Thursday, June 16, 2016

REVIEW:2015-2016 Excalibur Basketball

Panini is reeling a 90's revival streak. Excalibur is one of those brands I used to collect back then. Of course with any revival like that, there comes many changes to the original.

Last year, this product was simply just a target exclusive, this year Panini changed things up a bit and made it an hobby exclusive and the gravity feed and blasters remaining just Target exclusives. Wondering if this change will help drive up sales on the product instead of limiting it to just Target.

Let's take a look at my thoughts on the product


In every box of 2015-2016 Excalibur basketball, there are 6 Packs Per Box with 10 Cards Per Pack. You will find Six Rookies and Three Crusade Cards along with Three Autographs or Memorabilia Cards. Each box will run you roughly $95 per box.

The base cards are much different than the football ones I used to collect. No more of the plastic feeling base and more of thinner cardboard approach.The design is a bit funky in the back, but it has the feeling of Excalibur times. There is bronze foil for the players name and brand at the bottom of the card. The team name is a bit out of place in the top left corner and is barely noticeable.


The rookies have the same design as the base except the added blue color at the bottom. The funky design in the back is also different.


Now onto the inserts.

There are simple to define parallels. This is a silver vs a base card. Only difference, name and word Excalibur written in silver and the card is numbered to 70.


Same goes for this Jamfest insert. Regular in bronze, parallel in silver. It appears to me that all of the inserts have numbered parallels. You should find two parallels overall per box.


The theme and simple designs stay true throughout most of the inserts....


except from one of my favorite inserts ever, Crusades which obviously fit the theme but also stand out above the other inserts. These SUPER chromed cards glisten gold in your eyes. You should find three per box with possible parallels. I pulled a red one in my box. There are other parallel chases to Crusade as well.


Now onto the hits.

My first one was a Memorable Memorabilia of Carmelo Anthony. I like the design and layout of the card.


My next pull was a Treasured Ink of Goran Dragic. This is numbered to 249 and still continues the feel of the rest of the product. This card will be in a future giveaway as well.


And my final hit of the box was a Rookie Rampage jersey/auto of Celtics Terry Rozier. These come with a good size swatch. However, autograph placement for me doesn't work here. It needs to be set at the bottom of the card. Looks weird going up. I also couldn't find any numbering on the card either.

There are prime offerings also to be found of these.


Overall, a tough break. Excalibur does have a lot of positives to it, it's just too bad this box couldn't showcase them all. Like I always say, any product is a gamble. Some pay off, some don't. Simply put.

However, one thing that will definitely pay off in a break of this is pulling a Kaboom insert. Those bad boys are rare with only one falling per case and the value of those hold steady over time. Not to mention they are very eye catchy too.

You can see those Kaboom inserts for yourself on this link on the Panini's Knights Lance blog, HERE..

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