Each year since 2005, there has been a SUPER high end product to parlay the year’s progress into one big smorgasbord of expensive tastes. Over the last four or five years, there have been as many as three. This year, there will be two licensed sets and possibly one unlicensed set, and until today, we had only seen a preview of the Topps offering – 2011 Five Star.
Five Star, after seeing the previews, looks to be one of the best looking sets previewed so far, with (as of now) the only hard signed veteran autograph cards of the year. Since the departure of Upper Deck from the NFL market, there has been a gaping black hole of veteran autographs left behind. Although we have not gotten much information on National Treasures, there is still no word on whether it will continue to be sticker autos across the product as usual.
We did get our first glimpse of the 2011 Rookie Patch Autos today, which last year were the best Panini cards of the year. In fact, they were so much better looking than any of the other cards from 2010 National Treasures, it was almost like someone from Upper Deck had taken over JUST those cards. This year is not on that level, and after seeing them, I have more questions of logistics than praise on their design.
First, why is the area to sign so small? One of the purposes of on card autographs is to increase the space available for the player to sign. As we saw with Topps Chrome, more space equals bigger, bolder signatures with room for extra writing. As you can see below, the space is ridiculously limited below that hideous border around the swatch. Not sure why Panini decided to go with an ugly art gallery frame instead of allowing more room for the player’s signature or *gasp* the player’s picture.
Secondly, why are they using rookie premiere photos when both Gold Standard and Gridiron Gear have used game photos? Those “00” Jim Otto jerseys on Greg Little and others just don’t look right when they have been updated in other sets. It shouldn’t take 9 months to create these cards.
Now, do these cards look to be some of the better Panini cards of the year again? Yes, they do. On the same token, I have to believe that like some of the other opportunities Panini has floundered, this will join the ranks. They could have been SO MUCH BETTER!
I have a feeling that Topps will again walk all over National Treasures with their release of Five Star, and this just goes to prove that fact.
I don’t hate them, but wish I loved them. REALLY not a lot of room for the autos!!?? I dunno, could be bad.
From the looks of the cards it seems like they are tryin to emulate five star in some ways. The clear white cards from last year were gorgeous! These almost look as if they would fit in with five star. This preview gives me no reason to stray from my “buy nothing panini policy.” the cards are great but don’t give me enough reason not to buy five star instead.
I like these design alternatives much better.
http://tinyurl.com/bwm6hrt
http://tinyurl.com/c7wobwq
If exquisite is available this year I will probably will be buying those. College uni’s or not there probably still the best looking cards for players or card collectors in general. Panini just doesn’t get it.
Just reassuring knowing that pre-order for a case of 5 Star over a month ago was the correct decision. Confirmed.
These are good looking cards. I agree they are too similar to Five Star. Why doesn’t Panini look to its past in NT 06/07 for inspiration? Keep the original NT theme going. You don’t have to copy Five Star or Exquisite. And don’t confine the NT logo to a square at the bottom of the card like many lower-level products. Spell it out across the top of the card. This your high-end $400-$500 a box product! Make it so unique and so different than anything else out there that collectors must buy your product. No stickers and no crap jersey cards. Make me feel like I’m completely justified in spending a week’s pay on a box.
The decorative gallery frame would be fine if they just had left off the triangular waste of space at the top of the frame. This would have allowed the window to be raised a 1/2cm or so, thus creating a much more usable autograph space. The set still comes of as a knock-off of a knock-off. Guys, go ask your wife or girlfriend if they would have any interest in a fake Louis Vutton bag that was a copy of a copy. Now tell them that it costs the same as the genuine item.