Panini May Have Just Leaked Their Next Big Card
In 2016, Panini introduced a product called Panini Studio. This product debuted a card that would go on to become one of the most iconic in the sports card industry: the Downtown insert. After Studio failed to return in 2017, the card was included in Panini Cornerstones and eventually found its way into Panini One and One in 2019, before finally becoming a staple of Donruss and Optic.
The Downtown insert has consistently commanded high prices on the secondary market, with multiple sales in the five-figure range. With some sales even going to the 6 figure price tag.
As with many football inserts, rookie cards are the primary chase for collectors. For example, a Joe Burrow Downtown from his rookie year sold for an impressive $108,000.
However, the 2023 version of the Downtown insert faced controversy when collectors noticed a significantly higher print run than anticipated. Over the summer of 2024, Panini even issued a statement addressing the issue.
UPDATE: On Donruss Optic “Downtown”
— Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) August 2, 2024
Earlier this week we became aware of a manufacturing issue with First Off The Line (FOTL) Donruss Football Optic & a collation issue related to the Downtown insert.
After conducting a 72 hour onsite audit at a new print manufacturer, we…
Panini is known for not making statements when controversy happens so collectors and people on social media were surprised to see them comment on what happened with the cards.
The 2023 Downtown checklist featured 20 players, with the total number of cards in the set rising to 9,762, a sharp increase from 6,481 in 2022. In 2024, Panini introduced a new concept to the Downtown series: Oversized Downtowns. These oversized cards were a guaranteed hit in the 2024 Donruss NFL bundle, which was available for purchase at Costco.
2024 Donruss NFL bundle at Costco! #ad https://t.co/GZTUuwAeAv pic.twitter.com/yM3OD3figa
— Card Purchaser (@CardPurchaser) October 12, 2024
Additionally, it now appears that Optic Football will not only include Downtown inserts but also a new card called “Downtown Duos.”
Downtown Duos? Uptowns? Surprised no one is talking about those pic.twitter.com/rEsZEMZes0
— TKO Cards (@TKOCards) November 29, 2024
While no images of the Downtown Duos have been released yet, collectors have noticed the mention of the card on the side of Optic Football packaging, which has been shared online.
Panini has made efforts to increase accessibility to rare cards, but these moves have been met with mixed reactions from collectors. For instance, the decision to make Panini Select available in retail stores drew criticism. Previously, Select was exclusive to hobby shops, making its cards harder to find, which was part of the set's appeal.
Adam has been a sports content creator since 2016, initially focusing on creating sports-related graphics for his Instagram page. In 2018, he transitioned to writing and podcasting about sports cards. Since then, he has worked both independently and with companies within the industry, producing podcasts, videos, and written content on sports cards.