2013 Topps Allen & Ginter's Sell Sheets are Live!!!

It's a busy day for sell sheet posting.  Earlier, I posted the sell sheets for 2013 Topps Series 2.  I'm very sure I forgot to post the sheets for Gypsy Queen and Archives (will have to get on that...maybe), but until that happens, I am happy to report that sell sheets for the 2013 edition of Topps Allen & Ginter's (that's actualy the official name of the product and from now on, I will make sure to call it Allen & Ginter's or A&G, not Allen & Ginter) are now live:

There is so much to discuss...where to begin?

The preliminary checklist of 350 cards (subject to change) features a lot of current and former players, as well as a mix of non-baseball related subjects.  While there was no mention of the non-baseball people listed in with the base set, the autograph section mentions the following people:

• Pele, Soccer
• Matthias Blonski, Paintball
• Byamba, Sumo Wrestler
• John Calipari, University of Kentucky Basketball Coach
• Phil Heath, Mr. Olympia
• Chanel Iman, Model
• Ekolu Kalama, Paddle Boarder
• Brian Kelly, Notre Dame Football Coach
• Bonnie Bernstein, Broadcaster
• Bill Walton, NBA Legend
• Adam Richman (Man vs. Food...will want this card and or an auto'd version of it)
• McKayla Maroney, Olympic Gymnast
• Bobby Bowden, College Football Coach
• Henry Rollins, Musician (Topps thinks that Stale Gum will finally buy a pack with this guy in it.)
• Tommy Lee, Rockstar
• Freddie Roach, Boxing Trainer
• Lindsey Vonn, Olympic Alpine Skier
• Scott Hamilton, Figure Skater
• Julia Mancuso, Olympic Alpine Skier
• Ziggy Marley, Musician 
• Mike Joy, NASCAR Broadcaster
• Chrissy Teigen, Model

Now many case breakers say a master set (base cards plus SP base cards plus basic inserts) will include the baseball insert set as part of their auctions.  This year's baseball insert set is the 100-card Across the Years set, which connects MLB star with other people who share their birthday.  Others will include the any other (non SP'd) regular-sized (the 2½ x 3½ inch) insert sets.  This years sets include:

• One Little Corner (Topps describes this set as "clear cards featuring planets, moons, and other interesting bodies in our solar system." This would be something my nephew might be interested in...)
• Palaces and Strongholds (20 cards about castles and forts)
• Martial Mastery (10 cards of fearsome warriors)
• Civilizations of Ages Past (20 cards of...do I even need to explain this one???)

Mini insert collectors (and there are many) will want to look out for:

• The First Americans (15 cards of various Native American Tribes)
• Inquiring Minds (21 cards of philosophers)
• Heavy Hangs the Head... (30 cards featuring monarchs...that's kings and queens)
• Codes, Ciphers, and Cryptographs (10 cards about famous codes...no word if the Ginter Code is a part of it)
• Peacemakers (10 cards...self explanatory)
• Famous Finds (10 cards of archaeological finds)

And you know that Topps will have other sets that they aren't going to announce thrown into the product.

Last year, Topps included cards of butterflies and other insects.  This year...it's Arachnology...a redemption set of 1 of 1 cards featuring actual spiders.  I think I'll stay away from that one, thanks.  

Missing from the sell sheets, and it doesn't mean that they might not do it, are the cards that you could plant flowers with or make a colony of sea monkeys with.  One glaring omission I'm going to throw out there...

Where is the Ginter Code???

Are we returning to Willow Cove? Wasn't there supposed to be a sequel featuring the folks from the town?  Who knows.  Will the boys who cracked the case, as well as previous Ginter Code breakers get together for a special group signing?

The fact that this set reaches a wide audience, and is a set collector's dreams, has made Allen & Ginter's a must to collect since it's inception in 2006.  It looks like in it's eighth year of production, Topps is continuing the tradition that was started back in 1886.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama