Review: Panini Marquee Basketball 2012-2013

This product has a lot to go on. If you pick up a box you would think you are carrying a baby. The box itself though only packing 20 packs, is heavier than most due to the thickness of the cards.

What other thoughts did I have on this one of a kind eye attention drooler..read below!

First off, I would like to say thanks to the WONDERFUL people at Panini America for providing us with this box to review. Here are many places you can find Panini America: official site, blog, Twitter, and Facebook. If you don't follow them at all..you should! They talk to you on Twitter, have contests on their blog and Facebook and the site is also fun to visit!

Box Break Down:

• 20 Packs Per Box, 8 Cards Per Pack
• 3 Autographs and 35 Rookie Cards Per Box!
• $96 a hobby box

Shiny foil board

Legends

Dark foilboard

Swiiirrrrrllyyyy

Ghost White acetate

White Leather type

Laser Cut

BASE CARDS:  Set collectors rejoice! 90's fans throw your hands up in the air! Panini jump and down and celebrate one eye popping base set. If you are into a product that brings pretty much everything, this is for you. Alone, the main base set in Marquee is 540 cards consisting of rookies, stars and legends. But, its not just the same kind of card over and over again like most companies do with big base sets.Panini did a great job here breaking it all down to different rookie subsets with different textures and color. This is very eye appealing. The set consists of shiny foil-board, Laser cut, ghost white acetate, a textured white leather type approach, a dark shiny foil board, and what appears to be taking the basketball player and swirling them around. To say the least, this product looks outstanding and because of that if I ran Panini, those basketball guys would be getting a huge raise. 

Another thing, if you are collecting a particular rookie this year in basketball. Here is a chance to get that guys rookie card 5 different ways as the double rookie class appears in each of the 5 sections.

To me, I have waited almost 15 years for a company to finally put forth the extra mile for their base cards and make set building worthwhile again. Big Kudos to Panini!

 

  

INSERTS: As you can see, the insert design matches the base card design. Something very tricky to do. I like the idea. The designs are different and once again very eye appealing. I am actually having a hard time writing this review since I am so blown away by the design here.

  

 

AUTOGRAPHS:You get three autographs with this product, despite how great they look, the upsetting part here is the hit quality. I have seen this a few times in this product in terms of peoples hits. But the big hits are here with rookie signatures and Election Night autos where you find Hall Of Famers hiding. I do like the addition of coaches autos to this product however. It keeps this product fresh and unique.

JERSEY/PATCH CARDS: N/A Thought I think this would be great to see in this product.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: I have to be honest here, I think this product is worth it. You can't always judge a product from one break. The hits weren't there for us, but the product just looks so good and it doesn't mean the hits will not be there for you. And the amount of rookies you get in this product should help make up the loss you get if you don't get the big hit. I had fun and looked forward to opening every pack to see which insert or subset card I was going to get. You don't do that very often with a product anymore. If you are a rookie and set collector especially..set forth to your LCS or order online to try this product. Promise you will not be disappointed!

RATINGS:  Bloggers Note: Our ratings are based specifically on the blaster, box or packs we opened and do not express what the overall product could bring. Ratings based on a 1-5. 1 Being the lowest and 5 being the highest.
                Packaging: 4
                Base Design: 5 maybe even a 6!
                Insert Design: 5
                Memorablila/Autographs: 4
                Blaster, Hobby Box, or Pack Value: 4

Random Card Of The Day: JImmer Fredette Hoops 2012-2013 Auto

Hoops basketball 2012-2013 was a great product and this was pulled from our break of it. Hoops boxes contain 2 autographs and can be found at most places for around $60. With a double rookie class, this is a great product to take a chance on!

Hopefully Jimmer will play this year like he used to in college.

Review: 2012-2013 Hoops Basketball

We were pretty excited to see this box at our doorstep. The first 2012-2013 basketball product out on the market. There is a lot of excitement surrounding this product knowing it has both the 2011-2012 rookies and the 2012-2013 rookie class. This box did not disappoint us.

First off, I would like to say thanks to the WONDERFUL people at Panini America for providing us with this box to review. Here are many places you can find Panini America: official site, blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

And as always...we will do some giveaways from this product!

Here is my review:

Box Design: Thunder star Kevin Durant. The Box is big because its loaded with packs. And on the front it lets you know how many, how many cards per pack and how many hits (however that would have been better to have enlarged that as well like the number of cards and packs). The design is lacking a little..but not bad.

Pack Design: The pack design on the other hand is much better than the box. Shiny, big ole Kevin Durant. Number of cards per pack. Its all there.

Bonus Pack: Kobe Anthology. Look for one of these per box for all of Panini's 2012-2013 basketball card releases. The base design which is to the left is great and captures all of Kobe's greatest moments. You can also find rare autograph and jersey versions.

Base Cards: I like the design. It brought me back to the early 90's of hoops except these are much more colorful and bold. The inclusion of coaches cards is nice as well. The only problem I see is they chip very easily because of all of the color.

Rookie Cards: With so many rookies to find in Hoops with two years worth, you really have to know your players. The 2012-2013 rookies are shown with suits and team balls while last years blend in with the other base cards so you have to look at the backs of the cards to see that they only have stats for a year...unless you know the entire class from last year. This is assuming Beckett calls last years rookie class in here rookie cards.

Inserts: A nice variety. Some rookie ones, glossy, great camera shots ones. The only issue we had with it was the Artists proof like the Chris Paul. Its not numbered and it blends in with the color of the cards.

Autographs: You get two per box and we were luck enough to get two good ones in Jimmer Fredette and MarSHON Brooks. Some boxes come with even three autos.

Memorabilia: N/A

Overall: Nice design.A lower end product with two autos per box. A good amount of inserts and we got NO doubles. And with a double packed rookie year for the price you pay and the value you get...its hard not to pick up a box..or two of Hoops.

Ratings:  Bloggers Note: Our ratings are based specifically on the blaster, box or packs we opened and do not express what the overall product could bring. Ratings based on a 1-5. 1 Being the lowest and 5 being the highest.
                Packaging: 4
                Base Design: 4
                Insert Design: 4
                Memorablila/Autographs: 4
                Blaster, Hobby Box, or Pack Value: 4