2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Sepia Mini Parallel

Year: 2011

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: Gypsy Queen

Card Number: 61

Card Type: Mini parallel

Parallel set: Sepia

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 81/99

I'm a sucker for gimmicks.  And the gimmick I'm the biggest sucker for are the tobacco mini's.  I don't know why.  Maybe it's the homage to the birth of baseball cards and baseball card collecting.  Pacific may have been the first to put out the first tobacco sized mini insert, but it was Topps' 2002 206 set that really hooked me.  I'll be honest they are one of my favorite inserts and parallels.  And I really love it when I can chase cards with Robin on them.  In 2011, Topps decided to cash in on the retro card market it had helped pioneer by creating a new retro-vintage card set with Gypsy Queen.  Robin was include in the set, and many since, and of course that means mini parallels and parallels of those parallels.  The 2011 set was a direct homage to the original Gypsy Queen sets from the late 1800's and the sepia parallel really kind of captures that.  Sure the black border parallels look cool, but I think the sepia has a great vintage feel.  

2008 Topps Triple Threads Relics Sepia Parallel

Year: 2008

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: Triple Threads

Card Number: TTR-218

Card Type: Insert Multi-relic Parallel

Insert Set: Triple Threads Relics

Parallel Set: Sepia

Card Attributes: Relics, Serial Numbered

Relic Type: Bat, Jersey

Serial Number: 11/27

Sorry about the scan, I should have taken the card out of the top loader and penny sleeve, but I'm not going to dig it back out so it is what it is. 

I've never been a huge fan of Triple Threads.  Maybe its because the cards look the same year after year, or that the relic gimmicks just aren't my taste, but I'm not going to let that stop me from adding any of Robin's cards from the set to my collection.  This card celebrates Robin's 251 career home runs.  Not a monster number compared to the some of the power hits, but still very respectable.  And while the lettering may make this card look like a 6 relic card it vary obviously is only 3 separate relic pieces.  Like all things Topps there are a ton of parallels in the set, but even what is considered the base relic card is limited to only 36 copies and this sepia parallel is numbered to just 27.  The star of the card are the relic pieces with Robin's head taking up a very small portion of the card.