Tag Archives: 2012-13

Review: 2012-13 Panini Limited Hockey

  By Sports Card Blog | March 11, 2013 - 5:19 pm | ,
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A Panini tradition for several years now, the Limited brand continues in the hockey arena with its usual one pack per box and multiple hits per pack formula. It’s that quick hit that many collectors enjoy breaking into every season to see what they can pull. In this shortened hockey season without new rookies, it is one of those products that may be your only hockey break of the season. So let’s get down to it and see what we pulled in our box of Panini Limited hockey for 2012-13.

Design: 4 stars blue

I actually REALLY like the design aspects in this product, except for one thing, the manufactured patch autographs. I was going to give this 4 1/2, but I had to knock it down because of two manu-patch autographed cards. One of them, the autograph already has some pen bleed on it which is disappointing and one of the main reasons I don’t care for that style of card creation. Other than that, the base designs look great with the color photo of the player and the sepia background. The inserts are solid as well and the other hit look good too. Great design work, but I just hate manu-patches.

Checklist: 4 stars blue

To me, there is a benefit of not having many rookies in the sets this year and that is you can find more veteran content. That has resulted in a pretty decent box we received of this product. Tyson Barrie is a solid defenseman prospect, so that isn’t too shabby. But the highlights are a Hall of Famer game used piece and a future Hall of Famer autograph. One rookie hit, one current veteran hit, and one legend hit. Panini does well mixing in all of these into their product run and it was cool seeing it all come together in one box of a product that usually has quite a few rookie hits. Then again, no new rookies either like Yak, and it’s kinda disappointing. But blame the NHLPA!

Value: 4 stars blue

I believe the box originally retailed at $100 like the typical Limited products, but right now this one is currently sitting at $82 over at DA Card World. Not bad price at all for this product and what I would love to see the product hit the streets at. Panini has eliminated its MAPP policy, so maybe we’ll start seeing better opening value the first few weeks. But as I stated in the checklist area, we received some pretty decent cards in our box with Iginla, Fuhr, and a solid prospect. Overall, I think this box held up its end of the bargain. Others have been worse, but I’ve seen better too. Limited is risky like that.

Overall:4 stars blue

 Overall. A solid four stars. This isn’t your typical four star review as Limited has shown many positives this year. Next year will be interesting though with the double rookie class, but I’m enjoying the product this year for what it is. The design is well done, but I still don’t like those manu-patch autographs. At least Panini has limited their use across the board and you only really see them in two products (Dominion). The checklist is good for this season and really is a testament to what I believe rookies have done to the hobby. Watering down boxes with rookies has been a problem, but this box shows the good of a variety of players. Which not only improves the breaking experience, but adds some better immediate value. We all aren’t prospectors or care for waiting out rookies, so this is a nice change of pace.

Once again, a thank you goes out to Panini America for providing this product to review. You can find them online on their official site, blog, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

You can find the full checklist of this product over at Cardboard Connection.

Subscribe to us on YouTube to see the live break of this product. And look below to see the cards we pulled from the break!

 

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Review: 2012-13 Panini Timeless Treasures Basketball

  By Sports Card Blog | February 15, 2013 - 4:19 pm | ,
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Timeless Treasures basketball has arrived featuring the one pack per tin content that many collectors enjoy due to its quick break that yields plenty of hits. The product has returned this year after last year’s lockout and come with a few base cards and three hits per tin. With the double rookie class, there are a ton of great rookies for you to find in the product, with the chance at some solid veteran content as well. Want to see what you can find in a typical box? Here we go:

Design:4 and half stars blue

The design of the product is simple and elegant all around. I have to start by saying that I really enjoy products that come in collectible packaging. Specialized tins and wood boxes are under utilized in the hobby today and provide a collectible that many like to keep to either store cards or display. I received a Kobe Bryant tin and it looks great. Might I make a suggestion to hide the identity of who is on the tin and include rare autographed tins? That may increase the length of time to work on packaging, but wouldn’t a Kobe autographed tin be kinda cool? Other than that, the base design of the product is simple and utilizes foil in all the best ways highlighting exactly what is needed. I also enjoy the acetate rookie autographs where they sign what seems to be a super large sticker. (You can see an example of the super large sticker on a card from my Absolute basketball break.) But overall, sometimes simplistic is best and this product showcases that.

Checklist:4 stars blue

The double rookie class means there are generally more rookies this season, and that is both a good thing and a bad thing. The good thing being that you can get some solid rookies from the past couple of years. The bad thing is there isn’t as much veteran content to fill the product and you can also find some scrub rookies from the past couple of years. It’s a difficult proposition and while it made the product cheaper to produce (most likely) the content isn’t as good as it could have been.

Value:4 stars blue

Right now, you can find the product for $87 at DA Card World which isn’t a bad deal itself. At three hits per box, you have the chance for some decent cards as always. This isn’t really a set building product unless you are building the rookie autographs which are definitely appealing to the eyes. Other than that though, you may end up with 3 rookie hits or a couple and a plain game used card like my box. Most previews and sell sheets say the product guarantees at least one on-card autograph, but that was not the case here and many others I’ve seen. That doesn’t hurt too much, but it would have been nice to have one.

Overall:4 stars blue

Overall, not a terrible product from Panini at all. The product looks nice and I really like the rookie autographs on the acetate and stickers. It would have been nicer to see those directly on the acetate, but the sticker doesn’t look totally bad in it’s place. It’s something that looks even better with the sticker area being cut out as opposed to just a sticker. The checklist is what you’d expect this season, heavy on the rookies, which still needs to be toned down a little. But the value is there at the current price of the product. I’d pick up a tin or two, especially if you like collecting the different player tins as well as the cards. It’s a nice little bonus for collectors.

Once again, a big thanks goes out to Panini America for providing this product to review. You can find them online on their official site, blog, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

You can also find that full checklist over on Cardboard Connection.

Want to see a video of the break? Subscribe to us on YouTube. Then check out the gallery below.

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Review: 2012-13 Panini Absolute Memorabilia Basketball

  By Sports Card Blog | January 24, 2013 - 8:08 am | ,
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A full season of NBA products has Absolute Memorabilia coming to basketball this year, and it features all the things about Absolute that you love. Rookie autographs, sweet memorabilia cards, and other big hits that only this product can bring you. Each box has four packs with each pack containing an autograph or game used memorabilia card. Also included are the Spectrum inserts which you can find nice low numbered cards as well. Let’s see what we pulled.

Design:4 and half stars blue

Designing this year’s Absolute Memorabilia is nothing earth shattering from Panini, but it does have points taken from last year’s Limited product. They share a similar design with foil team colors and similar set up in the layout of the cards. I’m all for the team colors foil, but at least keep it to the same brand. The one thing I like about changing designs is that it keeps a similar theme across one product. For instance, you wouldn’t have a ticket design for anything other than Contenders. Other than that, it is a solid foundation this year. The one thing I found strange was the GIANT sticker used for the Fat Lever autograph. More room for autos is nice, but that would look so much better on card.

Checklist:4 stars blue

The checklist for this product is much better than other Panini products this year as the double rookie class isn’t as prominent compared to other cards you could receive. While I did receive two rookie autographs (one is a redemption), I pulled two other autographs with one from a retired player and one from a current veteran in the league. When I pull current players, I always shed a tear of happiness as the hobby doesn’t have to be so rookie centric.

Value:4 stars blue

The value of the product is one that is hit or miss with this type of product. The one thing I am really impressed with this year was I received four autographs in my box. To me, in a product like this the hits are all about how much ink and how many colors your memorabilia cards are. When you pay as much as you might for this product ($127 at DA Card World) you want to find some value. Four autographs is always good in my book and when only two are rookies, you got my attention. Pretty nice collation in this box, so I hope others are similar.

Overall:4 stars blue

Overall, after missing out on last season of Absolute, Panini has come back with a solid offering for basketball fans this year. The design of the product is nice, despite the similarities to last year’s Panini Limited product. The checklist is improved over other Panini products this year as you aren’t bombarded with the double rookie class and have some decent veteran and retired autographs. The best part, in my opinion, was that I received four autographs in my box. At that kind of price, the more ink the better in my opinion. Good work to Panini on the product this year.

Thanks to Panini America for providing this product for review. You can find them online on their official site, blog, Twitter, and Facebook. Make sure to follow them for awesome giveaways.

You can find the full checklist and more information on Cardboard Connection.

Make sure you Subscribe to us on YouTube to view the breaks and here is what we pulled:

Not shown: Redemption for Jae Crowder RC Auto

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Review: 2012-13 Panini Limited Basketball

  By Sports Card Blog | January 16, 2013 - 4:31 pm | ,
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The Limited product from Panini continues on this year, including some of the same types of hits and rare memorabilia cards that you come to expect from this long-time Panini/Donruss product. With at least 3 hits per one pack box, you will be able to find some autographs and memorabilia from some of the top young players, superstars, and retired legends of the game. With the double rookie class, you’ll be able to find top autographs from some of your favorite rookies and sophomores. Let’s see what we were able to pull in our box.

Design:4 stars blue

The design of the product is actually pretty nice overall. The one thing I absolutely love is the base cards. Similar to last year’s product, the foil background behind the player is tinted in their team’s team colors. That little addition just really makes the card come together. It looks especially nice on the Rondo base, which I don’t take a picture of for some reason. Although small, I love the change of the logo of the product to an Old English style “L”. It looks like something that would fit in very well with basketball culture. The inserts are nothing really eye catching or new to Panini products in terms of design. They aren’t terrible, it’s just something you’re used to as a Panini collector. I think a new style insert could really transform the product.

Checklist:4 stars blue

Now the double rookie class is something that I find to be sort of a detriment towards sets this year. It seems like every rookie has an autographed card and that puts a damper on finding veteran autographs in a product like this. While Kendall Marshall was a top 15 pick, and as was my redemption of Kawhi Leonard, this product contains a lot of rookie cards. Luckily, my memorabilia card was of Celtics GM Danny Ainge from his playing days. It was cool for me to pull Ainge as he used to babysit a good friend of mine. But other than that, I’d still like to see more veteran content in this product. However, you can’t complain about two top 15 first rounders.

Value:4 stars blue

The value of the product is difficult to discern as Limited has always been a hit or miss product. Even more so in the double rookie class as you have more chances to pull rookies (or sophomores) in the league. You can find the product currently for $87 a box over at DA Card World, which is actually a decent deal compared to past years. With the amount of rookie cards from the past couple of years Panini has been putting out this year, at that price it’s probably worth a shot at a Kyrie or another big name rookie.

Overall:4 stars blue

Overall, this is a solid product from Panini, but nothing earth shattering. I still think Panini needs a big makeover on the Limited line, but this product can still hold its own in the basketball realm. The design is nice with the team colors incorporated into the foil, but I’d like to see more out of the inserts. The checklist, while okay with the double rookie class, feels a lot like one of those rookie only products. I’d like to see a guaranteed veteran autograph in a product like this as I’m not a big rookie collector. But the value, with the lower price, is a better than past years and it’s worth a shot if you want to try and pull a big name right now.

Thanks again goes out to Panini America for providing this product for review. You can find them online on their official site, blog, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

You can find the full checklist of this product over at Cardboard Connection.

And check out the images below for our hits, or subscribe to us on YouTube to sell the box breaking video.

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Preview: 2012-13 Upper Deck SP Game Used Hockey

  By Sports Card Blog | January 15, 2013 - 3:26 pm |
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A press release about 12-13 Upper Deck SP Game Used hockey from Upper Deck came out today:

Carlsbad, CA (January 15, 2013) – Just days before the puck drops on a new season for the NHL®, Upper Deck is pleased to release 2012-13 NHL® SP Game-Used; a super premium hockey card release that collectors are eager to experience. The product has been revamped from years prior and has a lower price point per pack, but does not compromise on the quality cards that have made it a hobby favorite. Collectors can find five packs in every box that contain at least one autograph card and four other memorabilia or autograph cards.

“SP Game-Used has been given a nice makeover that we think collectors are going to love,” said Josh Zusman, Upper Deck’s Hockey brand manager. “We have challenged our teams to come up with compelling new inserts that will bring collectors closer to the game and we believe they have succeeded. By improving the value collectors can find in packs, we think they will have a much more exciting pack-opening experience this year!”

There are a bevy of new insert sets that will have collectors clamoring to crack these packs. First up are the “Draft Day Marks” autograph cards that profile talented rookies and veterans on the day they were drafted. Collectors can chase these cards to put together the entire set that will spell out the player’s last name. Rookie cards have always been a staple in the product, but now there is better collectability with Rookie Cards limited to each player’s jersey number with a twist being that the last card in each print run is a one-of-one-autograph for young stars like Chris Kreider (New York Rangers) and Sven Baertschi (Calgary Flames). And with “Supreme Patches,” “Supreme Sticks,” and “Supreme Skates” collectors find out first hand where SP Game-Used gets it’s name as they can find game-used memorabilia cards with very compelling pieces of jerseys, sticks and skates players used in actual games. The skate cards in particular are going to be an exciting new addition for collectors as it marks the first time Upper Deck has produced cards like these. And to create some serious high-end buzz, collectors can also find rare 1-of-1 NHL® Shield variation cards that include the NHL® logo from game-used jerseys on the card.

One of the most unique additions to the SP Game-Used brand for this season is an artifact used in Games 3, 4 and 6 of the 2012 NHL® Stanley Cup® Final. Upper Deck was able to procure the actual net from the goal from those games and will be including special Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils cards with swatches of the net embedded in them. Special autograph variations will include authentic signatures on swatches derived from the leather net skirt from key players in the series like Adam Henrique, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, Martin Brodeur and Wayne Gretzky who dropped the ceremonial puck before Game 3. Also look for ten different 1-of-1 “Jumbo” packs cards featuring large swatches from the oversized NHL® shield patch taken from the net skirt.

Just in time for the start of the NHL® season, Upper Deck is pleased to release 2012-13 NHL® SP Game-Used which is currently available on store shelves.

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Hey, it’s about time Upper Deck changed up the product after the horrible offering last season. Let’s hope these changes really do enhance the product for collectors.

You can find this product online at DA Card World for about $107 . You can also find more information including the checklist at Cardboard Connection.

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