BACKSigning in the Reign: Panini America Finally Lands Seahawks Superstar Russell Wilson
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Less than two weeks after leading the Seattle Seahawks to their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history, Russell Wilson on Thursday afternoon got back to performing the signature moves that have captivated football collectors for the last two years. This time, however, he didn’t hold a football in his capable right hand. Instead, he clutched a series of Staedtler pens that left indelible marks on every last one of his Panini America autograph cards.
Indeed, over the course of a monumental four-hour signing session with Panini America’s David Sharp and Joe White inside a conference room at The Westin Bellevue hotel, Wilson transformed his outstanding redemptions into truly outstanding redemptions. He signed everything remaining on his Panini America contract, including key Rookie Cards from such products as 2012 Crown Royale Football, 2012 National Treasures Football and 2012 Contenders Football. And in true Wilson fashion, he made a huge positive impression while doing it.
“He’s one of the most down-to-earth players I’ve ever worked with; you would never have thought he had just won the Super Bowl,” said White, Panini America Football Acquisitions Manager. “He said he wanted to shatter the signing record. I think he did.”
Although the wait for some collectors holding Wilson redemption cards has been longer than Panini America officials would like, the timing of this long-awaited signing session could hardly be better. Wilson’s two-year ascension to superstardom peaked 12 days ago with the Super Bowl XLVIII victory and sent his best trading cards to all-time-high value levels. In a matter of days, those autograph cards will be in collectors’ hands, replacing their redemption placeholders.
“Thursday’s signing with Russell Wilson is huge for our collectors and it’s a session we had been working with Russell to arrange for some time,” said Jason Howarth, Panini America Vice President of Marketing. “We agreed it would take place at the conclusion of his season – it just so happened that his final game would be one that resulted in a Super Bowl championship. We’re happy to get his cards signed and Russell was excited to get his Panini autograph cards complete and into the hands of his fans.
“The driving force in our commitment to getting these cards — including Russell’s key Rookie Cards — signed was to deliver them to our loyal Panini NFL trading card collectors. We never wavered in our commitment to get the job done and that’s what sets our Acquisitions and Customer Service teams apart from everyone else in the industry.”
Below, we’ve provided a stunning gallery showcasing just some of what Wilson signed yesterday. If you’re waiting on a Wilson redemption, just know that we can now confirm it’s been signed. In a matter of days, it will also be sealed and delivered.
