Short Story: Panini America Begins Leaking 2012 Contenders Football SP Quantities

Almost immediately following the celebrated release of 2012 Contenders Football earlier this week, the annual frenzy began as collectors across North America began scrambling to determine the relative scarcity of the set's ample selection of Rookie Ticket SPs and RC variations.

Contenders Variations Main

Almost immediately following the celebrated release of 2012 Contenders Football earlier this week, the annual frenzy commenced as collectors across North America began scrambling to determine the relative scarcity of the set’s ample selection of Rookie Ticket SPs and variations.

It’s a captivating phenomenon that takes place every year and explains, for instance, how a base Rookie Ticket of New England Patriots speedster Jeff Demps can sell for $21.95 on Wednesday while another sells for $76.01 just one day later. Indeed, it didn’t take savvy researchers long to figure out just how short Demps’ RC is. (For the record, it’s limited to 99 copies, while his variation is limited to just 25 copies.)

Although it took some consistent groveling from yours truly late Friday afternoon, I finally managed to coax the first of what promises to be many 2012 Contenders Football SP lists from Panini America Production Manager Carlos Torrez. This one is by no means complete, but it does provide a tip-of-the-iceberg illustration of Contenders’ scarcest Rookie Tickets and RC variations.

ROOKIE TICKET SPs      
Card # Player Team Pos. Qty.
167 Michael Brockers St. Louis Rams DT 38
131 Dont’a Hightower New England Patriots LB 47
120 Courtney Upshaw Baltimore Ravens LB 57
135 Jeff Demps New England Patriots RB 99
168 Michael Smith Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB 99
ROOKIE TICKET VARIATION SPs
Card # Player Team Pos. Qty.
124 David DeCastro Pittsburgh Steelers G 10
131 Dont’a Hightower New England Patriots LB 10
132 Dontari Poe Kansas City Chiefs DT 25
135 Jeff Demps New England Patriots RB 25
137 Fletcher Cox Philadelphia Eagles DT 25
138 George Iloka Cincinnati Bengals S 25
141 Harrison Smith Minnesota Vikings S 25
157 LaVon Brazill Indianapolis Colts WR 25
159 Luke Kuechly Carolina Panthers LB 25
163 Marvin Jones Cincinnati Bengals WR 25
167 Michael Brockers St. Louis Rams DT 25
168 Michael Smith Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB 25
179 Riley Reiff Detroit Lions OT 25
196 Whitney Mercilus Houston Texans LB 25
225 Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks QB 25

 

Oh, and if you’re looking for a surefire visual tell-tale to differentiate the base Rookie Tickets from the variations, you can find it on the backs of the cards (check out the image below). The base versions include each player’s draft, college, height and weight information. The variations do not.

Contenders Variations Backs

Stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance as we’ll have much more to share in the coming days. Below, you’ll find a few examples of the cards listed above.

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53 Replies to “Short Story: Panini America Begins Leaking 2012 Contenders Football SP Quantities”

  1. Any clue on the SP run of legendary contenders autos? I pulled the Junior Seau and I would think that has to be a super SP.

  2. Bought 2 boxes, got 12 auto rookies but no on card at all. Thought it was supposed to be at least 2 per box. All lineman and other no names. Should have at least 1 good hit per box. Not happy

      1. Sweet thank you. What a shame, no second auto of Miles Burris. Oh well hopefully he will feature in at least one other product this year!

  3. HI Tracy, is there any chance you can put up photos of the base autos or the variations next to them? It’s easy to tell by the back but most sellers on ebay don’t put pics of the back up. I am building the base set to start so I don’t want to buy the variations. Thanks!

    1. I’m waiting for an update as well. I have a Bryce Brown variation and would like to know if it is on the SP or SSP list.

  4. Is Blair Walsh a retail exclusive since none of his have hit ebay or any other sites yet, or just one of the lower numbered SPs? Also, since he falls in the 236-245 range, does he just lack the photo variation SP, or the /99 Playoff, /20 Ice, /1 Championship, and /1 plates as well?

  5. So how in the hell are they going to list courtney upshaws regular run but not the variant? Lol does anyone know what run is on his variant? Or is it 57 all together?

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