Artist Monty Sheldon pulls back curtain on 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen inclusion
By Chris Olds | Baseball Editor
Topps‘ latest retro baseball card set — the inaugural Gypsy Queen release — will include many things that will make collectors think “retro,” but one inclusion in the forthcoming set is far from oldschool.
In fact, it’s something that’s never been done before.
What’s the surprise? Sketch Patch Relic cards — a game-used memorabilia with a one-of-a-kind pencil and paint sketch around the memorabilia piece.
Oregon-based sports artist Monty Sheldon produced 25 works for the set and kindly shared them with Beckett Media to show collectors what they can expect to find when the product arrives on April 20. He started with a blank card, added a pencil sketch based on reference photos Topps provided and then did the final paintings all on the same card, each a 1/1 that will be found inside packs.
Sheldon has done some interesting work through the years from his artwork on baseballs to a series of sketch cards he produced coinciding with the anniversary of the Black Sox scandal, but it’s easy to see that these are some of the most unique baseball cards ever made.
See a gallery of all 25 from Sheldon after the jump.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
