National Treasures officially goes live today, even though there have been a slow trickle up until this point over the last few days. I think that this year’s product is much nicer than we have ever seen in the previous few years of this set, and though there are still some glaring errors that should not have been done, its a great product.
Its likely that the rookie patch auto cards, despite my negative feelings on their design, will be the most expensive cards of the year, and we have already seen huge asking prices start to pop up.
2012 National Treasures Andrew Luck Auto Patch 2 Color /99
2012 National Treasures Robert Griffin III Book Auto Patch w/ Inscription
2012 National Treasures David Wilson Auto Logo Shield 1/1 Colossal
2012 National Treasures Alfred Morris Auto RC 1/1
2012 National Treasures Russell Wilson Rookie Auto Patch /25
2012 National Treasures Aaron Rodgers Virtuoso On Card Auto /25
Overall, my feelings aside, this product is a tough buy at 575 a pop. After making some deals to free up some cash, I was able to get a box from Sports Cards Plus earlier today. I pulled some REALLY nice cards in the box, but even after hitting a Robert Griffin III auto jumbo jersey, I am still likely 150 dollars short of making my complete box price back. That is difficult to stomach for many people out there, especially when you hit one of the best rookies you can, and still come up short.
Dont get me wrong, I am still extremely happy that I came away with what I did, as I did not pull a single card that was as ugly as it has been in the past. The white dominated design this year is right in my wheelhouse, and I am still in the process of searching down some of the Peterson autos that I am chasing.
If I were Panini, I walk away from 2012 NT feeling better than I ever have, but in the same vein, I start making plans for next year to make the design better, and to cut out the stickers that make this product’s potential much less appealing.
Truly amazing that they still have redemptions In there for cards like that Rodgers and Wilson
Seems to me if they are using all fake jerseys for the newer players they could just make them all patches and logos.
Congrats. Great Pull.
I was able to get a box as well. Even though I was in a place where the price didn’t hit me as hard, which is rare, I still felt sort of ‘meh’ when I was done. I think mine was more about the random names and simple jerseys than anything. I don’t mind the colossal jerseys as much, but small/simply jersey swatches don’t belong in this. At all. And your player list needs to be, and maintain, elite status. I don’t even remember his first name, but Fuqua from the Steelers in the 60’s or 70’s…who is that? Not only that, he was a ‘hit’, with a simple jersey card. I was really disappointed there. Sticker autographs are what they are. I realize some of these guys are hard to, if ever, will sit and sign cards. Sometimes it has to be stickers. But for a hand sorted product, I saw some very weak breaks online. I was fortunate to not have that. I got a Jimmy Graham auto /9. He’s a star, and luckily, one of my favorite players. I also got Eddie George jersey auto (not a fan of the jersey part again), Bryce Brown auto (he will be a good player), Curtis Martin 2 color patch and a David Wilson path auto. So I got lucky. But that’s nowhere near the price point of the box. It’s Luck or bust with this thing. But they have had Luck sign so many variations of his cards, that the market is extremely over saturated. I’m ranting. I was ok with my box. But not thrilled. The set is gorgeous. Card design is top notch. I’m even pulling queues for it, for the Atlanta Falcons 2013 draft graphics. I just think it very much needs to be a less is more approach. Shorter checklist. Keep it to the A list vets. I get the old school flare, but no one remembers Fuqua. Keep it rare. Make it valuable. Don’t have a single card numbered over /99. No patch auto over /49. And definitely no event used. The value will be there. People will buy it. If it’s more rare, they’ll pay more. No brainer.