The Panini America Quality Control Gallery: 2011 Donruss Limited Cuts (33 Images)
Panini America Product Development Director Ben Ecklar stopped me in the hall this morning with his iPhone in hand and let his fingers do the talking as he swiped his way to his phone's photo inventory. He then handed the phone to me and asked if I'd be interested in using any of "those images." Those images, it should be noted, were taken…
Panini Unwrapped . . . On a Gondola?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1Y3GIF0Vn0&w=585&h=327] Yes, on a gondola. Indeed, the Panini America team made history on a recent trip to Italy by busting packs of trading cards on international waters from the cozy confines of a gondola in Venice, Italy. The resulting video chronicles what is believed to be the first video break of its kind in trading card history. (more…)
King’s Ransom: Historic Michael Jackson Trading Cards Commanding Big Bucks
Perhaps lost amid the heated hullabaloo and grandiose grandstanding from passionate detractors of Panini America’s pioneering Michael Jackson memorabilia cards is one unmistakable point: The cards, like so many of Jackson’s career-defining singles, are chart-topping sensations. In the weeks since they released in late June, copies of the history-making first Jackson memorabilia cards have generated eye-popping numbers on the secondary market.…
Video & Gallery: On the Production Line with Dominion, Totally Certified & More
I can't recall a busier time at Panini America in the last eight months than right now. Products are being produced and released at a breakneck pace this time of year -- so much so that swiping my access key to enter the building every morning is enough to give me butterflies. Not to get all Gumpian on you, but every day…
Panini America Responds to “Disgraceful” Michael Jackson Memorabilia Controversy
I’ll begin with this: Trading card manufacturers have been cutting up superstar-worn memorabilia and sharing it with collectors for more than 15 years now. Frankly, memorabilia cards rank favorably among the most popular and significant trading card innovations of the last 50 years. Babe Ruth’s jersey has been cut. So has Jim Thorpe’s. And Kobe Bryant’s. And Sidney Crosby’s. Marilyn…
A Panini Unwrapped World Premiere: The Official Michael Jackson Trading Card Set
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGjADwjufcI&w=585&h=469] Watch as Carl Braun and Tracy Hackler -- Panini America's thriller of a tandem -- make history by opening the first box of the company's new Official Michael Jackson Trading Card Set. You won't believe what Braun discovers in his last pack. Equally unbelievable? The fact that you can win it! Stay tuned until the end to find out how.
Panini America Makes History with Michael Jackson-Worn Memorabilia Trading Cards
They say clothes don't make the man. But these aren't just any clothes and this isn't just any man. Sometimes, under extraordinary circumstances, clothes do make the man. They make him more collectible, more memorable, and perhaps even more touchable than he's ever been. (more…)
Panini’s Official Michael Jackson Card Set Recalls King of Pop’s Greatest Albums
The five greatest albums in the incomparable career of Michael Jackson sold more than 210 million total copies. We'll give you a second or two to let that statement sink in before we move on . . . From "Off The Wall," Jackson's captivating fifth studio album, to his transcendent "Thriller," Jackson's records weren't so much records at all, but worldwide events that redefined…
Michael Jackson Must-See: Panini Honors The King of Pop’s Top 20 Achievements
Let's be honest: If we really wanted to create a trading card set that honored the greatest achievements of Michael Jackson's storied career, we'd need a whole lot more than just 20 cards. Heck, we'd need that many cards just to cover his pre-teen years. So we really had to scrutinize The King of Pop's remarkable resume to select his most notable accomplishments for inclusion in the…
A Closer Look: The ‘Number Ones’ Subset in Panini’s Michael Jackson Trading Card Set
As the anticipation continues to swell for the long-awaited launch of the official Panini America Michael Jackson trading card set,we figured another world premiere sneak peek might keep the momentum building. Last weekend we previewed some of the scene-setting base cards gracing the June 8 release. Today, we unveil for the first time the Number Ones subset, a 13-card tribute to The King of…