Panini elite black

[41 Fan]

I agree with Agent - the idea of Gold Standard was awesome. I watched the Panini blog and saw that gold brick and thought I need one of those. Then I saw the cut-off autos and too many boxes filled with Avery Bradley and Luke Harogody AU and GUs. I decided to just buy/trade for the cards I wanted instead of chance it.

I think the man problem with Panini's line this year was flooding the market with the single-pack boxes that are very similar in content with only variations on themes. I also think that having Kobe Autos and every single product they have has devalued the value of those cards. That being said - i did bust a box of Timeless this past weekend and pulled a Kobe Auto Patch - yes i was completely psyched!

[RAFAEL311]

wow!!!! i agree with every one
panini has done it from messing up patches to messing up autos ....
one time i got a upside down auto
come on!!!!

[Agent 7o2]

Panini is pure garbage as a basketball card making company, it's been 2 years and they haven't done anything that has really changed my opinion of them. I am glad that I have not supported this company directly by buying their boxes and packs or indirectly (by buying their singles); I'm glad my money is not spent on developing "products" like Black Box. I do have some Panini cards in my PC through trades as lots of people only have Panini stuff now.

They made some decent cards here and there, but mostly just overpriced garbage.

Agreed. The only boxes I've picked up are Classics and Season Update from this and last year since they seem to be their only products where you get your money's worth. I also picked up a few of those Prestige Retail boxes that which I ended up regretting. I'll pick up packs every once in a while to get my basketball fix but I pretty much stick to just getting singles.

[Agent 7o2]

I think the man problem with Panini's line this year was flooding the market with the single-pack boxes that are very similar in content with only variations on themes. I also think that having Kobe Autos and every single product they have has devalued the value of those cards.

I didn't even think of that but once again you have a very good point. Makes sense that the only products of Panini that I really like: Classics, Season Update and Donruss don't fall into that category. Although the Hall of Fame set with all on-card autos was a pretty good single-pack box once the price got cut in half.

Really good point about the Kobe autos too. I guess it's good if you just want to be able to pull one for your collection but there are so many of them now that they have been devalued as you said. I'd still be really happy to pull one just as you were but that's because I'd want to keep it for the PC and would never want to sell it. So I guess it's a good and a bad thing that there are so many of them now.

[MistaDuMa]

I threw up a little bit when I saw that dual "logoman"

I personally don't have any logomans in my collection but I would refuse to buy one of those manufactured ones. I would rather NOT have one then spoil the excitement and joy of having a REAL game worn logoman in my hands. Those cards would've honestly looked perfectly fine without the logomans and just the little swatch. The numbering would've made sense too...

This IMO should be sub-$120 price wise. The Thunderstruck Durant OCA look sweet but the rest are really blah.... I'll just pick up the Tyrekes from ebay and never look back.

[MatthewLee]

WOW, Laettner in a USA jersey!

Ugh! Please don't mention those fake leather autos ever again. Those might be one of the worst things I've ever seen. Upper Deck did the same thing with Sweet Spot and I didn't like those either but at least they tried to make them look like actual basketball material. Makes me wonder if they have ever made an actual game used piece of basketball with an auto on it on a card. That would be pretty sick. Probably not anything Panini would ever do though.

Flair did it with Sweet Sigs, sadly it was one of the worst designs of the decade.

[Agent 7o2]

WOW, Laettner in a USA jersey!


Flair did it with Sweet Sigs, sadly it was one of the worst designs of the decade.

Yeah I wasn't too happy about seeing that Laettner. Why did they include him here but not in the USA Jersey Set that was in Hall of Fame?

That Sweet Sigs design is pretty bad. I don't think that is a game used basketball though. I found a few others on Ebay and checked out the back of the card and it doesn't mention that they are game used. I'm sure it would be mentioned if it was a game used ball. I think they are just manufactured pieces of basketball material like the do with Upper Deck Sweet Spot. At least it looks like it could be a game used basketball unlike the Timeless Treasures ones.

[Zeppelin1985]

Sorry to complain but being a hobby photographer this really kills me - with all the advances in digital photography, how is it that every single product they put except the Donruss set are player cut-outs. No actions shots at all. Donruss is the only set with action shots and the color of the cards are so awful, again done on purpose, that they are hard to look at. Of course I bought 2 boxes because they were the only boxes cheap enough.

Don't even get me started on the 90+ "RCs" in the Prestige set - arrghhhh

Glad I'm not the only one who has recognized this. I too must ask the same question, Why does Panini seldom use action shots? Why must everything be player cut-outs? I miss Topps, they KNEW what they were doing when they made a basketball card. But just don't take my word for it, the evidence is right in front of you.

-There are just SO MANY good things about the Ray Allen card below. A nice clever design on the top of the card with the Celtics colors, letters are not too big...just right. The rest of the card has the picture and a nice small Celtics logo on the bottom left corner and the set logo on the bottom right corner, again the logos are the perfect size, not too big.
Now, we have this BEAUTIFUL picture! Arguably, (I say arguably because I think Reggie is just as clutch, maybe even better) the greatest 3-point shooter of all-time...doing what? Yes people, he's attempting a 3-point shot. With who appears to be Brandon Roy getting a late hand in his face and KG & Aldridge positioning themselves for the rebound if it doesn't go in. And look, we even have the shot clock and time in the shot! This is a well designed basketball card.



And now from another year of Topps Chrome we have what appears to be a LeBum breakaway dunk against the Pistons in takeoff.


.....Now we have this...
Bill Russell...with some crap design. Panini, I don't buy your CRAP because I want designs. I buy it because I LOVE BASKETBALL. Give me some action shots, PUHLEASE.


or this lazy as @#%* design...






I for your return Topps and Upper Deck...

[Zeppelin1985]

Now regarding Panini's latest DISASTER product..... :begins shaking head:

which crackhead Panini designer thought it would be a good idea to make a dual sided logoman? And what in the BLUE HELL is the purpose of putting a jersey swatch next to a "logoman"? Do you know how AWFUL & TRIVIAL that is? It serves no purpose, NONE!
And what crackhead Panini president approved this product? They all need to be gathered up and put into an assault line.

[MatthewLee]

Yeah I wasn't too happy about seeing that Laettner. Why did they include him here but not in the USA Jersey Set that was in Hall of Fame?

That Sweet Sigs design is pretty bad. I don't think that is a game used basketball though. I found a few others on Ebay and checked out the back of the card and it doesn't mention that they are game used. I'm sure it would be mentioned if it was a game used ball. I think they are just manufactured pieces of basketball material like the do with Upper Deck Sweet Spot. At least it looks like it could be a game used basketball unlike the Timeless Treasures ones.

Good point on the Laettnner.

Didn't know the Sweet Sigs weren't game-used...
I do know for a fact though that they are actual basketball/rubber/leather material.
All the Sweet Spot issues over the years have just been textured cardboard correct?