The 2021 edition of Topps’ popular Gypsy Queen baseball card set is one of the most anticipated releases of the new year. Gypsy Queen has developed a dedicated following since its inaugural release in 2012 due to its throwback aesthetic and prospect-heavy design. Beyond its retro style paying homage to vintage tobacco cards of the early 20th century, Gypsy Queen stands out for frequently including rising young stars in their rookie card seasons before they break into the majors.
The 2021 Gypsy Queen set will again consist of 350 total cards and feature a mixture of current major leaguers as well as top prospects. As with past years, parallel and insert sets will extend the total number of unique cards available to collectors. Following the trend established since the beginning, Gypsy Queen cards will utilize a faded and worn “tobacco-esque” design with players shown in classic uniform poses harkening back to the early decades of professional baseball. Brightly colored borders help the nostalgic photos pop off the cardboard.
Several of the game’s biggest stars who had breakout seasons in 2020 are highlighted as the featured cards in series one hobby boxes of 2021 Gypsy Queen. San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who finished third in NL MVP voting last year in just his second season, is one of three “Rainbow Foil” parallels inserted one per box. Tatis exploded onto the scene by hitting .277 with 17 homers and 45 RBI over the abbreviated campaign. Likewise, AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Indians leads the “Mystique” parallel insert set after posting a minuscule 1.63 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings during the pandemic-shortened campaign.
Rookies and prospects continue to be a significant part of what makes Gypsy Queen a unique attraction for collectors. The 2021 set will give cardboard introductions to many of the game’s brightest up-and-comers who were primed to debut before Covid-19 delayed the season. Top Braves pitching prospect Ian Anderson, who instead got his first taste of the majors in 2020 with a 3.03 ERA over six starts, will have his first Topps issue card. Likewise, Rays breakout Randy Arozarena, who stole the show in Tampa Bay’s playoff run with a record-setting performance, should be popular in the set after transitioning from trade acquisition to postseason MVP in just a few months. Other top rookies included are White Sox prized starter Dane Dunning and Marlins pitcher Sixto Sanchez, who are poised to make their MLB debuts in 2021.
Perhaps most intriguingly, 2021 Gypsy Queen offers the hobby’s first prospective looks at cards for touted youngsters Wander Franco and Jarred Kelenic. Franco, considered the top prospect in baseball as he prepares for his Triple-A debut with the Rays, dazzled in 2019 by batting .327 with 12 homers and 71 RBI between High-A and Double-A at just 19 years old. Meantime, prized Mariners outfielder Kelenic belted 23 homers across two minor league levels as a 21-year-old in 2019 and figures to be up with the big league club at some point in the upcoming season. For collectors searching to start PC’s of the game’s future stars, Gypsy Queen provides the first chance to add these phenoms to a collection.
All told, Gypsy Queen packs tremendous value by virtue of its vintage styling, intriguing rookie class, and proven track record of identifying stars on the rise. Bubba from Bama, Hank from Houston, Coco from Cleveland- insert your favorite player’s nickname and odds are there will be a matching card awaiting discovery by fanatics nationwide upon the set’s March 18th release date. Beyond the base issue, Topps layers on collectability through parallel inserts and autographed memorabilia cards inserted in Hobby Boxes as additional incentives to unearth a coveted hit. Expect the 2021 Gypsy Queen checklist to stoke fan passions and stimulate the hobby market once again by combining modern players with a retrospective design flair. For anyone who loves the nostalgia of vintage cards or tracking top prospects, Gypsy Queen is a highly anticipated spring tradition.
While the coronavirus pandemic stalled much of the sports world in 2020, it did nothing to diminish enthusiasm for new card releases from the hobby’s biggest brands like Topps. Gypsy Queen has thrived by appealing to both casual collectors seeking affordable vintage-styled cards of today’s best, as well as obsessives scouring each release for that one star-in-waiting who could break out next. The checklist for 2021 Gypsy Queen tees up another action-packed year at the top levels of baseball by showcasing the sport’s current icons alongside its future faces. As has been the case throughout its decade-long run, come March it’s a safe bet fans will be as eager as ever to rip packs and roll the virtual dice on which rising phenoms might deliver prime cardboard in the hobby’s favorite throwback set.
