One of the main attractions in high end products are the inclusion of some of the more crazy relic cards that seem to be everywhere these days. These cards used to be the toast of the town, being collection centerpieces for many different PCs that are out there. After seeing secondary market performance for some of these cards, those days might be coming to a close. Its kind of curious to observe the way these cards have performed.

Of course, the good stuff from marquee names still bring huge numbers:

2012 Topps Supreme Emmitt Smith Jersey Logo 1/1

2014 Immaculate Drew Brees Reebok Logo /2

2013 National Treasures Peyton Manning Captain's Patch /4

2015 Immaculate Julio Jones HOF patch /2

I have often commented that the day of the non-autographed non-logo patch needs to end, in my opinion. Im quickly starting to be more curious when non-autographed patch cards will be taken out of the premium product lines, especially if they arent signed. Game Used costs a lot to acquire, collectors frequently comment on the question of authenticity, and the cards rarely sell well. Why keep going with this stuff?

Topps Five Star mostly went that direction last year, removing most of the relics and adding more into the autograph budget. The checklist was great, but people freaked out about lack of relics, which was beyond confusing to me. It still seems like collectors want these cards in products, but they arent willing to pay for the cards when their favorite players are posted.

I have also commented that the usage of event used relics has done a number on the market for game used, because of the sheer number of crazy patches that can be manufactured. Where a company may only have one game used jersey for a player, they could have 50-60 event used for a lesser cost. There is more supply, and more supply means more yield and more ability to create all those insane patches.

As a result, the dilution of the market has wreaked havoc on value, and that is probably not going to change anytime soon. The question then becomes, how long are patch cards sustainable as a hobby element? I think there is definitely room for some, but autographs on those cards are almost essential to maintain value – unless the player is a marquee name.

Maybe I am overreacting, but I am quickly becoming much less confident in any patch card I could ever pull, unless it is a 1/1 shield or logoman.

Pretty crazy how fast we have come downhill.

I really like 2015 Immaculate, easily the best product Panini has put out so far this year. It might end up being THE best when its all said and done. There is so much super premium content that it is heaven for player and team collectors who love high end. Although some boxes are complete duds, the overall product's quality is hard to deny. Here is a look at the good parts and also the bad parts.

GOOD: Premium Patch Autos

I loved the look of these when they were released in Basketball, and not much has changed in football. The design is clean and the swooping gold embossed lines add a lot of pop to the card. With a set that is ripe with amazing swatch content, adding in good design to boot is a huge plus.

2015 Immaculate Tom Brady Premium Patch Auto /10

2015 Immaculate Todd Gurley Premium Patch Auto RC

BAD: Giant Patches

I just dont like the way these cards are done, regardless of who makes them. Panini did find a way to make them attractive with the Sizable Signatures in Black Gold, but acetate and silhouette style die cuts are necessary. Just slapping a border on a patch is not card design, and if it is necessary, booklet formats should be used.

2015 Immaculate Tamba Hali Chiefs Logo 1/5

2015 Immaculate Dorial Green-Beckham Laces Patch 1/1

2015 Immaculate Amari Cooper Giant Patch 12/16

GOOD: Signature Moves

I love this set, as it celebrates the part of the NFL that is always a good time. Touchdown dances. Plus, anytime a crotch grab can be used in a card photo, im on board. Not only is the theme really cool, but the design is pretty great too. It is no doubt similar to the NFL ink subset, which takes a way a bit of the appeal, but luckily there is plenty still left to go around. Still not sure why Tebow is still in an NFL set, but sure.

2015 Immaculate Aaron Rodgers Signature Moves Auto

2015 Immaculate Dez Bryant Signature Moves Auto

BAD: Rookie Caps

I have hated these in National Treasures and in Immaculate, mainly because of the stupid player pictures they use for the entire set. Its fine if you want to use hat swatches, but stay away from the posed player photos that look fucking horrendous.

2015 Immaculate Ameer Abdullah Player Cap Tag 1/3

2015 Immaculate Bryce Petty Player Caps Jets Logo

2015 Immaculate Stefon Diggs Rookie Caps /25

BAD: College Standard

Although the design is actually good, the concept of the set sticks out like a sore thumb. With college Immaculate coming out later this year, why are 100% college themed cards in a pro product? Im not sure if the current license even says this is okay, but it must be. Just save these for the college product.

2015 Immaculate Marcus Mariota College Standard Jumbo Patch

2015 Immaculate Jarvis Landry College Standard Jumbo Patch

GOOD: Past and Present Autos

This is where the college license makes a huge difference with things, although I think this would be better with past pro and current pro pics instead of college and pro. It would have been cool to have photos from their rookie NFL season matched with current NFL, but the design is what I like more than anything. Its just a cool look with the signature space in the middle.

2015 Immaculate Marcus Mariota Past and Present Auto

2015 Immaculate Richard Sherman Past and Present Auto

GOOD: Dual Autographs

I love the dual autograph design, as Panini has found a way to make a vertical orientation and still show a lot of the player. Might be the best looking dual design since Five Star a few years ago. The checklist is pretty strong too, which only adds to the appeal.

2015 Immaculate Joe Namath / Roger Staubach Dual Auto

2015 Immaculate Tony Romo Premium Patch Auto Captain's Logo 1/1

BAD: Triple Autographs

As good as the dual design is equates to how bad the triple design is. Floating heads on top of an M shaped signature area looks all sorts of shitty, and its really too bad, because the triple checklist is crazy strong. God I hate this look, and that doesnt even speak to how the players have no clue where to sign.

2015 Immaculate Montana / Marino / Elway Triple Auto /5

Overall, another good showing for Immaculate. I think that Flawless has some work to do in order to measure up, only made more obvious by how good some of the cards look from this year's Immaculate set. Interesting to see how the values hold, especially as more high end hits the market.

The next promotion in the long line of shelf clearing gimmicks for Panini is here. Over the last few years, these types of giveaways have existed as a way for them to help distributors move their horrible products that are collecting dust and taking up warehouse space, but it has taken on a collector perception too. Since the beginning, for the shops that can afford to take on extra cases of the designated products, this is a vehicle that does get people in the door. The issue is that not all the shops are happy about making extra commitment on product that doesnt sell.

Here are some of the cards, some of which are pretty nice, some of which are pretty hilarious:

2015 Panini Black Friday Andrew Wiggins Auto – This one is pretty nice.

2015 Panini Black Friday Kris Bryant Auto – This one is one the funniest pictures I have ever seen. The fact that Panini likes this is scary to me.

2015 Panini Black Friday Johnny Manziel Auto – Another nice looking card.

2015 Panini Black Friday Jameis Winston Auto – This, on the other hand is a fucking joke.

2015 Panini Black Friday Marcus Mariota BCA Patch – Just kill it with fire. Great cause, horrible horrible card.

2015 Panini Black Friday Jameis Winston Santa Patch – Worst card in the promotion. What the fuck. Seriously. What. the. Fuck?

I really like the high contrast cards, especially on the baseball side which feature some really nice autographs. Because of the filter applied to the photos, its tough to tell they arent licensed, which is something that Panini has always struggled with. Some of the base cards look nice, while others feature offset logos that make no sense what so ever. Many of the cards feature autograph parallels, including some of the top NFL and MLB guys. The best cards in the whole promotion are the HOF autos, which continue to be hard signed and amazing.

The worst cards, per usual, are the ones that feature the manupatches, which for some fucking stupid reason Panini CONTINUES to trot out. Adding insult to injury are stupid studio posed photos or no autograph at all, and Santa hats, which just make me gag. I cant stand the photo choices and wish Panini would move away from these lame concepts. There is a reason why the secondary market value tanks on these promotions, and its because no one wants the dumb ass cards after the fact. The stuff that holds a bit better is all the normal stuff.

I dont like supporting promotions like this because of the nature of the situation with how shops have to take on additional product. If this was a true shop friendly promotion, they would receive credit for the product they have sitting around. Obviously, that wont help Panini’s partners, because their shelves will still be full of the crap they have to sell. As said before, it does get a lot of people in to buy boxes they normally wouldnt, which is a credit to the concept of the promotion. That’s a piece of this that isnt worth arguing.

My only wish is that the cards stayed closer to normal, instead of going completely off the rails. Ditch the manupatches, ditch the stupid pictures, and I might change my tone. Until then, im fine where I am.

Let me start off by saying that I consider Immaculate to be Panini’s preeminent super premium product. Although it does have its drawbacks, it offers the content that I believe should be in products that cost significantly more money. The design has been the best that Panini does for any of their sets, and as a result, I believe that it is much more impressive than sets like Flawless or National Treasures. This year looks to be no different.

Here are some of the bigger hits up so far:

2015 Immaculate Dan Marino Dolphin Logo Patch Auto 1/1

2015 Immaculate Todd Gurley Auto Jumbo Patch RC

2015 Immaculate Dez Bryant Auto Patch /99

2015 Immaculate Cameron Wake NFL Shield Auto Patch 1/1

2015 Immaculate Joe Montana Auto Patch /25

Because this is a direct port from Basketball to Football, the designs are basically identical – something that we should all be happy about. The best cards in the product are the jumbo patch autos, which remain some of the best auto patch cards that Panini makes. Being that they have some hard signed cards from non-rookies all over this set, it only makes these cards that much more desirable.

I also like the normal auto patch design as well, although I dont find it as attractive as the jumbos. Obviously, that is a likely situation to happen, so im not too concerned. The design is very similar to 2014, which was nice in its own right, and I think that a continued progression of the way these look should be an indicator that Immaculate will continue to be great.

Other subsets like Immaculate moments and other cards are back too, all of which look as good as last year. I especially like the college connections cards, which feature the player in college and pro uniforms side by side, with a swooping signature area in the middle. Pretty sleek looking, even though I dont really like the use of NCAA cards in a pro product when its not absolutely necessary.

The main drawbacks are pretty much the same as last year. Stickers are littered in among the hard signed cards, which detract from the overall appeal of the programs that have them. Considering there will be 100% on card sets in the future, I think its a fucking horrible idea to not put Immaculate at that level, even if it means pushing it back a few months. It deserves that kind of attention.

I also hate that there are a considerable amount of set that use the MEGA patch theme for the design, which is basically a giant swatch with a thin border around the edges. Although people in the hobby have become accustomed to chasing relics and what is inside the relic cards, rather than good looking cards, its not something I like at all. With a product like Immaculate, it is the perfect time to use a booklet format. I mean, isnt that what booklets are for? They might cost more money to make, but man they will look so much better. At the very least, using patches this size is MORE than adequate.

Lastly, with the NCAA themed Immaculate product coming out later this year, I hate that there are college cards in this set that have no pro branding on them. The dilution of pro products continues to happen, and I feel like it is beyond unnecessary if Panini is choosing to also release a full college product.

When I look forward into the competition free football landscape, Im saddened that there wont be other companies producing high end anymore. However, if Immaculate continues to look as good as it has over the last two years, Ill at least have something to chase.

As I mentioned earlier, the release of 2015 Topps Chrome Football is both great and bittersweet. With Panini taking over the NFL exclusive next year, this will likely be Topps’ last edition of Chrome, and that should make everyone really fucking sad. Because of the way Chrome has impacted the hobby, its chase hits are the biggest of the entire card year, including the products that cost 10 times the box cost. Chrome’s release is a hobby holiday, and unfortunately, this year is the last celebration. As one of my favorite sets ever made, Chrome will always have a special place in my heart. Here are some of the top cards from this year’s set.

Rookie Auto Patches

Back in 2011, these became some of the more sought after cards in the whole product. Not only were they rare, but they offered some of the first jersey autographs of Topps’ calendar. Now, that has changed, but there is a wrinkle this year that makes these even better than they were last year. Like 2013, this year’s set is hard signed. In 2013, Chrome was released much later in the season, which made it easier for the cards to get completed. This year, they are the first hard signed relic autos of the year. Not only that but they look awesome.

2015 Topps Chrome Jameis Winston Auto Patch /75

2015 Topps Chrome Todd Gurley Auto Patch /75

2015 Topps Chrome Marcus Mariota Auto Patch /75

1989 Retro Super Rookies Auto

Ever since Topps has inserted retro autographs in their flagship and Chrome products, I have been a fan. I absolutely loved the choice to use 1987 in the first edition of the set, and I like the use of the 1989 Super Rookie design as well. These cards are crazy rare, and very tough to pull, but when you get one, they rarely disappoint.

2015 Topps Chrome Melvin Gordon 1989 Super Rookie Auto /25

2015 Topps Chrome Jameis Winston 1989 Super Rookie Auto /25

2015 Topps Chrome Todd Gurley 1989 Super Rookie Auto /25

Rookie Variation Autographs

Like we saw with the auto patches, the 2011 set also introduced the autographed version of the SP variations that were first available in Flagship. This year they are back and very low numbered at 75 copies per. Most of the photo variations feature some cool changes to the photographs, many of which look awesome with the on card autographs.

2015 Topps Chrome Marcus Mariota Variation Auto /75

2015 Topps Chrome Ameer Abdullah Variation Auto /75

HOF SSP Variations

We have seen photo variations of players in the base set since 2011, but 2015 is the first year where they have used HOF players as another variation. Players like Emmitt Smith and Steve Young populate the checklist, and if you are extra lucky, you might pull one of the autographs of these cards out of 10.

2015 Topps Chrome John Elway SSP Variation

2015 Topps Chrome Bo Jackson SSP Variation

2015 Topps Chrome Roger Staubach Variation Auto /10

Rookie Autographs

One of the main reasons people buy Chrome is because of the rookie autographs. Since 2011, they have been hard signed, and each year, remain some of the most coveted cards of the rookie class. The lower the more valuable the card. My favorite of the bunch are the Black and Red refractors, which always look really good with the borders used by Topps. These cards hold value as much as they do because of how tough they are to pull, so it might be in your best interest to buy a lottery ticket if you pull one.

2015 Topps Chrome Matt Jones Red Refractor Auto /5

2015 Topps Chrome Todd Gurley Black Refractor Auto /25

2015 Topps Chrome Amari Cooper Blue Refractor Auto /50

Again, this year’s Chrome might be last year, but its not going out without a bang. This will be one of those sets that people will miss terribly, and I dont think that Prizm is even close to measuring up. Unfortnate that we wont be given a choice any longer.