2010-11 Panini Prestige Basketball

This is the first basketball set of the season and Panini is really trying to make a splash with the set. The big selling point for this release is that there are 20,000 on-card autographs in the set.

Schedule Release Date: September 29, 2010
Box Configuration: 8 cards per pack, 24 packs per box
SRP: $96/box

Box Break:
1 Autograph Card
1 NBA Draft Class Autograph #/499 or less
2 Memorabilia Cards
24 Rookie Per Box


My Thoughts:
Oddly enough Panini has not released any images of the base cards only images of the hits. I am not sure if this is a situation where the base card designs have not been determined, if Panini is not satisfied with them or if the plan is to sell the set totally based on the hits.

You will see plenty of “Firsts” in this set including the first cards of Number 1 pick John Wall, autographs of Evan Turner and Wesley Johnson, autographs of Amar’e Stoudamire, Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer in their new uniforms and I am not definite but I think we will also be seeing LeBron in a Miami Heat jersey.

Pros:
20,000 On-card autographs, on-card autographs, on-card autographs. This is a turn for Panini with the on-card autographs. Many collectors have complained about lick-em stick-em autographs and Panini listened.

Players in their new uniforms

A killer autograph checklist that includes (among others); Kobe, Shaq, Nash, Magic, Gary Payton and Doc Rivers. Plus the first autographs of Evan Turner, Amar’e Stoudamire (Knicks), Chris Bosh (Heat) and Carlos Boozer (Bulls).

Many of the autographs are #/50 or less

The cost breaks down to $4/pack


Cons:
Not seeing the base cards could either mean nothing or it could be a bad thing.

Nothing listed about parallels, again this could mean either Panini did not list them but still be there (bad) or there may not be any parallels (good).

Rating:
I am rating this 3 out of 5 because there is so much upside to the product. I am withholding any additional points because I have not seen the base cards and I do not know if there are 101 parallels or not yet. There was a loss of a point because there are some awkward angles and weird die-cut windows.