The Drool Gallery: Panini America Explores the Rarest Gems Inside Kobe Anthology

October 24, 2012

With today’s release of 2012-13 Threads Basketball, Panini America’s stunning cross-brand Kobe Anthology tribute set is now three products old. By now, you’ve no doubt been able to appreciate many of the 200 base cards in the set that chronicles Bryant’s record-setting career up to now.

What you likely haven’t seen much of so far — if at all — are the rare (and quite spectacular) Kobe autograph and memorabilia cards punctuating the set. Well, that’s about to change in a big way. But first, grab a napkin. Trust us, you’ll need it.

In the drool-inducing gallery that follows, we’re going to bring you up close and personal with some of the coolest cards ever created honoring one of the most collected superstars in NBA history. Since many of these gems are just starting to trickle onto the market now, we figured the time was right for a proper unveiling.

The 200-card Kobe Anthology base set (distributed via special five-card bonus packs inserted one per hobby box into every 2012-13 product Panini America makes) is augmented by rare autograph, memorabilia and autographed memorabilia versions numbered to 24 or less. Many of those versions are shown for the first time below.

The 25-card Kobe Anthology Autograph insert features 25 cards numbered to 24 with a Gold version numbered to 8. Similarly, the 25-card Kobe Anthology Autograph Memorabilia insert includes base versions numbered to 24 and Gold prime-memorabilia versions numbered to 8. Finally, there is also a 50-card memorabilia-only set with base versions limited to 24 copies and prime versions limited to 8.

Of course, you likely don’t care as much about those details right now as you do peeking the breathtaking images that follow. Stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance for additional details on our season-long Kobe Anthology tribute.

But until then, feast your eyes on these beauties . . .