PPI Special Report: Skyrocketing Values of Key 2011 Panini Preferred Basketball Cards

Last week we brought the first of what’s sure to be many fun-filled segments of what we call the Weekly Panini Price Index (PPI for short). As this segment continues to evolve, we couldn’t help but turn your attention to the astronomical dollar values that 2011-12 Panini Preferred Basketball continue to yield after only a few short weeks on the market.

At $200 per box, Preferred Basketball boasts four high-end cards — three blind-wrapped autograph cards and one six- to eight-swatch memorabilia booklet card. Assuming collectors bought and paid for a box at full SRP, some are realizing more than 2,000 percent returns on investment from the sale of just one card.

The Crown Royale Silhouettes Auto Patch cards continue to explode with cards regularly selling for more than $1,000. The top seller among this cream-of-the-crop insert is an inscribed Derrick Rose Silhouette Prime Swatch Auto numbered 1/1 which sold for $4,000. The Panini’s Choice Award insert has posted staggering sales, too – three Kobe Bryant autograph cards have sold for more than $3,000 apiece.

Several factors are at play for driving these high prices, according to Panini America Product Development Manager Keith Hower. “The goal with Preferred Basketball was not just to deliver content, but to deliver great-looking cards and an enjoyable opening experience,” Hower said. “The entire Panini America team stepped up on this one, from photo selection to prepress to design to acquisitions. The end result is a testament to a solid team. The cards look great, and now we’re seeing that translated through the secondary market.”

For more on the lofty prices being paid for Preferred in recent weeks, check out this post from our friends at Cardboard Connection.

Enough from us, we’ll let the gallery and staggering dollar amounts do the talking.