Blaster Break - 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen

Why not jump on the GQ bandwagon?!  A few days I to found my first retail sighting of Gypsy Queen in my area so I had to grab a blaster to see what all the hub bub was about.  At first I was going to list all of the individual cards, but since every other blog is full of GQ posts I thought I'd spare everyone and just share the inserts and such.

Not knowing much about the product other than what I've read on other websites and blogs I wasn't sure what potentially would be in the box/packs.  So one of the first things I did was the scan the side of the blaster for all of the odds.  Wow!  There is a lot of stuff listed here.  Let's see, SPs 1:4, Great Ones 1:4, Home Run Heroes 1:4, Future Stars 1:4, Sticky Fingers 1:4, Wall Climbers 1:4, State Stamp parallel 1:530, a whole slew of mini parallels, Autographs ranging from 1:108 to 1:3200, relics and mini relics and autos and mini autos...whew!  Topps crammed everything but the kitchen sink into this set!

The next thing I did was browse the auto checklist to see the player selection that I would never pull from a retail pack.  Group A:  nobody of interest to me.  Group B:  Freddie Freeman!  Mike Minor!  Group C:  Josh Hamilton!  Group D:  Jason Heyward!  Cal Ripken, Jr.! and finally Group E:  Hank Aaron!  OK, enough waiting, off to the checkout counter so I can rip this open.

I like the fact that similar to Topps you basically get one insert (plus the mini) per pack.  First several packs yielded what I discovered later to be retail exclusive inserts of Sticky Fingers and Wall Climbers.  Sorry, but every time I hear or type Sticky Fingers I get hungry for ribs.  Back on topic...I love both sets and will attempt to build them.

I don't care for the Future Stars cards, but the Great Ones and Home Run Heroes are nice.  The framed paper parallels remind me of the old Fleer/Skybox Emotion-XL cards with the raised borders.  The Snider card is #d 120/999 and is already destined to be in the hands of the Daily Dimwit.

I believe it was the 2nd to last pack that yielded this:

An on card auto of Andrew Cashner that seems to be in everyone's box!  I have already read on several different blogs where people have pulled this card.  Is there any Cubs fan out there that doesn't already have this card that wants it?  Ok, not auto I wanted to pull, but still pulling a 1:108 card out of a retail blaster box is pretty cool in my book.

I've already mentioned that I love these cards.  Outside of the flagship set this has to be one of my favorite sets since I got back into the hobby in late 2009.  I hope to get a want list posted soon as well as any doubles I have if anyone wants to trade.

That's it for now.  Guys, mother's day is tomorrow if you haven't forgotten so make sure you put down the baseball cards and make sure you do something nice for her.  If you're married w/ kids don't forget to treat your wife as well!

Gypsy Queen Group Break @ Cardboard Heaven!

 This evening I was posting a link to my newest toy review on my Facebook page and I noticed that Cardboard Heaven was hosting their first ever group break.  I clicked on the link and hoped on over to the blog and saw that not only was a box of GQ being ripped, but there were 2 other boxes.  Checked the prices...double checked the prices and quickly left a comment.  Lots of good teams are still available as of this evening so make sure you check out all the fun.

http://morethancardboard.blogspot.com/2011/05/gypsy-group-break-my-first.html

Pack Break - 2011 Upper Deck Thor

In preparation of Thor opening in movie theaters everywhere today - I bring you one single pack of Upper Deck's movie tie-in trading cards.

5 cards per pack.  $1.99 MSRP.  The only insert odds listed on the back of the pack include Memorabilia 1:48 and autographs 1:2500.  It appears though you get one of two different insert cards per pack - Concept Series or Comic Book Covers.  My pack is the retail version, but I believe there are one of one sketch cards inserted into hobby packs.

 

#21 Odin

#33 Dr. Erik Selvig

 

Concept Series #C1

I love these cards and want to finish off this set.  I wish they listed the artist on the card somewhere.

 

#78 Fandral

#56 Loki

While I haven't cared for many of Upper Deck's sports offerings lately I have to say I like the way these movie cards look.  I'm not a huge fan of movie cards, but I do have a weakness for Marvel related card sets.  I was surprised to see when I browsed eBay that there weren't a lot of hand collated sets up for sale.  Any time Rittenhouse has released a Marvel set there are tons of sets available as I'm sure people were busting cases and boxes for the one of one sketch cards.  Maybe people don't care about Thor?  Maybe people don't want to support Upper Deck?  Whatever the reason it looks like I'll have to buy lots of packs or hope to find a trading partner if I want to finish off this set.

Another Gypsy Queen post...

The wife "had" to run into Old Navy this afternoon so I took my daughter into the neighboring Target to kill time.  The store was a mess as they were in the process of adding a produce section to their grocery portion of the store so I didn't feel like spending too much time there.  We made a bee line to the card area and my daughter grabbed me one of those Gypsy Queen value rack packs.  $9 for 3 packs + a 3 card pack of retail exclusive green border cards.  OK, not a bad I thought.  I haven't spent too much time looking at GQ, but after receiving my group break cards (post coming) from the Daily Dimwit and opening this pack this evening I can say I love the cards.  I don't know if anyone else has made the Topps Magic football comparison yet, but that was the first thing that came to mind after thumbing through a few of the cards.

I only found out about these retail only value packs the other day.  I knew they contained some exclusive parallels, but I didn't know what they looked like until today.  By now most of us have already seen plenty of the base cards and the slew of inserts and parallels so I decided just to share the 3 card pack.

#024 Chipper Jones

Well of course this card is a keeper!

#027 Roy Oswalt

#059 Duke Snider

I like these matte framed cards.  Immediately they reminded me of the old Emotion cards by Fleer/Skybox.  The Oswalt is up for grabs, but I figured night owl would appreciate the Snider card so it's going in his stack.

I'm on the fence with this set.  I love the art and some of the inserts are nice (Wall Climbers), but I don't want to tackle another set w/ SPs.  I may go after the set minus the SPs, but like with a lot of other sets I'll have to lean heavily on trades and retail purchases.  I do plan on having at least one more GQ post coming in the next few days as the blaster I picked up yielded something I wasn't expecting.

2011 Topps Heritage Want List

I've finally gotten around to posting my 2011 Topps Heritage want list.  I feel like I've done pretty good considering I haven't bought a full box.  Most of my packs were either individual purchases or those 3 packs w/ the black bordered parallels.  I believe I've only bought one blaster as well.

While having all 500 cards would be really cool I'm not sure how active I'll be at chasing the SPs.  That said I would like to build the rest of the set.  I'll have my doubles listed in the baseball section of my trade bait category very soon.

Group Break Haul - Community Gum

In an effort to get a little better at sharing my haul from other group breaks (because I love to read other blogger's posts on their haul from the breaks I host) here are a few of the inserts and my first ever GB hit from Community Gum's recent community break.

Chipper Jones

2002 Fleer Authentix Power Alley #13PA

I loved the idea of an all Fleer products break.  While subsequent years of the Authentix brand were better the 2002 offering wasn't too bad.

Andruw Jones

2002 Fleer Authentix jersey #JA-AJ Ripped

The best part of the '02 Authentix set are the jersey and auto cards.  I love the "ripped" deckle edge, the slightly smaller size and the pseudo ticket embedded into the card.  This card also marks my first ever hit from a group break!

Chipper Jones

2000 Fleer Mystique Supernaturals #2S

Mystique is one of those sets that I never opened and I have often considered including in one my own group breaks...but the guys @ CG beat me to it.  I was a little nervous watching the video as the shiny silver peeling was removed from this card.  As you can see however the peeling came off and a really nice card was delivered to me.  I actually got 2 of this card which surprised me.  Any other Braves fan that wants it let me know.

 

John Smoltz

2001 Fleer Platinum parallel #105 (159/201)

I really liked this year of Platinum.  The card fronts had a simple yet retro feel while the backs for a change caught my attention w/ the bar charts breaking down certain stats.  I believe this parallel originally went unknown in the video as the packs were being ripped.  I can see why as the only thing that would let you know it was a parallel (other than the serial numbering on the back) is that the Fleer logo is all silver foil along with the Platinum logo being outlined in silver foil.

Chipper Jones

2001 Fleer Platinum Grandstand Greats #1GG

The last insert I got in the group break was this cool card of Chipper.  You can't really tell from the scan, but the corners of the card are rounded like a playing card.

This had to be one of the most productive group breaks I've ever participated in where I was able to claim the Braves.  I got my money's worth and I eagerly await Community Gum's next community break.

Sunday Verse

Deuteronomy 4:39 (NIV)

³⁹ Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.

Plain and simple.  I know it's hard for people to accept and realize that God is everywhere when there are so many bad things happening.  My heart goes out to all of the people affected by the weather in Alabama and other parts of the south.  Despite what one my think God is in control and is here on earth with us.