2012 Black Football, 2012 Absolute Football: Panini America at the Production Facility
I was recently over at the Panini America production facility getting a good look at some of the hot upcoming promotional cards we are producing (Black Friday, anyone?), when I came across some in-progress gems from 2012 Black Football and 2012 Absolute Football. While more images will come, I thought these were worth showing off today. Stay tuned to The Knight's…
Epic Comeback: Panini America Reimagines Elway Collection for 2012 Certified Football
The greatest comeback quarterback in NFL history is at it again. The legendary John Elway, who engineered a record 47 come-from-behind victories during his Hall of Fame career with the Denver Broncos, is now spearheading an epic collectibles comeback. This week's release of 2012 Certified Football includes the stunning return of the John Elway Collection, a five-card tribute to the…
Panini Peek: 2012 Crown Royale Football
Cue the trumpets, break out the regal robes and prepare to take a seat at your collecting throne of choice: 2012 Crown Royale Football is coming. Due out in December and set to deliver a collecting experience fit for a king, 2012 Crown Royale Football will be headlined by the return of Rookie Silhouettes Signatures, some of the football hobby's most uniquely…
Panini America to Honor Denver Broncos Great Rod Smith with Special Card Set
Between his first career catch in the NFL (a scintillating 43-yard game-winner from John Elway as time expired against the Washington Redskins in 1995) and his record-setting 849th and final grab in 2006, Denver Broncos legend Rod Smith used his reliable hands to manufacture one of the greatest careers by an undrafted player in NFL history. Along the way, Smith provided…
Collector Confesses His Pig-Headed Passion for 1995 Playoff Contenders Hog Heavens
I apologize if you had to hear about it on a now-deleted message board thread. Alas, that doesn't make it any less true. I'm a collector. I have been since 1977. And last weekend I lapsed -- big time -- back into the lavish, leather embrace of an old love: 1995 Playoff Contenders Football and its magnificent Hog Heaven insert set.…
Panini Peek Preview: 2012 Certified Football
Yes, I understand that the buzz surrounding the just-arriving 2012 Prestige Football has reached a fever pitch and that excitement for the Prestige brand is literally at an all-time high. And, yes, I'm aware that 2012 Certified Football doesn't arrive for another 11 weeks or so. But something else I know is this: There's likely not a more popular recurring…
Breaking News: Panini America is Bringing Momentum Back to the Gridiron (Preview)
The "Momentum" product name hasn't been a viable part of the collecting lexicon since the start of the millennium. But that will change in a monumental way in late July when Panini America releases 2012 Momentum Football, a revered name from the pigskin past that has been completely revitalized for a new generation. 2012 Momentum Football will deliver 10 three-card…
Panini America Must-See Video: 4 Minutes of 2011 National Treasures Nastiness
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN3SzhDf1gE&w=600&h=335] The hits keep coming out of 2011 National Treasures Football, Panini America's high-end pigskin juggernaut that released a few weeks ago and is currently sending thrills and chills throughout the world wide web and in hobby shops and living rooms across the country. Video man extraordinaire Tom "The Ripper" Key scoured the web recently to find a few…
Panini Unwrapped: A Two-Box Rip of 2011 National Treasures Football
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gmxMRUdSQM&w=590&h=330] In this special episode of Panini Unwrapped, Panini America's Tracy Hackler and Carlos Torrez rip two boxes of 2011 National Treasures Football and uncover, among other things, NFL Hall of Famers aplenty and one of the sweetest rookie patch autographs you'll ever see. Stay tuned till the end to find out how you can win some of their…
The Bling’s the Thing: Panini America’s New Football Set Sparkles with Diamonds, Gold
Traditionally speaking, sports trading card production during the last 100 years or so has required -- almost exclusively -- two fundamental resources: Ink and paper. Leave it to Panini America to throw tradition for a loop by introducing two more precious materials to the manufacturing mix: Diamonds and gold. Indeed, when the company's new 2011 Gold Standard Football set releases to the masses later this week (in packaging designed…