2011-12 Certified Review~

[chakhae1]

After seeing over 10 master cases of this stuff pulled I can make one observation that would make this product a whole lot better. The FOTG rookie jersey autos should be inserted in EVERY box or at worst 1 every two boxes. These cards don't sell for much more than the auto rookies you find in other products such as spx and spa, so why panini made them 2 every 8 boxes is beyond me! I am absolutely aware that panini and UD aren't the same company, but this just seems common sense to me.

[edthesandwich]

I will always give credit where credit is due to any of the big card producers, but Certified feels like a tremendously week contribution to the 2011-12 release docket. Panini lost a LOT of buzz by not having out in time for the Expo, yet still has a good number of redemptions in the product. The value per box feels considerably lower than last year, and I don't necessarily mean re-sale value, either. I guess I'm referring more to the "bang-for-your-buck" factor here.

All in all, I fully expect Panini's mid-season releases to restore my faith in the company. But I consider this one a Certified bust.

[bojohnson]

Certified is artifacts minus patches

Everyone says artifacts is a good product

But let's compare

Artifacts
Average
1 patch
3 sticker autos
2-3 game used
4 parallels
1-2 rookie sticker autos

Certified
0-1 patch
3 sticker autos
2-4 game used
4 paralells
1 rookie on card auto


Certified and artifacts are the same but different design and brand, with minor differences
Value is similar

[mxaxtxtx]

Confused by your breakdown?

Artifacts is

1 Sticker Auto
3 GU per box
1 Rookie Redemption
4 cards numbered to /999
1 Parallel card

Not sure on Certified but I know its:

3 GU
1 Auto
+ numbered cards

Certified is artifacts minus patches

Everyone says artifacts is a good product

But let's compare

Artifacts
Average
1 patch
3 sticker autos
2-3 game used
4 parallels
1-2 rookie sticker autos

Certified
0-1 patch
3 sticker autos
2-4 game used
4 paralells
1 rookie on card auto


Certified and artifacts are the same but different design and brand, with minor differences
Value is similar

[bojohnson]

Sorry I just took my breaks


Certified
2 Autographs, including at least one hard-signed Freshmen Signatures
2 Memorabilia cards
At least one Mirror parallel and two additional inserts




Artifacts

Collect 3 memorabilia multi-swatch cards!
At least 1 will features two or three players!
Grab 2 RC’s & 1 Rookie Redemption card!
Now featuring autographed redemptions to just 99!
A perfect time to notch your first live Cody Hodgson card!
Plus, these RC Redemptions could land you the next Calder Trophy winner!
Get 1 Autograph card!
Now including four levels of signed memorabilia hits!
Auto-Facts are always a good sign!
Get 2 Legends/Stars subset cards, #’d to 999!
Plus, Get 1 rare parallel from this power-packed regular set!
All numbered to 99 or less!

[pur3strpker0]

To add to this, I really dislike how Certified has 2 "All Base" packs per box on average.

For 15$ a pack, with a chance to 10 base cards for 30$(personal experience) it really blows my mind how anyone can do that? Im not expecting a big hit in every pack but a simple insert keeps my day going. At least with Artifacts you get something in every pack.

[alibas]

Poor planning on Panini's part - have one low end (Score) and 4 mid range (Pinnicle, Donruss and Certified, and Contenders) that are basically the same thing with different pictures. They need something to compete with UD Series 1/2 and all of these fall way short of SPA.

[chakhae1]

The comparison to Artifacts is accurate in some points, but when it comes to rookies it is not imho. I agree that Artifacts has more patches and shiny cards in a box, but a lot of the stuff in artifacts doesn't really sell for that much on the secondary market, but then again neither does the stuff in Certified.

[jonpop]

The Godfather of Panini should take a bulldozer and bury Zenith, Donruss, Pinnacle and Certified in a deep dark hole and cement it over. Then tell your "creative" geniuses to come up with 4 new sets/brands. The regurgitation project isn't working.