Panini Illusions returns for its seventh installment this year. According to Panini America, the 2023 set “captures the unbridled excitement of the NFL” with a 100-card base set.
The product is expected to be released on March 13, with a suggested retail price of $225 per box.
The game’s top stars will be featured, along with rookies.
A hobby box will contain 10 packs, with five cards per pack. Panini is promising three autographs and two memorabilia cards per hobby box, along with five numbered Trophy Collection Parallels. Other highlights include 10 acetates of micro-etched inserts or parallels.
That was the same hobby box configuration for the 2022 Illusions set.
Few specific details have been released about this year’s set, although Panini noted that it “aims to captivate collectors with a funky-fun mix of base and insert cards.”
As it has over the past few years, the base set will feature dual images of the player.
According to Panini’s sell sheet, Trophy Collection cards will have parallels in Purple, Red and a hobby-exclusive Yellow Diamond.
While Panini has yet to release details about numbered parallels for the Trophy Collection, last year’s set featured 11 different versions — Bronze, numbered to 499, Pink (399), Yellow Diamond (249), Light Blue (199), Red (175), Blue (75), Black Ice (50), Platinum (35), Gold (25), Green (10) and Purple (1/1).
It is unclear whether the breakdown will be the same for the 2023 Illusions set.
Inserts for the 2023 set will feature the hard-to-find HoloHeroes, along with the King of Cards and Illusionists. HoloHeroes has a limited gold parallel to chase.
Autograph and auto-memorabilia cards will include base card rookie signatures, First Impressions and Elusive Ink. First Impressions focuses on first-year players.
Boxes are online for $375-$400.
