General Forum

I think I want to try my hand at set collecting.  I would just be worried about collecting the base sets (including short prints with unique numbers).  Can you give me any reasons why I should collect one over the other?

Gypsy Queen is baseball only, whereas A&G typically includes other athletes, as well as non-athletes and the occasional polar vortex or revolving door.  Still probably 75% baseball.  That's the main difference.

Who wouldn't want cards of Larry King and horses?

I'd go with Gypsy Queen.

I'm one of those strange people who really enjoy the odd things that get cards in Allen and Ginter.  I really liked the Natural Wonders set that was in 2016 and also the Revolutionary War one from last year.  

The problem I have though is that I don't like mini cards one bit.  I don't collect them so I feel like I wasted money anytime a regular card is replaced by a mini.  Also, a lot of the insert sets I really like only come in mini form which is frustrating.  The only mini cards I enjoy are the framed minis, but that's because they are still the size of a standard card.  

Because of the whole mini situation, I find myself more likely to skip these types of sets in the future.  Was let down enough when I got a SN mini card in a Heritage pack.  Gave it to the ower of a card shop to gift to someone who comes in the store who wants it.  

Allen & Ginter, because.....women carrying logs is cool.

So I had this exact debate about a year ago. Gypsy Queen won out for me, because of the baseball thing. I decided long ago to stick to one sport. Otherwise, it would all just be too overwhelming. It's not like I'll run out of baseball cards to hunt. I don't do short prints, and that's been a bit frustrating, because lately they've decided to make all the more interesting/fun cards (the retired players) short prints. So, after getting all the sets so far, minus short prints, I might lose interest if they don't change that practice in the next year or so.

Also, the arguments above favoring A&G are kind of convincing....

v3

GQ got rid of their mini cards in 2017 (which made me stop collecting them as my name here suggests) so only A&G has the tobacco sized minis any more.  The Heritage and Topps minis are somewhere in between.

GQ also has full sized parallels each year, usually color framed and with SN, while A&G just has mini parallels.

Happy to take any minis off of peoples hands in exchange for full sized cards, my FS/FT and want lists are always up to date.

V3  That is at lease 2 of us that is getting tired of the short prints. You hear us Topps? 

And of course it has to be a hot player too.  I wonder what a short print run is?  Remember the 1981, was it K-Mart limited set.  1,000 made.  Then after the frenzy, of going to K-Mart and buying them for $0.53, and dealers selling them for a couple of Dollars, we find out   they meant 1,000 sets for every K-Mart store

and the price fell quicker the a Joe Charboneau RC

bkim.....love your use of Sherman. Sherman looks tough as woodpecker lips in all his civil war era photos. I guess years of leaving a path of smoke and scunnion everywhere you go leaves a mark. (sorry off-topic)

This is tough. It depends on what draws you in. I like minis and parallels. Framed too. GQ had minis but quit, their color parallels just don't appeal to me. Ginter, on the other hand has a lot to offer. Minis of sports, actors, singers, etc. You have relics/autos of a wide variety. Some relics are creative and innovative, where else can you get a relic of Bigfoot? LOL! You have a broader variety of inserts, both regular and mini. Some insert sets are small, like less than 24. You also have larger insert sets up to 50 or so.  Personally, I'd go with Ginter because of minis, inserts, etc.