2023 Donruss Elite Football Preview: An Elite Investment? [Checklist Added]

Donruss Elite has been around for twenty years, and this year it’s back and looking as sharp as ever. But with mostly college-jersey cards and a price that’s in the same ballpark (football stadium?) as other brands, is Elite a rip, hold or pass?

Let’s find out with the 2023 Donruss Elite Football review.

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An Introduction to Donruss 2023 Elite Football

Got your pockets ready? The 2023 Donruss Elite Football hobby boxes, which are set to release on August 30th, 2023 are up for grabs at a pre-order price of $275, putting them squarely in the same range as competing brands that, while they aren’t released yet, will at least have NFL-licensed cards.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Hold on to your skepticism—let’s dive into whether this tag is a treasure or a trap.

Each box contains 100 cards in 20 packs of 5, and here’s what you get:

• 2 Autographs 
• 1 Memorabilia Card 
• 3 Rookie Cards 
• 6 Parallel
• 11 Inserts 

Panini really leans into the “legacy” of this product. They’re making a sales pitch by touting the classic inserts and features they’ve managed to retain. But, hang on tight, as they’re throwing in a twist of “innovations” to juice up the excitement.

Included in this is the all-new “High Life,” which is replacing “Ascension” from a year prior. It shouldn’t matter much, though. Neither will carry much value in five years. 

As always, the crowning glory for 2023 Donruss Elite is the first-annual on-card autographs of 2023 rookies proudly donning their NFL uniforms. It’s the rookie autograph aficionado’s dream come true—or so they say.

There’s a new case hit, too. And it’s really weird. Look for MVPBound, LombardiBound, and GOATBound. Forget just first names—now we’re getting personal with the middle names of the legends.

Patrick Lavon Mahomes II, Peyton Williams Manning, and Joseph Clifford Montana, Jr are some of the subjects. Panini is going deep in the bag to make middle names a selling point for cards. 

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Unpacking the Donruss Elite Football 2023 collection 

While there’s a lot to desire, Elite does look good. The cards are accented in eye-catching foil, a grand total of 100 base cards gracing the collection. Just a heads-up: the rookies are playing dress-up in their college uniforms—except for those Pen Pals autographs. Looks like long-term value is taking a back seat.

Parallels and inserts

This year’s Elite has the same numbering system with slightly different colors. 

• Razzle Dazzle
• Orange – #/399
• Maroon – #/149
• Blue – #/99
• Aspirations – #/99 or less
• Status – #/99 or less
• Purple – #/49
• Black – #/25
• Gold – #/10
• Elite – 1/1

Don’t sleep on the enigmatic Razzle Dazzle parallels—oh-so-rare, but not important enough to be numbered. Panini’s spinning the rarity wheel on these, so cross your fingers and hope for the best.

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An Donruss Football Elite lineup: Autos, inserts, and jerseys

Let’s look at the hits we can expect to chase in Elite.

Moxie cards are making a splashy 2023 return adorned with jerseys or patches that flaunt a vivid, vibrant design.

Of course, the Pen Pals insert is back and bolder than ever, showcasing those raw rookie talents putting pen to paper. But that’s not all; Panini’s throwing a curveball with Pen Pals co-signer cards—teaming up college buddies, NFL teammates and top-dog talents to ensure the cards, in the future, feature one great player and another that is sabotaging the value. 

 Team Lineage features three autographs from the same franchise.

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The bait and the bite: 2023 Donruss Elite Football value review

The million-dollar question: Is the 2023 Elite Football Collection worth the dice roll? We’re here to put the pieces together and see if the puzzle’s complete.

If you’re thinking about ripping this box, don’t count on rookie cards to refill your wallet unless you snag a low-numbered gem. All eyes are on the autographs to work their magic—the Bryce Young Pen Pals autograph could potentially demand somewhere between $500-$600 bill. But, banking on scoring a superstar’s autograph is just a shot in the dark.

While the rookie cards are limited to 3 per box, they don’t age well. You can pick up a Justin Herbert for less than $40 right now on eBay. 

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So is it a good hold as a sealed product?

Here’s the value of the last few years based on recent sales (8/8/23)

• 2022: $300
• 2021: $320
• 2020: $525
• 2019: $305
• 2018: $405
• 2017: $1200

As always, 2017 sold for a lot thanks to Patrick Mahomes. 

But there’s more silver lining: when I outline the values for football products, 2019 and 2022 are always the lowest on the list because of the weaker rookie classes. And while that still holds true here, it’s nice that every single box is reselling for more than the 2023 box is pre-ordering for.

While it’s not a great product, it doesn’t seem too risky of an investment as a sealed box. I don’t think you’ll make a lot of money and I’d still recommend investing in other products, but I also wouldn’t think it’s crazy to pull the trigger if you’re interested. 

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Bottom line: Rip, hold or pass?

Seeking a golden ticket to fortune? Well, the 2023 Elite Football Collection might not be your pot of gold. Expecting to turn a profit from box openings? You might be better off banking on a lucky lottery ticket. Holding a sealed product is probably your best bet with Elite.

But wait, there’s a silver lining! If you’re all about aesthetics and aren’t gunning for a money-making venture, taking the plunge with box openings could be a roller-coaster ride of fun. 

What do you think of this product? What will it be worth in 5 years? Let us know on Twitter @card_lines.

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2023 Donruss Elite Football checklist

See below for a fully searchable checklist of 2023 Donruss Elite Football