2017 Panini Select Football

A high end chrome feel, without the high end price tag.

The football card market really never rests. We are still seeing 2017 products release a couple months into 2018. There is one product that is hitting stores today as I am writing this and you’ll get a look at it next week. In the meantime, I picked up another 2017/2018 release in mid February that hit card shops after the Super Bowl wrapped up.

This product was 2017 Panini Select and it marked the follow up effort to what was a blazing product in 2016. Select has a high end chrome feel but doesn’t require high end money to purchase. I picked this box up for $125 and it held 12 packs of 5 cards with 2 autographs and 1 memorabilia card per. There are also a variety of color parallels to chase, much like the Prizm product that releases much earlier in the season. However, there are some differences in Select and Prizm that stand out.

First, the base set is numbered to 300 and each 100 card section of the checklist is separated into levels much like you find in stadium seating. Cards 1-100 are the Concourse Level cards and are the most commonly found cards in the set. The next level is Premier for those numbered 101-200 and these are a bit tougher with an approximate rate of 10 per box. The toughest level to find is Field Level, which is cards 201-300 and are only found 2 per box. With the potential for another 14 Prizm cards, the box sets up nicely for those that like to chase parallels.

Trading Card BOXES – White Corrugated. One-piece boxes. LxWxH

Holds 200 cards 3-1/2 x 3-3/4 x 2-3/4″ (I.D.) Cards store sideways. Made from 200# test corrugated cardboard. Just fold together; needs no tape or glue.

There are also die-cut versions found in the set as well. These are all numbered 99 or less. There are approximately 5 numbered cards in each box and 2 of my pulls were die-cuts. These were some very good looking cards! The only parallel that isn’t numbered is the Silver Prizm but unlike basketball, these don’t carry the same weight as the numbered versions. Each level also has a different configuration of colors for the parallels but you can find some of the classics like Tye-Dye, Purple, Neon and Pink throughout the set. The Black Parallels are numbered to 1.

As I stated above, each box also has 2 autographs and 1 memorabilia card as well. The autographs will include at least 1 Rookie Patch Auto (RPA) and a second autographed card that could be a veteran, rookie or legend. There are some tremendous patches that can be found in the RPA’s with some unbelievable relics found in the low numbers. The memorabilia cards can also come in several different designs as well. For my viewing pleasure, it is hard to beat a Tye-Dye autograph or relic.

The major difference in Select is the inclusion of the XRC Redemptions. These were very popular last year! These are redemptions (collective groan) but they do serve a purpose in this case. The cards have a draft slot and position on them and you will receive a short printed XRC of whatever player fits that draft description for the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft. For example, last year I pulled a 1st QB, which turned out to be Mitch Trubisky. At the time, that could have been DeShaun Watson, Trubisky or maybe even Patrick Mahomes II. Therefore, pulling that card made the first few picks of the draft even more exciting because it was also going to reveal the XRC I would receive. These are back in this set but they are a tough pull with an average of 3 per 12 box case.

Let’s take a look at some of the cards I pulled in this box.

This DeShaun Watson is the Base Concourse Level Card. For Select, this is as plain as it gets. Still a beautiful card though, right? I noticed a lot of photos in the color rush uniforms. They look better on cards than on TV.

This Kareem Hunt is a Prizm Concourse Level Card. As you will see in a moment, Hunt is also found in the Premium Level.

Michael Crabtree appears in a Tri-Color Prizm for the Concourse Level.

One of my favorite color parallels in all sets is the Blue Parallel. Here is Christian McCaffery in Concourse.

As mentioned above, Kareem Hunt is on the Premium Level checklist as well.

Here is the first of my two Die-Cut parallels. The first is a Purple Myles Garrett. I love these Die-Cuts.

The second Die-Cut is also a Browns rookie but this is a Neon Green David Njoku.

One of the Field Level Cards I pulled was this awesome Tye-Dye Cam Newton. Even though Newton isn’t one of my favorite players, this card is very striking.

The memorabilia card in this box was this awesome Stefon Diggs. This patch is really sweet and features what appears to be a couple of letters. This was numbered to 49.

The first RPA was this Josh Reynolds. Reynolds has an opportunity to be a major player in the high powered Rams offense next year. It was also numbered to 49.

The big hit in the box was a second RPA; this time of Dalvin Cook. Cook’s autograph is nothing to write home about but I certainly am happy to add this card to my PC.

I really like Select Football. It will be difficult to ever build a full set with a 100 card section of the checklist appearing at about 2 per box. But the cards are appealing and the hits are very nice. Even though I’m not a huge relic collector, this Diggs is definitely a keeper. The chances of pulling an XRC provide an exciting chase that isn’t found in many of the football sets. The XRC brings somewhat of a fantasy football feel to pack ripping as you have to wait for the draft to see how things play out. I found myself watching the first round last year almost as intently as I watch a random Jets vs. Cardinals game on a Sunday afternoon if I have Bilal Powell on my team.

What do you think of 2017 Select Football?

J-Dub

Single Card SCREWDOWNS

Acrylic. Holds a 32pt. thick card. 4 screws. Recessed card area. 3-1/8 x 5-3/16 x 1/4″. Holds a card up to 2-1/2 x 3-1/2″.

 

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