Pack Rip! 2014 Gypsy Queen

Bought one other pack during my recent visit to the local card shop to go along with the 1990 Topps.

Ten cards in this one. Chose to buy this over a pack of Allen & Ginter because it was a $1.50 cheaper ($3.50 vs. $5). Don't really know anything about the set, so I'm basically just hoping for some Blue Jays. 

I love the vintage look and feel of Gypsy Queen cards, although they do strike me as awfully similar in style to A&G. Don't quite understand how they fill different niches. 

One-third of the way in and nothing exciting yet...

Here's something different. It's from a 15-card insert set called "N174" which are apparently based on a set from 1988. Scherzer's one of the least interesting names on the checklist. But he might be the richest, as he just signed a $210 million contract as a free agent with the Washington Nationals. Read on Twitter that Scherzer will be paid $80,000 a day every day for the next 14 years. 

I know basic rookie cards aren't especially valuable nowadays, but I still get a little jolt of excitement every time I pull one. Paxton is a promising young starter, and he was actually once drafted by the Blue Jays. They weren't able to sign him, so he went back into the draft. He's Canadian, too.

King Felix. This one's actually already been traded away after someone popped up on Zistle asking for it. This pack is awfully pitcher heavy: Six cads in, and just one position player. 

Whoa. Nicest-looking card yet. Love the detail in the grass, where you can see the fresh mow lines. And the green and blue from the stadium seats are really vivid. 

Nine cards in and the eighth pitcher. There is apparently a photo variation of this card. 

The black-bordered minis are the most common. Each of these are numbered to 199. Don't really know much about Freddie, but it turns out that both of his parents are Canadian and he wanted to play for Canada in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. So I like him.

That's it. Not the world's most exciting group of baseball cards. Card of the pack is between the Paxton rookie and the Rizzuto, which is the best-looking of the bunch by far. The passport tips the scales: Paxton wins! Congratulations, or something.