In our newest Better Than a Box, we are going to pit the new 2022-23 Panini Crown Royale Basketball hobby box up against a man who we wouldn’t want to bet against in any way, shape or form, Miami Heat small forward Jimmy Butler.
One of the hardest working, most determined players in the game, Butler took the Miami Heat on an improbable run through the playoffs. The no nonsense, blue collar veteran has built a strong Hall of Fame case.
Butler’s career numbers of 18 points, five rebounds and four assists per game aren’t exactly jaw dropping but with this six-time NBA All-Star, its as much about his leadership and court presence as it is about his stat line. His grit, determination and heart have earned him respect league wide.
Crown Royale has a catchy albeit reoccurring design that has definitely found its place in the hobby. How could we forget, with the gold crown literally at the top of every card? This year’s box offers one memorabilia and one autograph card with eight total cards in the box… or pack.
With the somewhat weak rookie class and the slim chances of hitting a big autograph or jersey otherwise, we are confident we could find you a better lot of Jimmy Buckets’ cards than the $300-$325 it’ll likely cost you for a Crown Royale box.
The Rookie Card
Granted, this may be a bad time to buy Butler as he is quite possibly the hottest thing going in the NBA outside of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. As far as the rookie card of choice, we pick the classic, the flagship, the always desirable Panini Prizm base RC.
Butler’s Prizm rookie card appears in the absolutely loaded 2012-13 product and, for right around $100 in a Mint 9 grade, this is a card that has true staying power with the opportunity to rise in value.
The Autographed Card
Our autograph card of choice also comes from the Miami Heat superstar’s rookie season. We chose the iconic Hoops line and Butler’s rookie autograph. A fresh faced Jimmy is shown driving to the hoop ready to finish at the rim in his much used red Bulls uniform. Even with a sticker auto, to be able to pick up a true rookie year auto of Butler at this point for just under $200 is a steal of a deal.
The Jersey Card
For the jersey portion of our quartet, we head to South Beach and get a Butler game used Heat piece of memorabilia. This aesthetically pleasing 2021-22 Panini Court Kings Artistic Endeavors insert set paints the Heat hero in a wonderful light and is a wonderful addition to the collection, especially for under ten bucks. Groovy.
The Serial Numbered Card
Our serial numbered card for our set comes from the newer Mosaic line. It’s a beautiful, horizontal 2021-22 Mosaic Montage White Prizm of Butler shown in action, much like you’ve seen him on TV, finishing at the rim in his home white Heat uni. Mosaic does a very nice job of making some attention grabbing inserts and the Mosaic Prizm parallel ranks right up there with any. While you might have to be a little determined to find one for sale online, they’re not expensive when you do. Being able to add this cost effective gem to the collection for under ten bucks fits our tightening budget beautifully.
That wraps up our look into The King of Miami versus current year’s Crown Royale Basketball. You could pick a very strong four card lot of a man well on his way to the Hall of Fame and possibly an NBA title or you could take your chances on eight cards in what is essentially a pack of Crown Royale basketball.
As always, the choice is yours.
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Brief Box Break: 2022-23 Crown Royale Basketball
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