Other than Contenders, there may not be a bigger product released in Football now that Topps has been forced out. Although I dont think the legacy of this set deserves to be what it is, collectors have been waiting for this product to come out for WAY too long. Luckily for Panini, the set looks good and the buzz of Dak and Zeke hasnt been overtaken quite yet. The draft is a month away still, and this is the second to last set of 2016.
Here are some of the top hits already up:
2016 National Treasures Ezekiel Elliott RC FULL SIG Auto 1/1
2016 National Treasures Dak Prescott Jumbo Patch Auto Booklet
2016 National Treasures Jared Goff Rams Head Logo Patch Auto
2016 National Treasures Derrick Henry / Eddie George Dual Auto
2016 National Treasures Jameis Winston Jumbo Patch Auto
Being that this is the 10th year of Treasures, somehow, we still have a number of issues that continue to plague the product. First, there are still a TON of stickers in the many subsets. For a box you will be expected to drop 650 dollars to get your hands on, this is completely unacceptable. Similarly horrific, Panini is still stuck on including single color jersey swatches without autographs attached. In a low end or retail release, fine. In a Super Premium set? Fuck that. This should be the best of the best.
All things considered, I really like most of the designs this year, especially the rookie patch autos that everyone will be chasing. With the exception of the Hat Cards, which are some of the worst cards Panini makes, and a really substandard NFL Gear design, NT looks really, really nice.
As a whole the brand of NT is the set that took over for Exquisite when UD lost their license. Because Topps didnt have a pre-established High End set leading up to 2010, Panini lucked out in inheriting the crown. Since that time, the set has gone through many ups and many extreme downs. With 2011 being rock bottom, and 2012 not being much better, there has been an upswing through 2016. I really thought the set has done some good things in recent years, especially in more on card content, however, there is still a very long way to go.
Topps released Definitive Collection to close out their NFL license last year, and it makes NT look like it was built by an intern in their spare time. Too much room for added content leaves me wondering when Panini will truly inject some innovation into this product. Its almost clearly represented that Panini’s effort went to about 75% of what it should have been, if not only because of what the rookie class was able to do this year. Collectors will still buy the fuck out of this product at its ridiculous price, even more so when the season gets going again.
Much like most of what we have seen in Premium Card sets this year, running things on auto pilot can produce some nice results for some things but pretty stale results for others. That’s National Treasures and most of Panini’s calendar this year.
It’s completely unacceptable that Panini continues to fill up such a high end products like NT with Stickers and 1 colored jerseys. I collect Hockey as well and while I don’t always agree with Upper Deck products either, they wouldn’t even dare to put Stickers and Jerseys into “The Cup” (they don’t even put stickers into Ultimate and Ice Premiers which are way cheaper than NT), but Panini doesn’t feel ashamed at all to water down their high end products with this trash and that’s what really makes me angry.
I feel also it’s more and more difficult to really distinguish between Panini’s High End Products as Immaculate, Impeccable, NT, Flawless and even Encased have all have that “white” theme. While white might be always classy, it doesn’t justify at all that so many products looks almost the same. How many more CJ Prosise or Pharoh Cooper Rookie Cards do we actually need?
Well Dak and Zeke will make this product a success again for Panini and Group Breakers are already lining up. Though I’m generally a bit surprised about the Football gambling hype in such a down market and considering that the fantastic O-Line of the Cowboys helped so much, both aren’t even a sure thing for future value (Americas Team aside) IMO.
Nevertheless Panini better get the money out of it right now, as it really isn’t difficult to predict a rough 2017 hobby draft for them. The Patriots, Packers, Steelers, Cowboys, Broncos and Giants are all drafting late this year and while there’s a lot of talent in the upcoming draft, most of it is on the defensive site of the ball. Fournette might end up with the Jags or Panthers, Howard maybe with the Browns and don’t expect any of the Rookie QB’s to show much flashes in 2017. Not a great hobby draft at all, Panini got lucky last year, don’t expect that to happen that often …