SCF Official Review: 2010 Press Pass Premium

**Enigma** · 04-23-2010, 01:57 PM

First and foremost, I'd like to thank our wonderful sponsors at Press Pass for providing us with this box.

20 packs per box
5 cards per pack
Current Retail Price: 87.99 - 99.99 (online)

Product Description

Featuring One Autograph and One Race-Used Memorabilia Card per box!

Each Hobby 10-box Case includes:
- 10 Race-Used Firesuit Cards
- 10 Nascar Autograph Cards
- Plus one of the following:
*Dual Autograph
*Four-Wide
*Hot Threads Patch
*Hot Threads Signature Series
*Premium Pairings Signature Edition Card

Press Pass Premium is the first release to feature the sport's top drivers in their 2010 uniforms. Look for Limited Patch Cards from top Nascar drivers.

WHAT WE PULLED

Base: 89/90 (98.89%)
Dupes: 3
SP: 1/10 (10%) - Brian Vickers

Allies: 3
Rivals: 2
NASCAR HOF: 1

Premium Signatures Bobby Labonte Auto
Hot Threads Joey Logano Firesuit /99

FINAL RATINGS

Base - 4.75/5
Design - 4.5/5
Fun - 3.5/5
Value - 3.5/5
Rebuy - 3.5/5

Total - 20.75/25 (83%)

One of the staples of the Press Pass Racing line has been Premium over the last few years. This year, the buzz surrounding it has been the introduction of Danica Patrick Race Used items and her first mainstream autograph cards. The base card contains 90 regular cards and 10 SPs (boxes will yield at least 1 SP on average). There are 8 subsets in the set. They focus on the drivers as well as their cars. The cards use full-color photos that extend to the edge of the cards, almost like having a handful of pictures from a camera. The holofoil lettering does not engulf the cards and actually accentuates them.

There are three insert sets in Premium. The NASCAR HOF 100-card set continues with another batch of 10 cards from the series. The other two set wsare called Allies and Rivals. These cards pair up various drivers who have a good relationship on the track or a history with one another. The Allies set contain 10 cards while the Rivals has 8.

On average, Premium will have 1 race used memorabilia and 1 autograph per box. The main relic series is called Hot Threads and contains a piece of firesuit. There are different levels, including a patch level. The regular autographs are specific to Premium. It's the one set a year that Press Pass will use sticker autographs. This is because it's the first set to feature drivers in their new paint schemes/sponsors or teams and they are unable to produce the cards and get the autographs on the cards in time for release. Half-case hits include the Four-Wide series, Premium Pairings (autographs and/or relics from two teammates), and the Signature Series Firesuit Edition (driver's autograph signed on a pire of firesuit).

Typically the fourth release of the year, Premium has once again put a foothold into the world of racing collectors. Between the SPs, inserts, and "hits", consumers will find a bonus in virtually every 2 packs they open. In addition, Premium has a cool, sleek design that is eye-catching and almost creates a sense of making you want more. While Premium will bring in droves in search of Danica Patrick items, there's so much more to be found for racing collectors. However, I'm still dumbfounded on how releases continue to fall short of a complete base set, while having duplicates. The SPs are a different twist as Press Pass has been known to make variations of a base card and not just a separate set of them. But I feel the primary issue for Premium is the price point. While it's a nice product, the price versus what you get in return is off-balanced. In my opinion, the right price point would be around $15-$20 less a box and that starts with what it costs to get them from the company.

Once again, I'd like to thank our sponsors at Press Pass for giving us the opportunity to open and review this release. For more information on their products, be sure to check them out at www.presspassinc.com.

**patriotsguy** · 04-28-2010, 02:39 PM

Thanks again Press Pass.

I love when you can bust a box and have almost all the base set complete!

**mdclapps** · 04-28-2010, 03:18 PM

Awesome box! That Logano is sweet!

**JKC** · 04-29-2010, 08:16 AM

Very nice break and review! Thanks, Press Pass, for providing this!

**garnett_21** · 04-29-2010, 05:17 PM

One thing I don't understand is why companies cannot insert an entire base set in the box - why leave the box one base card short, with 7 duplicates? Why not complete the base set in the box? It would please set builders if you could get the entire set out of one box, when possible. I do like the design of the cards. Quite eye-catching. Thanks, Press Pass!