The Panini America Quality Control Gallery: 2012 Contenders Football (86 Images)

The home of the autographed Rookie Card is on the verge of adding a spectacular new wing. Indeed, when Panini America's 2012 Contenders Football releases to the hobby just two short days from now, the brand's landmark 20th edition will include many of the familiar niceties that have made it -- for the last two decades straight -- one of the most popular trading card products of the modern era.

Panini America 2012 Contenders Football QC (88)

The home of the autographed Rookie Card is on the verge of adding a spectacular new wing. Indeed, when Panini America’s 2012 Contenders Football releases to the hobby just two short days from now, the brand’s landmark 20th edition will include many of the familiar niceties that have made it — for the last two decades straight — one of the most popular trading card products of the modern era.

But it will also introduce a few new twists sure to appease longtime collectors and newcomers alike. That much is abundantly while perusing the attractive contents of the recently completed Quality Control process for the product. See what we mean in the gallery that follows.

It’s hard to believe 15 years have passed since Contenders introduced the concept of the autographed Rookie Card to the NFL landscape way back in 1998, harder still to believe that the Contenders brand first launched five years prior to that. And while the base Rookie Ticket design for 2012 has undergone some slight modifications since we first previewed the product in October, the brand’s proven recipe for success remains firmly intact.

The top rookies from 2012 have on-card autographs in 2012 Contenders Football, and there are more than 140 rookie signers in all. But the biggest news of all this year might just be this: Each hobby box will deliver six autographs.

Oh, there are other improvements, too, such as the introduction of “Cracked Ice” parallels and some of the most deft die-cuts the brand has ever seen. And it wouldn’t be a new-generation Contenders release without RC variations, and you’ll peek some of those beauties in the gallery below.

Take your own sweet time this evening with this extended first look at live cards from the product, and stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance for additional coverage later this week.

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38 Replies to “The Panini America Quality Control Gallery: 2012 Contenders Football (86 Images)”

  1. Wow it looks like you guys tried to have less redemptions by placing stickers on some of the on card autos

    Looks good guys

  2. The Cracked Ice look amazing!! Nice to see another Rod Streater to chase after. Hopefully Miles Burris features in this set also.

  3. Love contenders! The best bang for your buck and year in and year out a quality product. The cracked ice cards are a super sick addition to the contenders brand.

  4. I can’t wait for Contenders!!!!!!!!!!! This is why I collect cards, great job on the cracked ice cards. Are the superbowl cards going to be auto’ed /10 again this year? Thank you.

  5. Nice stuff. Looks good this year, and like others I too like the Cracked ice auto’s. I love how Andrew Luck always signs on the best open spot on the card!! He always has the collector in mind, and is such an awesome guy. I’m truly envious of you Tracy, for getting to “work” with him all the time. Solid work Panini, and thanks again for the sneak peak Tracy. Keep up the fantastic work.

  6. Awesome product year in and year out. Some of the most important rookie autos on the market. Cracked ice and a throwback design are great additions to this. Can’t wait!

  7. This years contenders is just BEAUTIFUL!!! I personally think that it has the BEST design of any contenders products that have come out so far!

  8. I really love the 1998 look to this year’s set. For those of us who were collecting back then, it’s a much appreciated return to a great design. I’m assuming the ink on this year’s release will hold up much better than it did with the ’98 set as well.

    Now, if you were to put in some pennants, leathers, and rookie throwback autos (Manning, Moss, Taylor, Ward, etc.), this would have been an unbelievably great release. You could have also added in some greats like Birk, Saturday, and Fletcher that didn’t have a card that year, and Woodson, who didn’t have an auto.

    The product looks great overall, and I’m looking forward to its release. Great work Panini!

  9. love,love,love!! every year i look forward to this release and am never disappointed!! the die cuts look pretty sweet, and the cracked ice is always awesome! one thing i did notice and it may be a weird question but i didnt see a RG3 card in any of the gallery pics?? i assume he will be included in this release?? had to ask since there was no preview of him. i cant wait to get some of this! great job guys as always!!

  10. Tell me ashlon jeffery is not a sticker auto again! This stuff looks cheaper this year! Not feeling it! I will still do 3 or 4 boxes, but I personally dont feel the urge to own the Luck/RGIII contenders like I did with Cam’s. On side note, I am up to 5 boxes of Prizm and pulled 2 1/1’s! My autos in all 5 boxes have been at least 1 first rounder(1 trich, 2 Doug Martins, reg and the 99 version) per box!

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