A massive lineup of autographs and memorabilia cards arrives this week for collectors, with both 2023-24 Contenders Basketball and 2023 Immaculate WWE hitting the market.
Here’s a look at the key details to know before you buy.
2023 Panini Immaculate WWE
Release date: Wednesday
Overview: Captivating storylines and interesting characters continue to drive WWE on TV, and that popularity has spilled into the trading card market. Now in its second product cycle since taking over the WWE license, Panini is running back another year with its popular Immaculate brand.
One of Panini’s most high-end products, 2023 Immaculate delivers its typical playbook of autographs and memorabilia cards.
With an average price of more than $100 per card, collectors should tread carefully when playing in the ultra high-end tier with misses much more likely than hits.
Parallels: As usual, base cards arrive with a lineup of parallels including Red /5, Gold /10 and Platinum 1/1. Collectors won’t find much parallel variety with Immaculate, though, as that has never been the draw of the product.
Autos and relics: Autographs and memorabilia cards are the major chase for Immaculate, and 2023 has an impressive lineup for WWE fans across all ages. The All-Time Greats Signatures checklist is filled with exactly that: John Cena, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Booker T and Hulk Hogan are among the 20-card lineup.
Memorabilia Autographs is among the several sets featuring both ink and relics, and it also features popular wrestlers such as Rhea Ripley, Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Gunther.
Hobby configuration: Six cards per pack, one pack per box, five boxes per case Hobby box break: Three autographs and two memorabilia cards per box Secondary market price: $699.95 (subject to change)
2023-24 Panini Contenders Basketball
Release date: Friday
Overview: As always, autographs are the major draw for any Contenders product, specifically the Rookie Ticket Autographs. A boom-or-bust release powered by those rookie autographs, Contenders does offer a few short-printed inserts. Collectors looking for base rookies might want to look elsewhere.
Parallels: With little attention given to the base set, collectors will primarily focus on parallels for the autograph sets. Cracked Ice, Rookie Championship and Premium Edition Gold are among the key parallels for 2023-24.
Inserts: ID card-inspired inserts such as Permit to Dominate and License to Dominate both return as Hobby exclusives. Superstar inserts also return for another year with their signature die-cut design. All-new for 2023-24 is the Supernatural insert, numbered /99 and below.
Autos and relics: Rookie Ticket Autographs remain some of the most sought-after rookie cards on the secondary market with on-card ink and a variety of parallels and variations. New for 2023-24 are the Hobby-exclusive NBA Ink Autographs numbered /99.
Veterans are represented plenty too, with Veteran Championship Tickets and Veteran Playoff Tickets returning as Hobby exclusives.
Hobby configuration: Eight cards per pack, four packs per box, 12 boxes per case Hobby box break: Two autographs and 12 inserts, parallels or variations per box Secondary market price: $369.95 (subject to change)
Other releases of note:
- 2023-24 Topps Chrome Bundesliga Soccer (Wednesday)
- Marvel Black Panther Wakanda Forever (Wednesday)
- Pokemon Palafin EX (Friday)
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct.