The Panini America Quality Control Gallery: 2012 Elite Football (80 Must-See Images)

These are heady times indeed if you’re a Panini America NFL collector. While 2012 Prestige Football continues to set hobby shops and online auction sites ablaze, the fun-for-all-ages juggernaut known as 2012 Score Football is just right around the corner. And right behind that? The new-and-improved 2012 Elite Football with the triumphant reintroduction of acetate (see-through) card stock.

We brought you a massive first look at 2012 Score Football last week and followed it up Saturday with a peek at the set’s Rookie Card Flashback insert. Today, we bring you the coveted initial glimpses of 2012 Elite Football, which began shipping today and will be live in hobby shops next Wednesday.

Panini America’s Aik Tongtharadol and Carlos Torrez shared the following peeks from the just-completed Quality Control process for 2012 Elite Football, headlined by Rookie Cards of players in their NFL uniforms, the timeless Aspirations die-cut and Turn of the Century Autographs parallels and the acetate-accentuated Inscriptions and Hard Hats inserts.

Hey, did we mention the return of acetate? All kidding aside, enjoy this extended first look at 2012 Elite Football and stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance for additional coverage of the product as next week’s release date approaches.