The 2017 Panini baseball card season saw Panini continue to build on the foundation they established from previous years since entering the baseball card market in 2014. While still considered the “new kid on the block” compared to the entrenched giants like Topps, Panini made further strides in 2017 to carve out their share of collectors and expand their baseball card offerings.
One of Panini’s core sets in 2017 was “2017 Prizm Baseball”. Building upon the allure of their popular Prizm brand from other sports like basketball, the 2017 Prizm Baseball set featured a sharp, modern design with distinctive color-burst “Prizm” parallels that collectors had grown to love. The base cards showed players in clear action shots with team logos prominently displayed. Various parallels inserted throughout packs added to the excitement of the chase. Gold “Prizm” parallels were the most coveted, while other parallels like Red /10 and White /25 added scarcity. The set concluded with short printed memorabilia cards and autographs to entice collectors to search every box. Overall the 2017 Prizm set captured the eye-popping aesthetics that Panini had become renowned for.
Another anchor of Panini’s 2017 offerings was the retro-styled “2017 Donruss Baseball” set, celebrating the beloved old Donruss brand. With a hearty cardboard stock and design influenced by the late 80s/early 90s Donruss sets many collectors held fond memories of from childhood, the 2017 Donruss set invited collectors on a fun stroll down memory lane. Similar to the original Donruss issues, the 2017 version featured no frills action shots with team logo arches along each side. Parallel inserts including “Diamond Kings” parallels paid homage to the original Diamond Kings insert set from years past. While not as flashy as some of Panini’s other brands, the straightforward and nostalgic 2017 Donruss set warmly tugged at collectors’ heartstrings.
For collectors longing for autograph and memorabilia cards, Panini released the high-end “2017 National Treasures Baseball” product. As with previous year’s editions, the 2017 National Treasures set the bar for the hobby with its exquisite relic and autograph content. Swatches of jerseys, bats, autographed baseballs and more filled these lavish box loads. Low serial numbered parallels like Gold /5 and White /1 presented highly scarce chase cards added value for longtime collectors. Multi-signed memorabilia “National Treasures Trios” cards were the true crowning jewels, featuring some of the sports’ all-time legends. The premium price tag of National Treasures was always a luxury, but reward for collectors willing to splurge.
Panini also looked to build upon its young star rookies with products like “Donruss Optic” and “Prizm Rookies & Stars.” In years past these sets had featured some of the biggest young names going on to stardom, and 2017 continued that trend. Sets primarily focused on the games up and coming talents, but also mixed in established veteran superstars. Formats typically included flashy parallels like Prism, Phoenix, Flux and Spectrum inserts to entice buyers. Autograph and memorabilia variants added extra cachet for hit chasing collectors. Cards of stars like Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and others in these sets increased in value exponentially as their careers took off.
In addition to core sets, Panini also released the fun and engaging “2017 Clearly Authentic Football & Basketball” which blended sport stars on innovative designs with color shifting technology. Football/baseball mash-up sets like “Contenders,” “X” and “One & One” mixed the two sports for hybrid collectors. For the first time Panini also released smaller themed sets like “Grandstand Greats” highlighting legendary players, and”Taste of the Majors” focusing on rising minor leaguers.
On the collector engagement and promotional front, Panini maintained competitive incentive programs. Their “MyPanini” mobile app allowed collectors to register redemptions, track collections and participate in contests. Case break sites partnered with Panini to sell sealed cartons of popular products while live streaming the openings. Trading forums and third party grading services also continued strong to cultivate the collector community.
While still chasing the mighty Topps brand entrenched since the 1950s, the 2017 season underscored how Panini continued gaining ground as a serious baseball card contender. Combining retro flair with flashy new brands served both modern and traditional hobbyists. Strong rookie classes and short printed parallels kept pack searching exciting. As Panini demonstrated staying power, more major retailers integrated their products alongside Topps. For its fourth year in baseball, 2017 showed how Panini Capitalized on innovation while respecting the sport’s classic traditions – strengthening their foothold for future seasons in what remained one of trading cards’ biggest category. The future appeared bright as Panini’s unique vision for baseball cards resonated further with a new generation of collectors.
