SCF Official Review: 2011 Press Pass Premium

[Enigma]

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



20 packs per box
5 cards per pack
Current Retail Price (online): 74.99 - 84.99

Product Description

Featuring One Autograph Card & One Race-Used Firesuit Card Per Box!


Press Pass Premium Delivers All of the New 2011 Uniforms & Paint Schemes!


Suit Up For An Exciting Nascar Season With 2011 Press Pass Premium!


Collect The First Trading Cards Featuring Nascar Drivers In Their 2011 Firesuits, And Look For Authentic Autographs And Race-Used Memorabilia In Every Box.


Each Hobby Box Features a Pair of 3D Glasses and at least One 3D Trading Card!


WHAT WE PULLED





Base: 85/90 (94.4%)
Dupes: 6
SP (1): Kurt Busch





Crystal Ball (2)
Hot Pursuit (4)
NASCAR HOF (1)





David Reutimann Premium Auto /178





Carl Edwards Hot Threads 2-color Patch /25





FINAL RATINGS


Base - 4.25/5
Design - 4.75/5
Fun - 3/5
Value - 3/5
Rebuy - 3/5


Total - 18/25 (72%)


Premium has resurfaced for another year. With a 90-card base set and 10 short prints, this is Press Pass' first opportunity to highlight events from the 2011 season. Actually, there's a real focus in regards to Daytona with subsets such as 500 Club, Draft Pick and NASCAR Preseason Thunder.


The design work is well-done, even though the first 36 cards are basically a copy of an insert design from a year or two ago, minus the foil. However, there's a bad taste that resonates in your mouth when you discover that a complete set does not exist in the box. It wouldn't be that awful until you consider the number of duplicates found in the box. There was a time when most Press Pass releases would yield a complete base set, but it appears times have changed. Could very well be a ploy to entice customers to buy more than one box.


In each box there is a pair of 3-D glasses. It states on the box that you can relive the Daytona 500 in 3-D via their website. But if you are not careful, you will miss that there is another use for them. One of the insert sets titled Hot Pursuit is designed to be viewed using the glasses. Without that knowledge, it looks like the cards were created using a cheap inkjet printer.


With two insert sets (not including the HOF set) and a fairly cut and dry base set, Premium is a quick and easy master set to build. While the 10 short prints make things a bit difficult, it is not one you will go crazy trying to complete. However, with just one autograph and one relic, it is hard to justify the price point.


Once again, I'd like to thank our wonderful sponsors at Press Pass for giving us the opportunity to open and review this release. For information on all their products, visit them today at www.presspassinc.com.

[georg]

i like the layout of the cards. i brought a blaster box and got decent cards out of them. nothing major but i didn't regret buying the box.