2014 Topps Gypsy Queen TRADE BAIT!

Good evening friends. I've finally gotten around to sorting all of my GQ from this year, and I was able to amass a Pirates team set from Judson's group break. 

Speaking of that group break, it gave me a TON of dupes and extra trade bait. I had the Pirates and Red Sox, so you'll see a theme here. I also ripped a few hobby packs from my LCS. I've set aside all the cards I want. Here's what I don't:

The mini's. Mostly Sox. There's a nice Ted Williams variation in there.

Judson actually pulled two Jeff Locke auto's, and I only need one. That Shields card looks sick with the blue border, /499.

Some inserts above. And more...

And lastly, the numbered mini's...

Nothing too crazy here, although I imagine that the Bogaerts RC holds some nice value.

So, let me know if you see anything you like! I also have TONS of base cards from Red Sox and Pirates (probably a few full teams sets). You can reach me, as always, at nsbell440@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading!

The Future of the Pirates, In One Card

One of my informal collecting goals for this year is to acquire a certified autographed card from each of the Pirates projected Opening Day starters. I've already got several bench players, relief pitchers and role players, but I've had a hard time finding affordable autos of the young stars (McCutchen, Marte, Alvarez). Thanks to 2013 Gypsy Queen and the off-season, I've finally been able to knock one of these off my list for a decent price:

Marte is without a doubt one of the biggest, if not the biggest part of the Pirates future. The guy has all of the tools to be to a bonafide star, and times he already looks as if he is one. He also prompts some awesome calls from Pirates announcer Greg Brown, usually including the cheesy-yet-awesome exclamation, "MARTAY-PARTAYYY."

To hear that call and others, play around with this for a minute. I guarantee it will give you a chuckle.

I feel like Gypsy Queen autographs embody everything that a perfect card should have. Sharp action photography, a nice border, and sufficient room for an on-card signature.

Starling's inscription is a little violent looking and the centering is a little poor, but this card is actually better than many I've seen. For less than 10 dollars shipped, I will refrain from filing any complaints. This baby is a welcome addition to my Pirates PC.