Totally Sweet: Appreciating Daniel Rovin's Rocking Panini America Hoops Collection

Say this about New York collector Daniel Rovin: The guy sure knows how to command your attention.


Say this about New York collector Daniel Rovin: The guy sure knows how to command your attention.
Among the most arresting collecting revelations Rovin (on the right in the above image) detailed in his first email to me on May 2? He’d just completed the Kevin Durant Panini’s Choice Awards insert from 2011-12 Preferred Basketball, the crowning complement to his completed sets for Walt Frazier, Nate Archibald and Bill Walton. Perhaps even more impressive, though, was the fact that he had just landed the 101st and final card to finish the Gold Patch insert from 2010-11 Totally Certified Basketball.

In subsequent emails, Rovin, a die-hard New York Knicks fan, shared many interesting details of his collection, including the fact that he pulled the Durant Black 1/1 Panini’s Choice Award autograph before deciding to build that set, and the fact that the final card to complete his Gold Patch set — the Rajon Rondo — came all the way from France. The Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose cards in that set came all the way from Australia.
Check out other details below, then stay tuned for a stunning gallery of Rovin’s resplendent stash.
Panini America Personal Collection Spotlight
Who: Daniel Rovin, New York City
What: Panini America NBA trading cards
“Austin White (on the left side of the picture) and I have been collecting high-end basketball cards for a couple of years now. I had always been into collecting cards but wasn’t aware of the extent card collecting had come to. But when we both got back into collecting a few years ago, it was only a matter of time before we made busting cases a regular occurrence. Basically, we’ve been collecting old-school Knicks players — most notably Walt Frazier. But recently I’ve been concentrating more on sets, hence the somewhat-ridiculous 2010-11 Totally Certified Basketball Gold Patch set and the 2011-12 Preferred Basketball Panini’s Choice Award color spectrums.
“We are both huge basketball fans, and we own a music recording studio — GSI Studios — where we record our music and other people’s music. I play saxophone and other instruments and Austin plays bass; we are in a few bands and are recording our debut album right now at our studio. Austin and I are 24 and 23, respectively, and live in Manhattan. We play music, collect cards, and go to the Garden to watch the Knicks — and that’s about it. I buy single cards too, obviously. But to chase sets I mostly like breaking cases, where the majority of my high-end cards come from. I am most anticipating 2011-12 Gold Standard Basketball from this year’s sets. I busted a lot of it last year and if the new basketball is anything like 2011 Gold Standard Football, it should be awesome.
“I’ve always had tremendous luck ever since I started getting back into collecting and busting Panini America product. You guys make some beauties.”
Thanks for sharing, Daniel. Speaking of beauties, what follows is a comprehensive gallery detailing just some of the gems from the Rovin-White collection. Enjoy.

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23 Replies to “Totally Sweet: Appreciating Daniel Rovin's Rocking Panini America Hoops Collection”

  1. As a fellow Knick fan, I recognize that…frankly, there hasn’t been much to cheer for since Ewing, Oak’ and Johhhhhn STARKS patrolled the Garden Hardwood. Thus, throwing time and energy into such a fabulous collection eased your pain. Things are lookin’ up in my and your collection is killer.
    Really sweet Kemp patch btw.

    1. thanks a lot man! yeah there hasn’t been much to cheer for, but consequently at least knicks cards don’t end up being ludicrously expensive (save a few obviously)…although id trade it in a second for the knicks being championship contenders again…but yes the collection is a nice diversion, and will remind you of pat, walt, REAL quality knicks lol….and also i do believe this current team has hope to be contenders, we will just have to wait and see (and get some guards….) thanks a lot tho for the kudos – so many people want that kemp patch lol its kind of ridiculous…it might be the baddest kemp patch on the planet, i was STOKED when i pulled that, and it wasnt even out of a case (what i usually break) just a random box…same with the wall gold…
      thanks again man!

  2. WOW Must have taken a lot of patience and a herculean bank account to track down all those beauties. That is a hardcore collection right there! Those cases intrigue me, what are they worth each? May have to look at importing some at some stage for my Ray Allen cards

    1. i think around 50 a piece? i got them off ebay…i dont really keep light on them and keep them in a dark corner tho haha…its kind of a catch 22 its nice to display them but you definitely dont want the autos getting faded…i rotate them out regularly but now that i have the certified patch set complete and it fills basically both of them, i’ll probably just leave them in there for a while…but yeah you can find these cases on ebay a few different sizes too and they fit graded cards also

  3. Def a cool collection. The Totally Certified patches are such a nice set, and to complete that Kevin Durant Panini’s choice rainbow is awesome!! I love the desire and hope my B-ball collection is there one day, just have alittle problem i love all sports and try to get all my sports solid. Do you ever get dups of any totally certified patches, I would love to grab my favorite players.

    1. yeah man, i love all sports too, just had to bite the bullet and really concentrate on basketball…i think i like it because less people collect basketball than football or baseball…but im not any more of a knicks fan than a giants, mets, or rangers fan but i figured i should concentrate on one otherwise things could get a little crazy…but yeah i do have some dups who are you looking for?

  4. I too LOVE the Knicks. I have a pretty decent collection. I just went to a swap meet and got a walt frazier signed baseball! I never saw that before. I paid $20..I have no idea what it is worth but its cool.

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