Panini offers new twists in National Treasures football

Posted Dec 7, 2012 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated Mar 27, 2013 at 10:21 PM

Pirates many years ago sought buried treasure hidden in wooden boxes. And now, Panini America will give card collecting pirates — they aren’t criminal, but they enjoy collecting (card) swag — something worth treasuring.

Panini released some information and photographs about 2012 National Treasures football, which will be released in late March 2013. Panini is promising that every eight-card wooden box will produce three autographs, three memorabilia and two base cards (or parallels).

The 2011 National Treasures set included what Panini called “the world’s longest trading card” — 36 autographs and 36 relics that measured more than 8 feet when stretched from one end to the other. That certainly was impressive. This year, Panini can use a lengthy list of top rookies from the 2012 draft to please pro football card collectors.

Panini is adding Jumbo Rookie Prime Booklet Signatures and is revamping the design for its Rookie Signature Materials subset. It’s also adding more on-card autographs to both of those subsets and is including several from veteran players and retired stars in two other subsets. Rookie Signature Materials will contain 35 cards and will be numbered to 99 or less.

The NFL Greatest Signatures (retired stars) and Virtuoso Signatures (current veterans) will feature on-card autographs numbered to 50 or less.
The Enshrinement Signatures insert also will sport a new look, with gold blazer patch autographs that will remind the collector of the blazers worn by pro football Hall of Famers during induction ceremonies.

Other highlights to look for are Rookie Colossal Jersey Number Signatures, Letterman Signatures numbered to 10 or less, and four printing plates (1/1 cards) for every Rookie Signature Materials card.

The base set will consist of 100 current players, with each card numbered to 99.
Looks like there will be plenty of treasure to find in this high-end set.