For some, completing a base set is the way to go while most enthusiasts enjoy getting every rookie card available in the market. Of course, there are those with deep pockets who prefer graded slabs or rare low-population cards that cost more than a brand new house. While all of these options are great, there is still a different sense of fulfillment when collecting NBA card inserts, especially those made by Panini.
As it stands, there are a lot of amazing inserts offered before Panini took over the production of NBA cards in the market. But for this matter, we'll tackle the inserts from this card company that have gained a lot of fans over the past few years. Shown below are some of them and the impact they have on the market.
Bang NBA Card Insert
There's a reason why Panini One and One's Timeless Moments can fetch a pretty high price in the market. For starters, it showcases a player's definitive moment on the court with his signature on the card. But to be honest, not everyone can afford this high-end card product or the buying this NBA card in the secondary market. Thankfully, Panini has given collectors a more affordable and readily-available option in their latest Mosaic set.
Among the inserts that can be pulled from various Mosaic retail products is Bang. Like the Timeless Moments cards, these inserts feature the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving hitting the biggest shots of their career from beyond the three-point line. The card's horizontal design encases the player within a flashy border with the word Bang in the upper left corner. The end result is an insert that has gained steam, not only among hobbyists, but in the market as well.
A good example of this card going up is this Mosaic Bang Blue Fluorescent numbered to 15 copies with Curry on it. The insert's limited print run and the Golden State Warrior's All-Star on it was enough to propel its price to $1,500.
Spellbound NBA Card Insert
Completing a set of inserts will always give a different sense of fulfillment. Those who want to experience that feeling can do no better than hunting those Spellbound cards from Panini's Donruss Elite set.
The basic premise of this insert is that a single card contains one letter from a star's first or last name. Collectors are then encouraged to open as many boxes of this product as possible to complete the given name. And with All-Star options like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, and Ja Morant available, there's always going to be a lot of people hunting for these cards.
While there are numbered Spellbound inserts out there, which are considerably harder to pull and more expensive, the first choice will be to hunt the base offerings. Take this LaMelo Ball Spellbound set from last year's Donruss Elite basketball set. When completed, it becomes an eye-catching addition to any collection. It's also worth $1,525 in the market.
My House NBA Card Insert
It's rare for card companies to come up with a card design that instantly captures the attention of collectors. In the case of Panini's My House, it's that effect in full force once it came out from the 2019-20 Optic Basketball set.
The NBA card's loud and attention-grabbing look is based on a popular catchphrase that players love to say when playing at home. That phrase has been taken to another level by Panini and incorporated into an insert that has gained some heat in the hobby. And with the likes of Luka Doncic, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jokic, and Stephen Curry, among others on these cards, there's sure to be one for all kinds of collectors out there.
Proof of this insert's popularity is how much a My House insert can go in the market. A good example is a Gold parallel, numbered to 10 and comes from the latest Optic set, with LeBron James front and center. It sold for $3,099 a couple of months ago on eBay.
SLAM NBA Card Insert
Who would've thought that a non-chrome insert would go on and get a lot of hype in the card market? At first sight, Panini's SLAM insert cards were supposed to just commemorate different players and their historic covers with the basketball magazine that shares the same name. Instead, a fan-favorite NBA card was born and legions of collectors went far and wide to get the hottest players from this set.
It also helps that these SLAM cards can be easily obtained from a pack or box of NBA Hoops, one of Panini's more popular low-end products. Since this insert can only be found from retail products, hobbyists didn't encounter any difficulty in finding these inserts or their numbered parallels.
Those who would like to start collecting these SLAM NBA cards have a lot of options out there. From last year's edition, which prominently featured famous covers of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson, and Stephen Curry, to the latest one offered in the new NBA Hoops set. The latter expanded its range with magazine covers of Larry Johnson, Chris Paul, Klay Thompson, and LaMelo Ball, among others.
But among all of the players featured in this set, none is more coveted than the one featuring the late Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant. Thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers' popularity in the hobby and the card's epic look, it's now an instant classic that can elevate any collection out there. That's why it isn't so hard to imagine that a PSA 10 Green Explosion parallel numbered to 89 copies went as high as $8,000 in the market recently.
Net Marvels NBA Card Insert
Using a comic-styled design and adding the most popular NBA stars to it is a formula for success. Just take a look at either one of the three Net Marvels sets from Panini's Donruss brand and the message will be clear. The card's loud look, coupled with a unique design, makes the player on it look larger than life. And like other NBA card inserts in this list, one can find All-Stars like LeBron James, Ja Morant, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Joel Embiid here.
But among the three editions of Net Marvels, the first one is still regarded as the best-looking and more valuable of them all. Just take this Luka Doncic card encased in a PSA 10 slab, which went for $2,997 in the market recently.
These five NBA card inserts are just the tip of the iceberg. Panini has been offering a lot of enthralling designs for the past few years and they'll do so as long for the foreseeable future. But without a doubt, these five inserts above will always remain favorites in the hobby.
Follow Us
Subscribe