First look: 2011-12 Limited basketball (updated)
April 11 Update: Added new info and images.
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By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor
When Panini America‘s 2011-12 Limited arrives in late May it won’t just be packing the latest and greatest in autographs and memorabilia.
It will be packing redemption cards for the first rookies of this year’s NBA class — and next year’s crop, too.
Limited is one of three 2011-12 products that will take this approach with the other two being the forthcoming Past & Present and the forthcoming Gold Standard.
While full details are still forthcoming from the company, what is known about Limited is that each $100 (or so) six-card pack (15 packs per case) will include one Draft Class autograph redemption card inside along with one autograph, one memorabilia card one parallel and a selection of base cards when it arrives on May 30.
While a full slate of what’s in store has not been released, the company has noted there will be a heavy emphasis on prime swatches and lower-numbered chase parallels. Some of the notable signers for this one will include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Derrick Rose, Magic Johnson, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, Larry Bird, Bill Russell and Shaquille O’Neal.
Several Prime autograph insert sets also will be found in the product, including:
— Jumbo Jersey Numbers, limited to five or fewer copies.
— Decade Dominance, limited to five or less.
— Glass Cleaners, limited to five or less. This one will include both current and retired stars on a new look.
— Trophy Case, limited to 10 or less. This new insert set will showcase, you guessed it, trophy-winners.
— Retired Numbers, limited to five or less.
A couple of other ink-focused inclusions — but clearly not everything in the mix — will include Limited Trios Signatures (three autos from a themed selection; 49 or less) and Potential Signatures, which will showcase some of the league’s top young stars. Decade Dominance Signatures will showcase long-time stars, while Masterful Marks will focus on 50 top veterans and young stars.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Basketball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
Great looking stuff!
“When Panini America‘s 2011-12 Limited arrives in late May it won’t just be packing the latest and greatest in autographs and memorabilia…..
It will be packing redemption cards for the first rookies of this year’s NBA class — and next year’s crop, too.”
Are we suppose to get excited about the redemptions?lol
People are clamoring that they want/need rookie cards. This is where they are getting them.
Apparently, the NBA is planning a combo rookie photo shoot for both classes, meaning jerseys, autos, pics can all be gotten by Panini at the same time. That’s big reason this is happening.
So it’s late, and they still need redemptions? *sigh*
If they continue this trend, will these be true rookies or will they get the XRC label
like legends did years ago.
Redemption cards for the 2011 draft picks?? I realize that Panini is having to work without a Rookie Photo Shoot this year, but they should be able to get some rookies into products by now – even if they are just in street clothes. They produced a card of Kyrie Irving for the National about 8 months ago.
Greg: I think they are catering to more of the higher-end collector here — aiming to get autos and mem into stuff as simply as possible.
While Hoops was out first, you have to remember that it had been initially prepped to have arrived late last summer. Rookies weren’t a realistic option in that one when you consider how other stuff likely had to have been updated.
Richard: Tagging is up to someone else so I don’t know. (Thinking about that subject makes my head hurt.) Ultimately, I think it depends on how the set is configured/numbered.
I think since the product is 2011-12. The 2011-12 rookies will be RC and the 2012-13 rookies will be XRC.
I wish they at least made the redemption cards have pictures of the player on them. That would actually add a little bit of collectability to the redemption cards after they expire. I have to assume with the guaranteed redemptions and no actual rookies inserted that the price for boxes will drop off significantly once the redemption date passes.
This reminds me somewhat of FINEST and Chronology.My issue is that Topps Panini UD have used this redemption format to garner lots of sales but in the end it usually take too long to get the card and by then other cards become availbe and it lessens the impact. Heres an idea just wait long enough and get the autos.Wonder how many people are waiting on Kobe auto’s or Durant auto’s from Panini.Sounds good but to quote Tom Petty ‘the waitinig is the hardest part”
just saying ….Tw
So will there be any NBA rookies that hit the Retail market? Are they all going to be in Hobby only products?
wow more redemption just what we need, i’ll take you 200.00 plus and will send you your product,maybe in 4 to 30 months, and the funny thing is we are like, well i don’t like it , but, ok. i’ve watched cases of panini product open on u-tube and i don’t think i ever seen more redemption from the past 1 per box thur the entire case run sometimes 2 per box, and i know that it has to be kicking there backside,
like the looks of it
2011 Draft? The one that was almost a year ago? Seriously?
Brent: Yes. The lockout canceled the NBA rookie photo shoot where all autos and mem are obtained.
I don’t get why a lack of the Rookie photo shoot means no RC’s. I get they may not have auto’s or event used mem, but can’t Panini use game photos?
Chris what about us Mid-Level and Low End Collectors does Panini not care about us? Some of us cant afford to spent $100 on a Box/pack of cards.
Will there be other NBA retail releases? Is Hoops going to be it?
Redemption cards of the 2011-12 rookie class will be considered at the very most XRCs. So the 2012-13 base products will contain Kyrie Irvings true rooke card.
Why are they always showing Dirk cards; no one collects his cards.
I like the look of these cards, but I think its stupid for Panini to offer redemption cards (as if they don’t already have enough) for rookies when they can’t even redeem cards I have gave them from 2009-10. I have even asked for replacements for a lot of the cards and have been waiting 6-8 months for them and am STILL waiting. Then when I try to call I always get told something different and nothing seems to get done about it, that’s also not to mention that it seems like they always have problems with their phone service where you can’t talk to anybody… their customer service in this regard is an absolute joke. I hope the basketball card products go back to normal next season with rookie cards in the packs and boxes. This basketball card season has been a great disappointment this year for my son and I.