2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Framed Mini Relic

Year: 2012

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Card Set: Gypsy Queen

Card Number: GQMR-RY

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Framed Mini Relics

Relic Type: Bat

Card Attributes: Bat Relic

While Robin didn't have a base card in the 2012 Gypsy Queen set he did have two relic cards.  One full sized and this mini framed relic.  Oddly enough Topps wouldn't let this image go to waste as this was picture used for Robin's 2013 Gypsy Queen mini variation found in those little mini box toppers that Topps use to do in Gypsy Queen.  Topps would also use this image in 2013 Topps Museum Collection, Tribute, his sticker, Triple Threads, and his Five Star relic. The same image was used on his full sized relic in this set as well.

2012 Panini Prizm - Holo Prizm Parallel

Year: 2012

Manufacturer: Panini

Set: Prizm

Card Number: 147

Card Type: Base Parallel

Parallel Set: Prizm

COMC Black Friday Haul #45

This card is pretty lackluster, even though it's the Panini equivalent of a refractor.  Oh it's shiny alright, there's just not much to love about this card or this set.  2012 was the first year of Prizm and besides Robin looking like he's playing baseball for a North Korean prison team there's not a whole lot to love about the card.  I will say back in 2012 Panini hadn't quite gotten the parallel bug yet.  There were only 6 base parallels to chase, two of those were retail exclusives to Wal-mart and Target and believe it or not are kind of hard to find.  This card is just the base Prizm parallel or refractor if you will.  It's shiny and doesn't scan well, but at least with the color parallel versions the color adds a little something to what is a very bland card.  

2012 Topps Triple Threads Flashback Relics

Year: 2012

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: Triple Threads

Card Number: TTFR-21

Card Type: Insert Relic

Insert Set: Flashback Relics

Card Attributes: Relic, Serial Number

Relic Type: Bat

Serial Number: 09/36

COMC Black Friady Haul #17

I picked up a couple nice relics of Robins this past year.  This card was by far the lowest numbered relic of the bunch.  Again this card was purchased months before the Black Friday event, but was included in my yearly shipement afterwards.  I can remember when these came out back in 2012 and thought they were really cool.  I love the double sided relic, although I'm fairly certain it's the same hunk of wood seen from both sides.  The card highlights Robin's nicknames at the start and end of his career.  Nicknamed the Kid when he broke into the majors, a nickname that has been shared by many players before and since.  And of course Rockin' Robin.  Both sides feature images that were very overused that year and have been since.

I'm not ashamed to say I paid just over $6 for the card.  To me that's  a great price for this very low numbered card of my favorite HOF player and to think this was a hit out of a $100 plus box of cards.  Seems I made out OK on the deal.

2012 Panini Cooperstown Induction Insert

Year: 2012

Manufacturer: Panini

Set: Cooperstown

Card Number: 16

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Induction

2012 was the inaugural year for Panini's Cooperstown set. Robin graces not only the base set and all the parallels that go with that, but also has an autograph and a card in 4 other insert sets.  As insert sets go the Induction set is probably my favorite out of the bunch.  We get a great photo from Robin's induction in 1999, plus the overall lay out of the card is fairly well done since there are no logos to hide.

2012 Panini Prizm - Green Retail Prizm Parallel

Year: 2012

Manufacturer: Panini

Set: Prizm

Card Number: 147

Card Type: Color Parallel

Parallel Set: Retail Green

Note: Not serial numbered

This is the second card I picked up from the latest wfbookman ebay auction.  2012 was the first year that Panini did a baseball version of Prizm.  Prizm of course is the evolution of the original Pacific Prism sets of yore and is Panini's Chrome brand.  I remember that 2012 Prizm didn't go over that hot.  Maybe it's because a lot of the images look like Robin's card here.  It's a very ugly card and the main color parallels  were only found in retail, with the very sought after Gold and Black Finites (#/1) being found in hobby along with the base prizm refractors.  There were 3 retail color parallels, red for Target, blue for Wal-mart, and green for everywhere else.  I'm not sure if the green parallels were available in packs sold at Target and Wal-mart as well or were reserved for other retail markets.  Anyone know?  

But other than Robin's base Prizm refractor I rarely see these color parallels come up for sale and that seems odd given that they're not numbered and were widely available at retail markets.  Maybe it's because collector's shy'd away from it.  

If you couldn't tell I'm not a big fan of this set either or this card.  It looks like a super-premium food issue card from the 80's.  The uniform colors are off, but I'm sure that's done for legal reasons, you do get some sense of a background, but it's all blurred out, and the over all card design really isn't that appealing.  That being said the green shininess is pretty awesome and I like that the card is labeled as a Green Prizm on the back.


 Besides Robin's base card this is the only other Prizm card I have of his.

2012 Topps Series 2 Team Rings

Year: 2012

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Card Set: Topps Series 2 Baseball

Card Number: GTR-RY

Card Type: Insert Manufactured Relic

Insert Set: Gold Team Rings

Card Attributes: Manufactured Ring

Manurelics.  I'm not a huge fan.  I really don't like that Topps considers these one of your hits when it advertises one auto and two relics on it's jumbo boxes.  This isn't a relic, it's a manurelic and it's not the same thing.

But there are some manurelics I like more than others.  I really like the manufactured bat barrels from a few years ago and I like this one too.  The reason I like it is because it's such an oddball, at least to me.  The image used isn't new and the back of the card is pretty sparse, but the actual ring manurelic is pretty neat and the card is fairly hefty and thick.  And it features my favorite player so....

2012 Panini Playoff Prime Cuts Hats Off Relic card

Year: 2012

Manufacturer: Panini

Card Set: Playoff Prime Cuts

Card Number: 8

Card Type: Insert Relic

Card Attributes: Relic, Serial Numbered

Relic Set: Hats Off

Relic Type: Hat (I think)

Serial Number: 09/99

Been a on a bit of break.  I was recently down in Wisconsin for my brothers wedding and then as soon as I got back I had some field work.  And I was suppose to have another 2 weeks of field work, but I ended up pulling a muscle in my lower back, which sucks by the way.

Anyways I'm back and feeling better, somewhat. 

Here's one of my latest pickups. Robin has a few different cards in this set, but this relic is by far the least rare of the bunch and hence affordable.  I like the look of the cards in the set other than the fact that Robin looks like a North Korean factory worker.  I also have a soft spot for odd ball relics.  We get a ton of jersey/pants and bat relics, but rarely do you see hat relics. At least I think this is a hat relic, why else would you call the insert Hats Off?  Although no where on the card does it state what kind of relic it is.  

2012 Panini Cooperstown Credentials

Year: 2012

Manufacturer: Panini

Card Set: Cooperstown

Card Number: 7

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Credentials

You gotta love cards that don't feature a picture of their subject.  No really you don't.  This is one of the 4 insert cards Robin had in the set.  He also had a base card with parallels and an autograph.  And oddly enough it's one of two inserts that doesn't feature his likeness.  

There's a lot going on in the front of the card, which is pretty much a summary of his Hall of Fame prowess.  It seems odd that there's no mention of 3142 hits on the front. Since belonging to the 3000 hits club, along with his two MVP awards, was why he was a first ballot selection.

2012 Panini Cooperstown

Card Manufacturer: Panini

Year: 2012

Card Set: Cooperstown

Card Number: 106

Card Type: Base

The inaugural year of Panini's Cooperstown brand.  Panini has got a lot of mileage out of it's Hall of Fame license and it all started here.  The design is interesting, I have a hard time deciding if I like it or not, but with so much information hidden around the card it's hard not to like it even if Panini used black and white photos, can't use logos, and opted for only one stat year on the back.  But I like the induction year on the top of the front of the card, the active playing years bracketing the player name on the back, and nice write up on the back.

Robin has a bunch of inserts in the set and an autograph.  This base card has one parallel, the Crystal Collection, serial numbered to 299 that were seeded 3 per hobby box.

2012 Topps Golden Moments Insert

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Year: 2012

Card Set: Topps Update

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Golden Moments

Card Number: GM-U26

Not to be confused with the Golden Moments Die Cut cards that were available though Topps' online promotion in 2012, the Golden Moments insert was a continuity insert that ran through Series 1 and 2 and into Update.  The Update set is denoted by the U in the numbering on the back.  

This insert set had autographs, relics and auto relics available for some players and I was excited to see Robin in the set, but disappointed to find out that he did not have any of the other variations.  It's sad because this is one of those inserts that was designed for the autograph and relic versions.  The relic would have gone with there home plate and logo is and the autograph would have been inserted around Robin's waste.

The card commemorates Robin's awesome day at the ballpark on the last day of the season in 1982 and moving on to the ALCS.

2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Full Size Relic

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Year: 2012

Card Set: Gypsy Queen

Card Number GQR-RY

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Full Size Relic 

Relic Type: Bat

In 2012, Robin didn't have a base card in the Gypsy Queen set.  He did, however, have two relics in the set, this full size version and a framed mini.  If this image looks familiar it's because it's one Topps has used over and over again.  Just from a quick scan through the collection this image was also used for his Gold Rings Manurelic card in Topps Series 2, it would also get heavy usage in 2013 as Robin's Gypsy Queen mini box variation image, Tribute base card image, and Triple Threads base card image.  In 2014 Topps would use it again for his Breakout Moments insert and some of his relic cards in Topps Museum Collection.  

Now don't get me wrong it's a great pose, a great picture, with that classic baby powder blue uniform, but those examples up top are just what I could find from a casual search.  I had thought about compiling an image gallery of all the cards Topps used the same image for and see how many, or few, are original.  I don't know why Topps does this.  It might have to do with licensing, but I would assume a company that has been around since the 50's and was the major card producer for all of Robin's career would have image gallery so huge and enviable that they could pick a different image for Robin till the end of days.

Ahem.  I really like that his relic in this set is not super rare.  As it were around this time a bunch of Robin's relic cards, most notably those for Allen and Ginter, had very low production numbers and are hard to find and pricey.

2012 Panini Cooperstown HOF Classes Team card

Card Manufacturer: Panini

Card Set: Cooperstown

Year: 2012

Card Number: 24

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Hall of Fame Classes

It's always nice when a card you need falls into your lap.  Julie over at A Cracked Bat emailed me about a week or so ago and asked if the this was one of the cards on my Yount need list.  Indeed it was and all she asked for was my address.  Well I will be reciprocating eventually.

I had to look this insert set up to get the official name but these are called HOF Classes Team as opposed to the other set HOF Classes Induction Year.  I also discovered that these cards were retail blaster exclusives.  No wonder this card was so hard to find.  Robin had 6 or 7 cards in the 2012 Cooperstown set, including a base card and parallel, an auto and was in 5 of the insert sets.  Other than the auto this was the last card I needed for the set, so thank you very much Julie.