The Rock’s Black 1/1 from 2022 has sold for $126k and I am in shock. Its now a few days later, I have taped videos and had hours worth of discussion with both card friends and non-card friends alike. TMZ has covered the sale, other mainstream outlets have mentioned it, because even if you aren’t a big wrestling card fan, this is a monumental event.

For as long as wrestling cards have been around, there has never been a card sold publicly or privately (that I know of), which has sold above the $100k mark. I remember back in 2021, when the sports card boom was in full swing, the ceiling for modern was $10k to think that we have smashed both numbers in the course of 12 months, is absolutely crazy to think about.

If you go back to the recent history of modern cards in wrestling, most value focuses on autographed cards of female stars. For recent history in sports cards, value focuses on high grades, rookies, and future potential. If you are playing along at home, its easy to see that this sale reflects absolutely none of those things. Not a rookie, not a high grade, not autographed, and not even his first shiny card. Somehow, a card that has no indicator of any of the usual value markers for both populations of buyers had the immense appeal to the market for at least two people to think it was worth six figures. As someone who has been a part of this hobby for as long as I have, this was absolutely shocking.

In the aftermath of this sale, Ive started to run through the previous record sales and I think that the public’s befuddlement around how a wrestling card could reach these heights, is likely for a few reasons. First, lets look at those sales. Previous auction record in a public setting was the Hogan All-Stars BGS 9.5 that sold for $54k during the height of the boom. Most of the other largest sales were either vintage cards, or private sales of Prizm cards around its release last April. In fact, I had this card originally selling at around 50k and then again at 75-85k privately as mentioned in my previous post. Other than that, we had the Rock’s Prizm gold PSA 10 going to Drake McGruder late last year at a big price (around 30-35k), Michaels and Bret Hart similar black Prizm 1/1s selling privately around $25K the week of release, Bron Breakker’s black 1/1 selling privately around $22k, and then the Warrior Black and Roman Super auto both going publicly for 15k each.

As its clear to everyone, none of these were close to what we saw for the Rock. During our video, all of us unanimously agreed there was no card available today that would ever be able to eclipse this price. Not a Hogan PSA 10, not another Prizm card, nothing. Its one thing to hear that statement from a devoted modern and Prizm fan like myself, but as we see on the video, noted vintage collectors agree that this is a benchmark sale that could take a long time to clear. Let’s get one thing straight, I cant even begin to explain the importance of this situation to the overall state of wrestling cards, especially as we begin to explore what the post-boom market looks like.

In that vein, I expect a few things to happen over the next few weeks and then a few more things as we get months down the road. First things first, we should expect everyone who has a Rock card to sell try to get their card in front of buyers during this period of time. Like we saw with the gigantic 52 Mantle sale in 2022, a slew of cards were brought to the block in subsequent weeks. We have already been given hints that the recent sale of the 2023 Rock Prizm Black 1/1 will be auctioned at a major house coming up, after being sold quickly and cancelled on eBay, and that’s just the start. We will also likely see our first public auction of a 2022 Rock Gold PSA 10 coming up, as that card was pulled from eBay recently as well. Speculation abounds for what those cards could bring, and its possible on the heels of this sale that more huge prices for wrestling cards are in the works.

Observing bidding in real time on the auction, it was refreshing to see that multiple people were in on the card in extended bidding, and there were at least 2 bidders that valued this card above $100k. In an auction format, without two bidders at a high price, the price can only go as high as the top price for the lower bidder. For this, we saw rapid fire bids during the extended timeframe that pushed the card above the Hogan sale, but even more action as it got higher visibility on PWCC’s premier auction home page. It was a surreal experience for sure, but wrestling action in the heavyweight area of the hobby VIP section is limited. The Rock’s card broke through that barrier with ease.

When considering the overall state of the wrestling card market, especially on the modern side of the spectrum, there were already a number of indicators that things were in a very good spot. However, I dont think anyone was expecting to see a card like the 1/1 Black reach the heights it did, this far after the slump of Prizm wax, and the overall softening of the high end sports card market that has happened so dramatically over the last 4-5 months. Cards from people like Brady, LeBron, Jordan and others have dropped as much as 50-60%, while speculative buys on unproven rookies have seemingly dipped more. Despite this fact, the middle part of the market is seemingly chugging along, with card shows more packed than ever, and many deals still going down the old fashioned way.

It should come as no shock that modern wrestling is a bit below this middle part, but we have seen more cards sell in the low to mid four figure range now than I have ever seen during my shorter stint in WWE. Its become a regular thing to see major cards sell at 2500 bucks, especially the bigger stars of the current era, with some rare and desirable premium release churning out 10-20 cards in this range at a time.

I think Ive also seen more competition for PC favorites than ever before, especially as Panini brings more and more people to the space. To actually say out loud that Panini has brought no one to wrestling cards is a joke statement, as values continue to reflect a growth in market size that has been sustained, despite a dip since the original Prizm release. I remain infinitely curious how platforms like Whatnot and Loupe have been able to give new life to WWE, especially with the amount of action that new sellers have been able to generate for every release, and sales of singles.

Given the state in wrestling cards explained above, there is a huge amount of potential that could be brought to the forefront of our experience. Sales like the Rock may never be equaled again, but it presents a unique opportunity to get WWE cards back on stage within the consciousness of the mainstream sports card hobby. There are two main outcomes from this that will have major considerations as the market moves forward.

First, we know that Panini’s time in WWE cards is finite. Although we know that Fanatics will be reclaiming the license in the near future, having a lot of market action before that timeframe may encourage Panini to take risks with the product calendar that would not be in play without interest from the greater community. Ive seen countless calls for products like National Treasures and Flawless, and there is zero reason to build those brands without potential from the consumer base to support their release.

Secondly, its important for the market to be growing at the point of that changeover, especially with the exclusive changing hands this quickly into the run. There is argument to support that Panini’s limited time in WWE limits the card availability long term, and increases value above and beyond for collectors who’s collections are focused on Panini cards. If those people dont want to participate at the same level on a Fanatics owned license, the value overall on new wrestling cards could dip significantly.

Ill close with this discussion around the community, as it pertains to their support of the products like Prizm. To put it bluntly, on twitter, people are approaching this in the same tribal war as we have seen with WCW vs WWF in the late 90s, and AEW vs WWE in recent years. Some long time Wrestling collectors believe that Panini has ruined the market, while the other side of the community loves the new world order for brining attention and validation for wrestling cards as a worthwhile method of collecting.

It should be clear which side of the fence I am on, but seeing the way this sale has been covered by either side has been like comparing CNN coverage of an event compared to the same coverage on Fox News. Too many agendas exist for either side to concede the importance of this sale to the others in the community, but this was one of the first time that only a few uninformed people really couldn’t grasp. Calls of shilling, poor auction management, and other controversial takes about why the sale wasn’t legitimate were rallying cries for those that have little experience outside of Wrestling cards, and it became very clear how challenging it was going to be to educate the community on an auction process that only recently became a viable selling avenue for wrestling cards.

The good thing is, the sale is real, Ive spoken to the top bidders on the auction, and there is nothing that will take away from the incredible success we have witnessed across the historic night. This was a monumental sale with wide impact across both Wrestling cards and the hobby overall. If you are a wrestling collector, this night was something to behold. Even if the growing price of participation has hurt some collectors ability to engage, its clear that its not 100% removal from the hunt. Despite all the posturing and the horrible takes, this was a night that most of the community has celebrated. Tribal or not, this was a fun one.

As we look to the future, things look brighter than I would have imagined they would be during the crash that happened in May 2022. I am beyond excited to be a part of that new frontier that seems to have all the workings of both an entertaining experience and a value driven growth trajectory that will benefit all the collectors holding cards in their PC. As I mentioned in 2022, Wrestling cards have arrived, and this was the confirmation that the rest of the hobby can see as well.

Since I started collecting back when I was young, I have always gravitated towards the shiny cards that were first introduced in the early 1990s. Since those initial years of Topps Finest and Topps Chrome, the way the hobby has embraced the shine has been nothing short of incredible. Over the years, the desire of other companies to recreate the success of those products has led to the creation of sets like Prizm, which has since become one of the most important releases in the hobby.

When Topps was in control of WWE, they rarely used the chromium approach the way they did for their licenses in other sports, with Chrome and Finest only appearing 4 times and 2 times respectively during their run. Panini took a much different approach, leading their license debut with Prizm as the flagship set of their new brand. When the license started in April 2022, the formula of releasing Prizm as the first set was not only tried and true, it was more successful than any other strategy in the history of the hobby.

It was simple, lead with their legacy set had started to perform at historic levels with each new release, and lead into sets like Select, Immaculate, and other mainstay products that the boom had made into national feeding frenzies. Unsurprisingly, the market responded with a massive fervor, driving pre-release wax prices through the roof. A flood of new people came running to the previously dark corner of trading cards hoping to get a piece of the new hotness. What people couldnt see on the horizon was the cooling of the entire trading card market, a crypto crash, and a burgeoning recession in the US economy. What would follow this hyped release, would be a complete failure to thrive of the wax prices, even though the top cards in the product continued to sell for record breaking money.

The cards driving most of the attention were the legacy gold /10 and black 1/1 base parallels, aspects of Prizm that were THE standard in the greater sports market. Cards like the black Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Gable Steveson, Bron Breakker and others were selling for thousands over the 10k ceiling that seemed impossible for modern cards to break prior to this release. At the same time, golds of Stone Cold, Hogan, and others started well above the 10k mark as well.

There was one superstar that didnt surface right off the bat, and its the one everyone (including myself) wanted to see. Predictions for the Rock were going crazy, with comparative estimates for the gold to crack 35-40k and the Black to approach six figures. At the time, with all these cards selling for what they did, nothing seemed impossible.

As the market cooled, and the saga of the Rock gold played out (see post here), the Rock’s black 1/1 had not yet surfaced. Even though the bottom had fallen out on many of the bulk unnumbered singles, and most of the $10k+ sales had come to a virtual standstill, the black 1/1 was still capturing the imagination of many collectors and investors who wanted to own the top modern card of the Great One.

With release aging, the reports of the Rock’s black 1/1 finally being pulled started to circulate during the summer. Not only that, but it had been pulled in a private break, and the breaker had bought the card from the participant in the break for over $50k. Then the card was sold again at a much higher price to Thatstheoldprice on Instagram on behalf of his business partner. It had been cemented as the most expensive wrestling card sale ever, but wasnt publicly available because of the people involved not wanting to disclose their deal. TTOP was a collector of the best 1/1 Prizm cards on the market, owning the Patrick Mahomes RC 1/1 among many other huge Prizm hits. The Rock was his target, if not only because it was the top modern wrestling card ever made.

Throughout most of this, social media battles raged on the importance of Prizm and Panini to wrestling cards, as it became abundantly clear how much impact the new branding had on the value of the best cards in each product. Instead of four figure sales happening once in a blue moon like they had prior to Panini’s involvement, 25-30 cards per product could hit the high watermark value once reserved for the best of the best. Because those subsequent sets didnt have the issues that Prizm had, the collector response was completely different when each started to produce hits that were setting the market on fire.

It became a tribal experience on Twitter, where narcissistic vintage collectors drew battle lines over the attention Panini cards continued to receive versus the previous era of cards that they felt were the true representation of what wrestling card royalty should look like. Prizm became ground zero, and a frequent call back for every member of that group to show their superiority, despite the majority of the hobby attention falling outside their space.

It was at that point during the winter that a PSA 8 version of the Gold Rock /10 was listed on Goldin Auctions. Because it was the lowest graded version of all the Rock golds available on the market, few people in the know expected it to get close to where a PSA 10 would land. It eventually sold for close to 12k with Buyer’s premium, a price even I was surprised with, given the downtrodden state of the worldwide hobby high end market.

From this sale, a myriad of takes were launched about the potential value of the 1/1 Black, should it ever come up for sale again. Would it continue to be the high five figure card it was when the original sale happened? Would it crash down to earth and settle just above this Goldin Auction sale? Speculation was everywhere, and depending on which group you belonged to, the reactions were very mixed.

In the beginning of 2023, Panini announced that the new card year would start with another year of Prizm, like 2022 had began. Slated for release on the heels of Wrestlemania 39, there was a lot of excitement around what would happen to redeem or sink the brand in the eyes of wrestling collectors.

At release, instead of a four figure box price, 2023 WWE Prizm debuted at a reasonable $250 bucks, which led to a much more positive reaction from collectors across social media. With more people feeling comfortable ripping their boxes at a price that was easy to stomach, as well as the support of whatnot breakers cracking hundreds of cases, top hits popped up almost overnight. By the end of the first week, most of the main superstars had multiple golds and their black 1/1s hit the auction block or surface online. Sure enough, the Rock was one of those people.

Unlike the private experience, the black Rock 1/1 base card was listed on ebay, and sold almost immediately at just over $10k out of Australia. It was the first five figure sale of 2023 cards, and it might end up being one of the only.

What I didnt mention was that during the first week of 2023 Prizm, PWCC thoughtfully consigned the Rock’s black 1/1 from 2022 to list and auction to capitalize on all the attention for the new set. When the listing for the 2023 Black 1/1 went up, there were 5 days left on the auction to see if the hype really lasted a full year.

Much to everyone’s shock, there is a potential opportunity to see the public market value of both the 2022 and 2023 Rock 1/1 at almost the exact same time. By now, the boom of high end sports cards has receded by almost 65% in most areas, so its doubtful that the original sale close to six figures can be achieved (especially with a substandard PSA 7 grade). But we do now know that the Rock still has some electricity in his cards with the new black 1/1 selling for what it did.

To think, for decades, there were a grand total of zero five figure modern wrestling card sales, and now we have multiple card years in a row delivering huge numbers in the wrestling ring. This is truly a grand time to be a collector in this space, with the best stuff in this corner of the hobby continuing to generate huge buzz thanks to Panini’s ingenuity and dedication to delivering incredible products that produce statement piece after statement piece after statement piece.

With multiple days left on the biggest public auction in modern wrestling card history still days away from completion at the time of this post, Im left to wonder if the magic will continue. Down market, less than desirable grade, and a PWCC platform that RARELY has big cards from this sector up on their page, all suggest things will not end well. However, that doesnt mean it wont still set records along the way. So far, the top PUBLIC sale of a modern wrestling card sits at 15k, even though many private sales have gone far beyond that. I think its safe to assume that record will be broken easily, but there are questions of how far past that marker we will go.

In the end, regardless of exhausting agendas of the tribal portions of Wrestling Card Twitter, these two Rock cards and these two products will go down as landmark releases. Even with the crash of the wax, 2022 WWE Prizm will have ushered in a year with more value in modern wrestling cards than ever before, and 2023 WWE Prizm looks to be continuing that success.

If this Black 1/1 Rock does pick up some steam and finish above expectations, I think there could be a lot more magic in wrestling cards than anyone thought was left. Maybe the most electrifying man in sports entertainment will show everyone that his cards transcend the doom and gloom we have been seeing hobby wide. All it takes is a couple of people who want to get nuts, and Im starting to believe more and more with each passing day.

When Immaculate WWE was announced, I knew we were going to be in for fireworks to close out the 2022 card year for wrestling. Historically, Immaculate has been a very popular set with a legacy Panini status, and has delivered some of the most expensive cards available on the market today. In the NBA and NFL, this set is frequently anticipated by premium collectors for the high end content it contains each year, and for WWE, that looks to be the same exact formula.

Because Immaculate is built in a super premium configuration, it was always going to be controversial, just like every set like it always is. The takes were going to range all over the spectrum, and it was clear that the growing divide between modern collectors who enjoy the Panini releases and those that dont would continue to be a factor. Popularity aside, I think expectations were as high for this product as they were coming into the release of Prizm, and for the most part, it really feels like they delivered.

I wanted to take some time to walk through what I found to be successful and what was not, as well as some context of what collectors can expect going forward in the market.

Relic Cards Deliver Historic Highs

Traditionally, the relic cards in Immaculate have always been a main event draw. Hats, shoes, jackets, game balls and many other pieces of memorabilia have been cut up for inclusion in the set. This content has become a huge attraction point because the cards look so different as compared to normal jersey and patch cards.

In this year’s WWE set, we got some of the most insane relic cards I have seen in sports, not just for WWE. Because WWE is known for the colorful shirts they sell as a main feature of their business, cutting them up for use in Panini sets has raised a number of eyebrows in the way the cards have been done. Since the first relic set was released in Select, Panini has shown they were shooting for the stars with the way they are incorporating colorful pieces into their cards.

When you combine those incredible pieces with on card autographs, this whole set just sings with cards that will be statement pieces in almost any PC. There are so many small time cards that will have exponentially higher value on the secondary market just because the relic is a whole face, or something crazy. That’s a big deal for WWE.

Add in that there are also a bunch of Immaculate level unique relic pieces too, and it gets better and better. Leather jackets, basketball shorts, flip flops, its all here. Even though all of it is player worn, this is what the hobby has gravitated towards – cards that look good on display.

Verdict: BIG win

Multi-signed Cards Bring the Heat

If you have been a fan of Immaculate for the last 10 years, the multi-signed cards are a huge reason why the set has reached legacy status. Usually, the cards have great pairings, and in many cases are exceptionally scarce and hard to pull. They have usually been hard signed as well, so its easy to see why many collectors must acquire them for their collections.

Its a bit more complicated in WWE, because in the history of the brand, I can only think of one product that had multi-signed cards andt wasn’t a sticker based release. For a few years, Transcendent collection from Topps had dual autographs signed on card, and the 4 horsewomen oversized quad autograph. That’s all I can remember off the top of my head. It also means that triple and quad hard signed autograph cards are some of the most under-represented cards in WWE.

Immaculate not only delivers hard signed dual, triple and quad autographs, for the first time in WWE we have hard signed dual autograph memorabilia cards as well. Factor in that the 1/1 parallels of this set have shown that they have dual logos, and the stakes become impossibly high.

I think the groupings for these cards were done by someone who wasnt afraid to pull out the big guns, especially for some of the quads that feature DX and the pillars of the Attitude era. Although many are redemptions, there are a few live examples and they look great. I popped for the card featuring Alexa, Bayley, Asuka and Carmella all with their MITB briefcase photos.

Verdict: BIG win

Redemption Cards Create Issues With Wax Rippers

There has been a lot of talk online about how many redemptions are part of this release, and I must say, its a valid point. Redemptions are hard to stomach when a product costs more than $2k per case to rip, and its excruciating to wait for a giant hit for months on end. Nothing I say here will be able to change that.

More importantly, some of the redemptions in this set were also redemptions in Impeccable, which came out months ago. That means in the timeframe between products, those people still havent signed. They arent small names either, with Triple H, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns and others all having major issues getting their cards done. Adding in new redemptions from Hogan, Undertaker and others makes the concern more apparent.

Because these names are big value, and the cards they are holding up are big value cards as a result, collectors have a right to be concerned. At the same time, this is also a natural byproduct of hard signed autographs, and I would much rather wait on a redemption than have that person left off the checklist.

Traditionally, big on card signings are done at events like Wrestlemania and Royal Rumble, because the WWE has usually helped to facilitate making their stars available to sign. If the person isnt at these events, they need to be sent their cards to sign, or be made available at other opportunities to get stuff done. Most of the time that falls on the superstar or their agents to get the signings done, and that can take a while.

For those of us who have spent time in the mainstream hobby, redemptions are a bane of many collector’s existence, but its part of the game. Additionally, the cards that have been redemptions for WWE have been filled more quickly from Prizm, Select, Revolution and other sets, so hopefully the waits wont be long.

Verdict: Loss

Sticker Autos Are a Drag

The hobby loves autographs. Loves them to a fault. Because the demand for autographs is so high, and the production schedules run year round, there isnt always an opportunity to get all autographs on card. Similarly, the companies have shown that they arent always prioritizing hard signed cards because it can create issues with redemptions and timing.

That being said, super premium products are expected to deliver above any other type of product, and Panini absolutely does not have a good track record of having all autographs on card. Usually the only sets that have this feature cost an insane amount of money per box, with even National Treasures featuring stickers in some variety.

WWE being a niche brand means that its likely stickers will creep in places where they arent in the bigger sports. In this set, there are stickers for 4-5 subsets, and that has left a sour taste in collectors mouths as they chase PC cards and rip wax.

Not much else can be said here, and its unfortunate. But the expectations go well past what we are seeing in WWE.

Verdict: Loss

Nickname Cards have No Inscriptions

When Dolph Ziggler previewed his signing a few months ago, we found out we were getting the famous nicknames cards we have seen in many other sets Panini has done. He signed some great inscriptions, which is a piece of unique autograph content I have wanted for ages.

As we saw FOTL and Hobby start to make its way out, it became clear how few of the wrestlers on the checklist got the memo. Most cards just have a normal autograph, and I could not be more disappointed in the one set I was looking forward to. Hopefully in future years, the instructions are much more clear.

Verdict: BIG Loss

Chase Cards Are On Fire

In the NFL and NBA, the chase cards drive product values. Whether its a big rookie, or a 1/1 logo, the chase is what keeps people diving into breaks and hitting refresh on eBay for weeks on end. This is one area that Panini has looked to improve across their entire calendar, and for the most part, have been ultimately successful more than I could have ever expected.

Immaculate is a place where the top cards in Wrestling have been on full display. Every set in the product has some aspect of a chase to it, and with the relic cards driving the majority of the readily available chase elements, it didnt leave much room for error in the bigger elements.

One card that everyone wanted to see live is the booklet featuring the entirety of the Bloodline. Over the last 2 years, Roman Reigns has been the top heel in Wrestling and is involved in the best story in wrestling. It should come as no surprise that this card is one of the top chases in the product. It has 25 copies and no parallels, so collectors will have to battle as the examples are pulled. Its a landmark card, and like the 10 signature cards from Topps 2021, this is among the most autographs that have ever been featured on a wrestling card.

Additionally, most of the relic autograph cards have 1/1 parallels, which all feature some sort of insane swatch or WWE logo. The base autograph memorabilia set is seemingly built around WWE logo relics in the cards, and the dual auto mem cards seem to feature two of the logos. Obviously, this type of content hasnt been available before with on card autographs, so its not surprising how many collectors are hunting these down.

Verdict: Win

There is no doubt that this product has both highs and lows, but I will say that the highs are among the best we have seen in wrestling cards in a long time. Maybe ever. I think Select was a more complete product top to bottom, but Immaculate delivers in a way like I didnt even expect. Pure fun, huge chases, and a checklist full of cards that appeal to every level of the hobby. Cant beat that.

When the Panini era started on 1/1/22, I had a lot of mixed feelings about how things would play out as they embedded themselves within the world of wrestling. Given my history with Panini, mainly my dissatisfaction with design work, set configurations and other things, I was thinking the new world order would be more Mid 2000s WWE NWO, not 1996 NWO.

Much to my surprise, the entire 2022 card year has been one of the most rewarding and fun experiences I have ever had as a collector. I also ended up spending more time chasing down the examples I wanted, made some collection defining acquisitions, and found the standards of the boom era of sports cards coming to WWE being a very good thing.

Given that Panini’s takeover of the squared circle has been controversial among the collecting base of wrestling fans, I wanted to take some time to go through some of the things Panini did really well, and things they didnt come off the top rope for. Hopefully this will provide a balanced look at the debut year of Panini WWE, and some clues to areas they might want to build on as they head into years two through five.

Win – Photography

If I had to point to one defining characteristic of what made this past year of Panini great, its all the photos they have found to showcase the wrestlers. Seemingly each photo is better than the last, with very few duplications, and a focus on the moments that make WWE a worldwide phenomenon.

Starting with Prizm, we saw a focus on showcasing finishers and entrances, followed by one of the most successful products in WWE history in Select. Because there were four levels of base cards to fund with awesome shots, Panini went deep into the WWE annals and found some incredible photos that put the superstars in their top elements.

Although the photos weren’t without discussions or mistakes, I think there were some incredible elements brought to products that we hadnt seen in wrestling cards for a while. Topps had a habit of choosing photos that really didnt represent the best of the WWE, along side photos that were at a high level. Panini seems to have knocked it out of the park across the board.

Win – Heightened Community Attention

As if Wrestling Cards werent on fire enough coming into 2022, I never expected the kind of attention that Panini brought to the fold over the first few months of their license. Even outside the walls of the hobby, we saw cards advertised on RAW and Smackdown, and large hobby accounts on social media bringing wrestling cards into their brand for the first time.

We also saw a ton of new faces join the hobby, especially on hubs like Facebook and Instagram, where slow trickles of fresh people became tidal waves of individuals. Many eventually left during the onset of a new recession, and hobby downturn, but the size of this corner of the hobby ended well on the net positive.

In addition, there were considerably more people creating content around wrestling cards, with growth in youtube channels, podcasts, and all sorts of media related to wrestling.

Loss – Affordable Player and Set Collecting

With more people and more eyes, values increase. What originally made WWE fun was that you could get your share of thrills for pennies on the dollar compared to the stick and ball sports. When I joined this part of the hobby in 2017, a case of WWE cards was equivalent to a box of the main products in the NFL and NBA. Similarly, building a large collection of the people you wanted to collect was easy and generally inexpensive.

For set collectors who were used to having an unimpeded path to completion, there were no gimmicks and contrived scarcity to drive them away. Both of these aspects of collecting in WWE changed, mostly if you were already collecting someone that had a lot of people vying for the cards.

Although there was plenty more variety in the cards available, that set and player collectors could chase, it became exponentially more expensive to do so. For some, this was a huge drawback.

Win – Relic Content Mirroring Other Sports

For years, Topps struggled to add content to WWE products that was relic based. They relied heavily on mat relics, which were single color and boring when presented in large quantities. Collectors started devaluing relic cards in favor of more unique autograph cards, or shiny parallels from Chrome and Finest, much like we saw in the other aspects of the hobby.

From the release of Select onwards, Panini found a way to bring value back to relics in WWE. Focusing on t-shirts worn by superstars during their signings, new colorful swatches became a huge part of what made every relic set so successful. Every set had statement pieces in their midst, and the lower the parallel of the card, the more likely it would have an EXTREMELY colorful relic to enhance the aesthetics of the card.

It also adds a level of personalization to showcase content that is instantly recognizable by fans, who are well known for having entire wardrobes build around wrestling shirts and gear. Impeccable, Chronicles, and the pending release of Immaculate had and will have cards on the checklist that could be some of the best looking wrestling cards ever released, solely because of how cool the relics might be.

Loss – The Hype and Dip of Prizm Wax

When Prizm was announced as the first product for the WWE license, it became clear how much potential this would have in a hobby that was still on the rise. Speculation over a pending gold rush fueled a ton of speculative buying, and Prizm hobby boxes soared to record prices.

Upon release, boxes were cracking four figures as a population of cash rich investors coming off the hobby’s biggest year in history, were hoping to get in on the ground level of a new brand. Within six months, the entire hobby had slumped considerably, and the overheated wax market crashed hard for Prizm. Although other products seemed to perform well, this was a black eye for Panini WWE, and an unexpected loss to kick off their brand.

Although we saw record setting single card sales that might end up being the highest cost in the history of wrestling cards, its hard to get past that Prizm just got way too high way too fast.

Win – The Chase of New WWE Centerpieces

For over a decade now, Upper Deck and Panini have brought a chase element to a hobby originally based around collecting flagship sets with very few bells and whistles. Topps was able to bring some of that to WWE, but as a smaller niche brand in their portfolio, they never focused as much on creating epic cards until the last few years of their license.

From day one, Panini brought a chase element to products, hoping to add fire to entice cross over collectors coming from the NBA and NFL to dive in. Adding onto the existing chase of Prizm Golds/Blacks, things like WWE logo autographs in Select, booklet cards in Immaculate, and cards with gold bars inlayed in the stock for Impeccable were all eyebrow raising additions to the wide variety of set approaches.

Combining these chases with other aspects of relic content discussed above, and many collectors found themselves finally getting a taste of what life is like outside of wrestling cards.

Loss – Lack of Collector Engagement

I really thought that Panini would approach this differently than Topps did and find ways to engage with collectors on their level. I thought that with such a large investment in a small market, Panini would need to find ways to connect with the new faces in Wrestling cards and create new fans to fill the void with fans that many of their products need to be successful.

Instead, things have been largely quiet, with many Panini social media accounts only casually getting involved with WWE releases, and not really connecting with the community in any meaningful way. Lucas Kinser, the product manager for WWE and UFC has done a good job being a featured guest on hobby content, but one man cannot do the work of an entire brand.

WWE builds their entire existence around the “WWE Universe” and to see that Panini hasnt really found a way to bridge that experience is exceptionally disappointing.

Win – Product Variety with Something for Everyone

For every Prizm and Select, there is a Revolution and NXT. For every Impeccable, there is a Chronicles. Basically, this has been a year of many different products with different target markets, and it has worked like a symphony.

I love that there is a mix of different configurations and approaches, as variety is truly the spice of hobby life. If every set was just another copy of Prizm or a lower end product like NXT, this year wouldnt have reached the heights that it did. Similarly, with Wrestling being a notoriously inexpensive corner of collecting, Panini churning out everything like Impeccable and Immaculate would seem quite tone deaf.

The perfect example here was the recent release of Chronicles, which combined the high end chases of National Treasures with the set collector friendly base sets and lower end fun – all in one product.

Win – Set Checklists

Ill close with this, because I have been literally shocked by how Panini has found new signers, desired signers, and existing stars to populate the checklists in the ways that they have. Guys like Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Undertaker have become accessible to more people because Panini has put them in more products. Other people like Batista and the Great Khali have started signing wrestling cards for the first time ever.

Although we still havent seen Sable or the Rock sign cards again, every other available WWE mainstay is signing for Panini WWE products, and that is huge. Its hard to put out premium products without a great mix of the stars of today with the stars of the eras that shaped wrestling’s history.

Seeing that Immaculate is bringing some of the fringe ECW stars to sign with previous Attitude era HOFers just seems like a chef’s kiss at the end of the year. I never thought I would see the Sandman signing WWE cards, nor would I think that we would ever get a DX quad autograph with hard signed signatures.

As ive mentioned on many different videos, this year of Panini has been nothing short of incredible. They have done a tremendous job of figuring out what wrestling card collectors would want and finding a way to accomplish it in card format. I can only hope we see similar success with 2023 as we did in 2022.

Since I was a kid, there is one PPV that I always found to be the most consistently entertaining. The Royal Rumble has always been a wild ride of emotions since the 80s, and more recently for reasons that have more impact with cards than any other PPV. Wrestlemania may be the most grandiose and important PPV for the television product, but the Royal Rumble is the most important for collectors. I wanted to share my thoughts on this topic because its this weekend, but also because I love this event so much.

Understanding the Importance

There are a few things that drive value in modern WWE cards. They range from potential, to race, to gender, to accomplishments, to legacy. Most of these things are not able to be changed, while others are directly impacted by on screen performance. Things like potential and accomplishments have always driven value in sports, and I would argue that lately, potential outweighs any other attribute, even if the hobby is functioning on old information or tribal knowledge that leads to bias.

In Wrestling, stars can have untapped potential well into their mid thirties, or even early forties, especially if the TV presentation changes the way they are seen by the public. Look at Roman Reigns as a prime example. Prior to his current gimmick as the Head of the Table, he was a stale babyface who had zero edge. A less relatable John Cena type persona. He was beloved by kids, but unlike Cena, few adults were able to get on board with the big dog. When he adopted his first heel gimmick since the days of the original Shield, everything changed. He went from a lower tier collectible superstar to a highly collectable generational talent.

Even though many collectors may still have well seeded hatred for anything Reigns has done or will do, I am among the converted. I see the potential changing just by adopting a new presentation for the character.

The other type of potential that is subject to the Rumble, is a bit different, and it stems from how the company will view the performers in the coming year. A great showing in the match can signal an upcoming push towards the top of the card, or if the person is truly lucky, a main event type match at this year’s Wrestlemania. Seeing the final four men and women in each event can be a huge signal that potential is about to change, even if they dont win.

Similarly for NXT stars, not being in many collectors purview can change instantly if they are given a featured spot at this PPV. We’ve seen people like Rhea Ripley go far in the match, and then win the title a short time after. There are countless examples of this happening.

The Road to Wrestlemania

Its rare (at least these days) that a Rumble winner ends up being Brock Lesnar or someone who needs further establishment as a star in the business. Most of the time, we get someone like Bianca Belair who started her meteoric rise to the top of the women’s division last year. Historically, the winner ends up being the focal point of TV for months and months leading up to WM, and for collectors, thats a huge indication that things will change on the potential for that individual.

Wrestlemania is the most visibility that Wrestling has on a national level, period. We’ve seen huge stars have game changing performances at Mania, whether its Bad Bunny, Logan Paul or Pat McAfee. For a budding megastar, the Royal Rumble can be a coming out party of sorts. With the right predictions, or widespread diversification in collecting leading up to the PPV, collectors can see huge value shifts if someone new gets their shot at the main event.

If you look at the WWE’s history, being in that top of the card slot has propelled almost every career that collectors latch onto. Hogan, Austin, Rock, Becky, Roman and others have all seen WM main events change their life. In 1997, this match catapulted Austin to the biggest stage wrestling has ever had. In 2019, Becky Lynch’s win cemented the rise of the Man to the first ever Women’s main event. The future of WWE collecting can progress or diminish with one event.

Who is Primed for a Featured Run?

Much like last year, we are in the middle of two historic runs for both men and women leading into this weekend. Roman Reigns has been champion now for two years. Bianca Belair, almost a year. Unseating either one of them could have huge implications for the collectibility of two stars.

For the men, there are three names that everyone needs to have eyes on. First is Cody Rhodes, who’s epic return at last year’s WM sent ripples through the industry. He is the odds on favorite to win after tearing his pectoral muscle and being out a number of months. Because his first cards since the return are just starting to show up in a large group, this could be a huge year for collecting his stuff.

The next person is Seth Rollins, because since the end of 2021, I dont think there is a male star that has grown in popularity quite like him. He has been a major part of WWEs main event scene for a while, but aside from a short run as US Champion late in 2022, he hasnt held a major title since 2019. Rollins has seen more and more collectors see his contributions as vital and his new persona has driven a ton of fans to jump on board.

Last but not least is the Rock, who for months now, has been rumored as the only match Roman Reigns could have that could sell out any stadium in the world. The two of them have never wrestled, and Roman’s identity of the Tribal Chief stands directly in contrast to the Rock’s celebrity status as a worldwide movie blockbuster. The Rock is already one of the most valuable people in WWE, and a win in the Rumble could reignite some of the crossovers from NFL and NBA to again look to get into the wrestling hobby with the great one as their entry point.

On the women’s side, things arent as clear. People like Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley have been the two betting favorites heading into the event, mainly because both have business with each of the current champions that would make for great mania matches.

The feud between Lynch and Flair goes back years, and their offscreen relationship deteriorating led to one of the best women’s matches of the year in 2020. Rhea Ripley is the future of the business at only 25 years old, and already having matches that turn heads. Her potential feud with Belair has been hinted at during multiple Royal Rumbles in the past, and was set for a match earlier this year before an injury made the plans change.

Up and Coming Rookies on the Main Stage?

If there was one thing that I think made Prizm and Select landmark products, it was the rookie class. People like Bron Breakker and Gable Steveson saw gigantic value coming out of the gates for each product. I also have to believe both guys will have a big night for the Rumble, along side other NXT standouts like Carmelo Hayes and Grayson Waller.

For the women, I have championed the cause for new talent like Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade, both of whom are set to participate. Because the women’s roster is smaller, finding 30 participants on the women’s side forces the writers to use more talent. Others like Tiffany Stratton and Nikkita Lyons might make an appearance as well.

Overall, WWE developmental is in a great spot with both sides of the coin, and NXT is looking like it might be on a path where those new stars might get a fair shake, unlike what we used to see when management was more focused on the main roster product.

Predictions For the Match

I have to go with my gut on this one, and I absolutely believe there will be some huge surprises over the weekend. I think on the men’s side, a win for Cody Rhodes would give the best story heading into the biggest event of the year in Hollywood. I think we get some big moments with the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin as well, as there is rarely a big event in Texas without the rattlesnake making an appearance. I think a sleeper pick could be Sami Zayn, who is one of my favorite new elements of the Roman Reigns storyline that could have a tremendous payoff at WM.

For the Women, my homer pick would obviously be Becky Lynch, but with both champions being babyfaces right now, I dont think that is the right course. For that reason, I think the easy pick is Rhea Ripley, with a hopeful match against Becky Lynch as the payoff, hinted at during Becky’s comeback at Survivor Series and the following few weeks.

Again, the Royal Rumble is so much fun, and sets so many things in motion that collectors always gravitate towards. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I will.