My 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘MoonShots’ Set Is COMPLETE!!! Have A Look!!!

My 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘MoonShots’ Set Is COMPLETE!!!  Have A Look!!!

Well, it took me roughly 3 1/2 months, but I am happy to announce that I have been able to piece together another great looking subset.

This one comes from the 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen set and is tagged as ‘Moonshots’.

The 20-card set features the great home runs hitters of the past and current game. 

Have a look:

Normally, Purple would not be a border color that would be something I would celebrate, but I really think it works well for this set.  The Yellow and Silver pieces of the card’s graphic design work well with the Dark Purple border color and it allows for the action imagery to stand out nicely.

As for the player selection, I like that Topps included current and former stars in the set.  I could have done with a few more legends and a few less modern guys, but I know that Topps has to cater to all collectors.

Still, if this set had a little more Eddie Murray,  Hank Aaron, and Stan Musial and a little less Giancarlo Stanton, Curtis Granderson, and Nelson Cruz, I don’t think you’d get too many complaints…

Mike Schmidt 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

Mike Schmidt 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

I think that you would be hard-pressed to find a collector that did not think that this card looks good.  From the 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen base set tagged as ‘Moonshots’, this card of Mike Schmidt looks fantastic!

Have a look:

Based on the background of the card, it looks like Mr. Schmidt got ahold of a fastball that he deposited into the outfield seats at Wrigley Field.

I love the old Phillies’ uniform that Schmidt is sporting in this shot, and the Purple border color that the ‘Moonshots’ set features is a great match to the Burgundy striping of his uniform.

A great, great card!!!

Frank Robinson 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

Frank Robinson 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

With all of the new members of the ‘500 HR Club’ and all of the modern sluggers that may one day be part of that club as well, I was really excited to see that Frank Robinson was included in this ‘Moonshots’ subset from the 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen set.

Here is the card:

And now, a little breakdown of Robinson’s home run prowess:

• 586 career HR
• 343 National League HRs, 243 American League HRs
• 392 HRs versus righties, 194 versus lefties
• 321 HRs in home ballpark, 265 in away ballparks
• 275 total pitchers – most was 10 versus Larry Jackson
• 32 ballparks – most was 176 at Crosley Field
• 196 Hrs with 0 out, 206 with 1 out, 184 with 2 out
• highest tally in one inning is 82 in 1st inning

Pretty neat stuff right there!!

Jose Bautista 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

Frank Robinson 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

I am slowly ramping up my set building of the 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’ subset.

I have just a few cards to go now that I have tackled the card of Jose Bautista.

Here is the card:

Bautista is a great addition to this set, and I really like the image used of him with this card – you can actually see him watching the ball he just crushed as it appears to be leaving the playing field.

Bautista led the American League in home runs during the 2010 and 2011 baseball seasons connecting for 54 and 43 home runs respectively.  He had an injury-filled season in 2012 and still amassed 27 homers, so I am really looking forward to seeing what he does this season.

Mickey Mantle 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

Mickey Mantle 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’.

As I continue to peck away at the 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’ subset, I have added one of the most legendary players found in the set to my set – Mickey Mantle.

Easily one of the most popular players in major league baseball history, Mantle crushed home runs during the 1950s and 1960s at a torrid pace.  And amazingly, he did it while being injured for much of that time.

Mantle could very possibly be the most collected player in the history of baseball cards.  His vintage stuff is untouchable by the common collector, and Topps does a solid job of including him in as much of today’s releases as they can.

And while it may rest on the side of over-saturation with so many Mantle cards in modern sets, he is still collected today with energy and excitement.

I guess I am a little surprised that I was able to find this card of ‘The Mick’ for just $0.18.  Trust me, that is not a complaint…

Tons Of Trades = Lots Of Help With The Projects I Am Working On!!!

Tons Of Trades = Lots Of Help With The Projects I Am Working On!!!

I tell you what, I have the best and most generous readers around!

Their desire to help me conquer a few new collecting objectives has left me with mail almost every day for the last two weeks.  In turn, I hope that I have been able to assist a lot of you with cards for your collections as well.

I have finally finished sorting everything.  I have documented my gains and updated my checklists.  I am a lot further along tonight than I was 10 days ago.

So, without further ado, let’s take a peek at what has stuffed my mailbox over the last few weeks, shall we?

2103 Miami Marlins parallel versions and inserts:

2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

2012 Topps Archives ‘Cloth Stickers’

2012 Topps Archives ‘Deckle Edge’

There is some really great stuff in there, and I am so very thankful to everyone that has helped me get a little closer to knocking out these subsets and team set.

Thank you to Brian, Marcus, Patrick, Ryan, Robert, Doug, Brad, Jeff, Oscar, Q, and Rob!!

Baseball Card Show Purchase #5 – Curtis Granderson 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

Baseball Card Show Purchase #5 – Curtis Granderson 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’

While tearing through the bargain bins at the card show, I tried to chip away at the missing cards from the new subsets that I am collecting.

I was only able to find one card from the 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’ set.

Thankfully, for me, it was one I needed – Curtis Granderson!!!

My Checklists Are Built. My Cards Are Inventoried. I Am Ready To Build More Subsets. Can You Help Me???

My Checklists Are Built. My Cards Are Inventoried. I Am Ready To Build More Subsets.  Can You Help Me???

Last week I announced that I had decided to collect a few more subsets that came from 2012 Topps releases.

Topps created some great subsets in 2012, and I look forward to going after many of them.  I am going to start with the three listed below, but something tells me that adding a few more to my roster of future subsets to collect is a guarantee.

So, I have compiled the checklists.  I have sorted what I presently own.  And I have documented all of it.

Here are the three checklists that I am going after:

2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘MoonShots’ – I pulled eight of these cards from a bargain bin at a recent baseball card show.  You could say that purchase helped push me to go after the full set…

2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’		Have It??
MS-AB	Albert Belle	y
MS-AP	Albert Pujols
MS-BR	Babe Ruth
MS-CG	Curtis Granderson
MS-EL	Evan Longoria	y
MS-FR	Frank Robinson
MS-FT	Frank Thomas
MS-JB	Jose Bautista
MS-JH	Josh Hamilton	y
MS-JT	Jim Thome
MS-MM	Mickey Mantle
MS-MS	Mike Stanton
MS-MSC	Mike Schmidt
MS-NC	Nelson Cruz	y
MS-PF	Prince Fielder	y
MS-RH	Ryan Howard	y
MS-RJ	Reggie Jackson	y
MS-RK	Ralph Kiner	y
MS-WM	Willie Mays
MS-WMC	Willie McCovey

2012 Topps Archives ‘Deckle Edge’ – I loved these cards as soon as I saw them.  And while I would prefer that the set only contained cards of players that played when the set was originally debuted decades ago, I still want them all. 

I am starting this set from scratch – not a single Deckle Edge card in my current collection…

2012 Topps Archives ‘Deckle Edge’		Have It??
69DE-1	Roy Halladay
69DE-2	Evan Longoria
69DE-3	Jose Bautista
69DE-4	Mike Napoli
69DE-5	David Freese
69DE-6	Ichiro
69DE-7	Joe Mauer
69DE-8	Bob Gibson
69DE-9	Juan Marichal
69DE-10	Orlando Cepeda
69DE-11	Carl Yastrzemski
69DE-12	Roberto Clemente
69DE-13	Willie Mays
69DE-14	Harmon Killebrew
69DE-15	Joe Morgan

2012 Topps Archives – ’77 Cloth Stickers – This is another one that looks great and offers a good mix of current and former stars.  I have two cards from this set already, Joe Morgan and Reggie Jackson – but they are in my player collections and  I don’t want to pull them so this is another one that I am going to start from scratch…

2012 Topps Archives ’77 Cloth Stickers		Have It??
77C-AM	Andrew McCutchen
77C-CH	Catfish Hunter
77C-CC	Chris Carpenter
77C-CL	Cliff Lee
77C-CG	Curtis Granderson
77C-DJ	Derek Jeter
77C-EH	Eric Hosmer
77C-GC	Gary Carter
77C-GB	George Brett
77C-MS	Giancarlo Stanton
77C-JE	Jacoby Ellsbury
77C-JR	Jim Rice
77C-JM	Joe Morgan
77C-JB	Johnny Bench
77C-JH	Josh Hamilton
77C-JV	Justin Verlander
77C-KY	Kevin Youkilis
77C-RJ	Reggie Jackson
77C-RY	Robin Yount
77C-RC	Rod Carew
77C-RH	Roy Halladay
77C-RB	Ryan Braun
77C-SCA	Starlin Castro
77C-SC	Steve Carlton
77C-WS	Willie Stargell

I am really looking forward to this challenge.

And if you can lend a hand, I would certainly be open to organizing a few trades that would be mutually beneficial for both of us.

So, if you have any Gypsy Queen MoonShots, Archives Deckle Edge, or Archives Cloth Stickers laying around that are not beloved parts of your collections, let me know.  I am wanting to wheel and deal!!!

Thanks for reading.  Have a great night!!

I Was Going To Wait To Debut The Next Round Of Subsets I Am Collecting, But I Don’t Feel Like Waiting…

I Was Going To Wait To Debut The Next Round Of Subsets I Am Collecting, But I Don’t Feel Like Waiting…

As the title suggests, I am ready to jump in and starting putting together a few more subsets.  They come from various releases from 2012, and I want to start working on them now while the cards can still be found pretty easily.

As you know, I am already building the 2012 Topps ‘Career Day’ and ‘Mound Dominance’ sets.  And while I prefer to take on just a few of these kinds of projects at a time, I am ready to start these next three right now; especially since I am sure that 2013 will offer me more that I will want to put together too…

So, here are the three subsets I am going to start piecing together:

2012 Topps Archives ‘1977 Cloth Stickers’:

2012 Topps Archives ‘Deckle Edge’:

2012 Topps Gypsy Queen ‘Moonshots’:

This is going to be a lot of fun!!  Each of these subsets look great, and the two from the 2012 Topps Archives set take us right back to baseball card collecting from the past.

It is now time for me to build the checklists and go through the cards that I own with the hopes of possibly having a few in my collection that can fill voids on the new checklists.

Wish me luck!  And if you have any cards from these subsets that you don’t need, send me a note.  Maybe we can work out a trade.

Thanks!