2013 Topps Gypsy Queen Baseball Forum

I have seen this in several places but i thought i would use the 2013 GQ set (and parallels) as an example.  The base set lists Total Cards as 350 and the cards are numbered to 350, however there are 50 variant cards (i.e. 1b, 4b, etc) so for a "complete" set there are 400 cards.  The mini parallel set lists Total Cards as 450, with the cards numbered to 350, however there are 100 variant cards in the mini parallel so a "complete" set is truly 450 cards.  For consistencies sake i think we need to have some agreement (and i think it is actually spelled out when uploading a checklist) on how many cards should occupy the Total Card field.  I know some people ignore the variants and consider a set complete without variants, however it looks weird when you look at percent complete and see a set that is 111% complete because the statistics are using the Total Card field and you have collected some of the variant cards in that particular set.  Sorry for longwinded suggestion?

I personally do not believe that Variations should be listed as part of the set.  I refer to them as if they are nothing more than another type of insert card.  We already have the sets broken down as Base, Inserts, and Parallels.  Why not add another option --- Variations?????  Are they not just chase cards.  I believe 100% should be for the Base set if that is what you are collecting and all others are extras.  Just my opinion!  Rant over!

Sadly I agree with jmiller on this one, I have never collected variants as part of a base set and consider them more or less a chase card. A "Variations" section is a possible way to correct the problem but that not perfect either. The 11-12 OPC Hoceky set comes to mind for me in this discussion. Cards 1 through 50 have a variation of the base set, they call it "Playoff Beard" (I think you can figure out what the difference is here) but it is listed as an insert set here on the DB. Technically it should be a 1a and 1b card situation but it is not listed as such. I think it needs to be discussed as, yes, 111% sounds kind of dumb to me and if anything the sets should be corrected so that they can only ever be 100%. Be it a "Variant Cards" heading in inserts or parallels not sure but it is a valid debate. Put me on the list that thinks variants should not be listed part of the base set, to me it just simply does not apply to the word "base".

right..I agree with both guys as well....and from a price guide standpoint, a set is considered complete without the variations.  Variations would be part of a master set of course..

mark

Just chipping in to agree with you, that variations should be treated as a subset. I don't care for the fact that out of a (for example) 100 card base set, which has 50 variations, and you have collected 75 of the base cards and 25 variations of those already collected basecards, it will show that you are 100% complete, when in fact you are still missing 25 base cards. I am a bit of an old school purest, from a time when variations didn't exist, only error cards. I collect the base card set, which is the A card, not the shortprinted variations. The variations are great, and I keep them with the set, but only as a bonus.

How about error/corrected cards?  Do you throw those under "Inserts" also?  Otherwise, you're still in the same boat.

Interesting.  What if the 'variation' is an ERR vs. COR situation, which one is the right one to include in the base set?  

I don't really care one way or the other, as long as the variations are cataloged systematically in the database.  The information is key.  Personally, I don't let a book or checklist determine what does and doesn't belong in my collection, and it doesn't bother me if the database says a set is incomplete in my collection if I have all of the cards that I want from it.

Tom

Good point Lea DeFoote (just caught the pun there btw!) ERR cards do happen but to me if there is a corrected version of it, it should be the true base card and not the ERR as the COR is the card as it was intended. And an ERR is simply that an error. I do not have an issue with ERR cards, just look at 90-91 Pro-Set!! LOL  As for how the DB lists them that is ultimately up to admin. If the 1a, 1b, etc (that is the simplest way about it by far) is the way they want it so be it, it is thier site to mandate. But to me there should be a Variations and/or Errors list seperate from the base set. If that card number has more than one version the COR version should be in the base set and have COR in the Note field and maybe a reference to other versions listed elsewhere like Note2.

I think they've got it right the way it is. ERR or variations aren't part of the base set, pretty much by definition. But they're not their own separate entity, either. Personally, if I'm trying to complete a set and I have 220b, but not 220a, I don't worry about it. My goal is to get one of each...number, I guess.  If it happens that I get the variations or the errors, I keep them, but I consider them "extras." So having 103% of a set or two seems accurate. You've got the complete set of base cards, plus some. Like extra credit on a test you aced. This will help you keep your grade up when you start failing tests later. ;-)

My two cents.

v3

An official card set size does not incude variations/errors/corrections.