2019 Gypsy Queen Box Break (1 of 2)

  Rockies, Redskins & Gypsy Queen. These have been the constants since 2012, although the last of three has been not as constant the last couple years. 2015 was hideously ugly and full of posed non-action photos. 2016 was a return to the classic style and well liked by me. 2017 was the big one. Out with minis, in with feathered photos and a weird, disjointed design. 2018 was an improvement, but with the bad taste 2017 left in my mouth, I didn't buy my yearly two boxes for the first time since I returned to collecting. This bring us to 2019, and as the photo above indicates, I jumped back on the bandwagon with 2 boxes.

I am glad I did, although I was not sold on the design in the initial press and sell sheets, in hand they really pop. Two things went through my head as I opened them. "This feels like Gypsy Queen again", and "These are really nice cards"

I feel like the photography in this product is really underrated and often lost in the weird designs and filters. The in-game photos are really what lifts this product above Heritage and Ginter in the "vintagey" product line for me.

No shortage of catcher cards that always goes over well around here.

20 Short Prints in the set at one per box, and the one really negative thing, the card numbers, maybe a little on the small side.

Full borders are back, which to me, really improves the parallels, box one included 2 indigos numbered to 250.

My only complaint is the lack of variety. I have railed against the missing name parallels in the past as boring, and they still are.

The logo swaps are a little better, but not much, and the bazooka backs are even worse. They stand out so little I missed both of these initially and didn't find them until sorting after.

Again the inserts are boring. I still miss inserts the Glove Stories cards. Fortune Tellers are ok, they fit with the brand, but why the weird size, why not tobacco size minis?

These I like, again fitting with the brand. I would love to see a whole set or at least parallels with the playing card rounded corners.

Maybe the thing Gypsy Queen is most known for, on-card autographs. The design this year is really nice and I would have way rather the base set looked like this.

Lastly, gone are the weird and hard to store box-toppers, replaced by a 3 card chrome pack. Again, I was skeptical, but these are really nice, while I didn't pull and refractors, what I have seen of them look good, and I will be picking up the Rockies when I have the chance.

The total breakdown really highlights the lack of variety. Out of 24 packs, 6 parallels, 7 inserts and 2 autographs, meaning 9 out of 24 packs were only base cards.

176 Base cards (no dupes)

1 Short Print

2 Indigo Parallels

1 Bazooka Back

2 Missing Name Parallels

1 Logo Swap

3 Tarot Cards

4 Fortune Tellers

2 Base Autographs

3 Chrome Parallels

My final thoughts, I really like the set, count me as a Gypsy Queen fan-boy again after 3 out of the last 4 years ranging from "yuck" to "meh". Dollar value wise, there was almost nothing in the box, but for personal value, I enjoyed the box and will enjoy building a set again after taking last year off.