestones.

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Sunday Question

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there who read our blog.

Is your mom a baseball fan? Does she like watching/going to baseball games?

Let us know and we will post our responses later on. Now hurry up and comment and then go hang out with your wife/mom/grandma, etc.

Where will you find Bryce Harper?

Topps did a little clarifying today over on their Twitter account.

Even though Bryce Harper was not on the Bowman checklist, the stud prospector has an autograph in the set.

Harper will have on-card (!), non-chrome autographs in hobby and retail Bowman products.

Bowman Prospect autographs are available in retail ONLY.

Bowman Chrome prospects are available in hobby ONLY.

Bowman is set to release May 18.

With the way everything went down last year with Stephen Strasburg, has anyone tried to get in early with these cards? Buy any cases or hobby boxes? Or are you waiting to see what will happen with the prices once the product comes out.

I would imagine that these autographs are going to be highly sought after cards.

2 Rack Packs of 2011 Gypsy Queen

Was anyone else wondering what was in a rack pack of 2011 Gypsy Queen? It appears that I like to open packs, so I figured let me try my luck with 2 rack packs to see if I can end up with a green framed card or two that I might want.

Rack packs are $8.99 and they have 2 packs (6 cards per pack) with a 3 card bonus pack of green framed paper cards. Not really a bargain price for 3 extra cards, but that didn't stop me.

Rack Pack #1:

10 base cards total, no SP's



Wall Climbers



Mini's, the Lester one is a red back


Green Framed Paper



Rack Pack #2

10 base cards, no SP's



Wall Climbers



Mini's


Green Framed Paper (I got an extra one! I win.)

I like the framed paper cards very much, but I like the hobby version better. The whole idea is nice to me as an insert. They are different than any inserts in baseball packs in recent memory which is another reason I like them a lot. Which color do you like better? (Say Copper!)

So there you have it, that's what you get in a rack pack. I also wondered what one could get in a blaster... How many of you think I have a blaster sitting here waiting to be opened?

2011 Topps Attax Rack Pack

I can almost see half of you shaking your head that I even purchased Topps Attax cards, but hear me out. When Sooz and I went to pick up the case of Gypsy Queen we were looking at the other packs of stuff. Before we started ripping through packs of Gypsy Queen I shuffled through a box of the Topps Attax rack packs, where you can see one card through a window on the bottom pack. That's when I decided I needed at least one pack of the stuff.

I found a lil Robbie Cano (don't ya know) towards the bottom of the box, right next to a lil Derek Jeter pack. So I took Robbie and Sooz took Jeter, and all was right in the world again.

While I normally don't care for Topps Attax cards, this year they did something a little different which I did like. They look more like game playing cards to me than in years past. They kind of resemble Magic type cards in a way. The corners are rounded, the inserts have a hologram-type foil only on the picture, while the game play info is reserved to the bottom. I like that they look more like game play cards for kids rather than half baseball card and half game card. The rack packs also contained a little game board and instructions.

I know, I know what did you get and what do they look like? So here is what was in my rack pack:
(Side note: my scanner tends to crop things, so some of the cards don't look rounded, but you can see in the scans of 9 cards that they are. Even the Topps Town in the packs are rounded.)







Target has rack packs and packs right now, the rack packs are $3.99 and the packs are $1.99 in case you want to run out and play today.

Sunday Question

In the few short days since the Gypsy Queen case break I have gotten several e-mails ask when the next break is and what will it be. It has already been announced, it will be Topps
Series 2 Jumbo and I have on order two cases. One case is listed here, the other is listed on our facebook page (Card Bandits). Both breaks are still open with teams available.

I am looking for your guys to jump in on one or the other and help me fill them asap.

As far as my question goes, here it is:

I priced out 2011 Topps Lineage, and it would be $42 per team because I am eliminating 6 teams from the break that don't have a chance at a hit (at least from what I could tell skimming the checklist). That means no Royals, DBacks, Marlins, Pirates, Nationals, and Padres. Now if someone wants one of those teams at a discount since there isn't much in them we can talk.

Yankees, Cardinals, and Phillies would be claimed already. I made a mistake in the GQ break and that person was offered first pick here. So that would leave 21 teams left to be paid. I am not putting a deposit unless at least 18 people respond yes.

Would you be willing to pay $42 per team for this break?

Please let me know.

P.S. We need these Jumbo cases filled up so pick a team or spread the word for us.