Panini presents early look at Elite football

Posted Mar 17, 2013 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated Apr 6, 2013 at 06:54 PM

Panini America opened St. Patrick’s Day with a sneak peek at its third football product of the 2013 season, Elite Football.

Panini already has previewed Score and Prestige football products. The company did not offer a release date for Elite, but did note that a hobby box will contain 20 packs, with five cards to a pack. Panini is promising four autographs or memorabilia cards per hobby box, with at least to signature cards guaranteed. A hobby box also is expected to include three rookie cards, one Turn of the Century insert, some silver insert cards (Passing the Torch, Zoning Commission, Primary Colors), one Rookie Hard Hats card and three other inserts.

Seasoned collectors of Elite will see the return of Passing the Torch and Rookie Inscriptions. Some new additions this year will be a First & Goal relic card (it looks like some of the cards will list second-, third- and fourth-and-goal, too). This card will have a down marker on the front of the card and a uniform swatch on the back. The double-sided relic, which looks like it can be spun to show the uniform relic at the front of the card (Panini calls the idea its “revolution memorabilia card concept), is enticing and definitely offers a different look.

And, Panini Portraits will offer collectors a laser-cut insert.

Elite will contain on-card autographs from the 2013 NFLPA Rookie Premiere. And, the Prime Numbers card looks interesting. It’s a two-player tribute that has memorabilia on the left side of the card and an autograph on the right-hand side.

Passing the Torch remains a favorite among collectors, and with autographs of Dan Marino and Peyton Manning included in the bunch, it’s easy to see why.

Panini is promising more information as the release date gets closer, so stay tuned.