The Panini America Quality Control Gallery: 2011-12 Gold Standard Basketball (80 Pics)

Gilded. Gifted. Lustrous. Splendid. Resplendent. Aurulent. Dazzling. Sparkling. Stunning. Go ahead, pick any superlative you can think of to describe the precious-metal mojo that is Panini America’s 2011-12 Gold Standard Basketball. They all fit.

The fact of the matter, though, is that fancy words alone really can’t do justice to the dense, decadent, high-gloss finish at work on most of Gold Standard’s shining examples. Throw in autographs, game-worn memorabilia and actual pieces of 14kt gold and you start to understand why anticipation for Panini America’s final product of the 2011-12 NBA collecting season is so high.

2011-12 Gold Standard Basketball is the fabulously flaxen follow-up to one of last season’s most successful new products — and spending time with it on the production line late last week provided many, um, golden moments. Many of those moments are detailed below in a brilliant 80-image gallery documenting last week’s packout.

Enjoy this extensive first look at the product and stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance in the coming days for the world-premiere episode of Panini Unwrapped.