As we move deeper into the 2024 football card season, Gold Standard Football is here, promising another high-end release. Known for its golden themes and premium hits, this product caters to serious collectors.
But does it shine as brightly as its name suggests?
Shop for boxes of 2024 Gold Standard Football on eBay
Releasing at $439 per box, 2024 Gold Standard Football leans heavily into the premium side of collecting. Each box contains just seven cards, but five of those are autographs or memorabilia hits, with the remaining two being base cards or base parallels.
This structure places Gold Standard firmly in the “all-or-nothing” category for many collectors—either you hit big or you’re left wondering where the value went.
Let’s look at some of the drama for this year’s edition.
The product itself is well known for its intricate and visually stunning base cards and parallels that are… you guessed it, gold. The checklist includes 100 veterans, 100 rookies, and 42 Rookie Jersey Autographs (including jumbo versions), offering plenty of options for collectors chasing new talent.
Shop for boxes of 2024 Gold Standard Football on eBay
However, with only two base cards per box and most of the top talent not signing autos for Panini, you have very minimal options.
In terms of parallels, the product features a range of dazzling, high-end designs. Cards like Rookie Jersey Autographs and their jumbo counterparts are a big draw, but the odds of landing one of the top players in the set aren’t exactly in your favor.
But… that’s where the drama sets in.
At the time of writing this (9/18/24), there’s a lot of unknown.
For one, Caleb Williams seems to be absent entirely from set. Not just autographs, either – I’m talking a complete no-show. We do know that Caleb Williams has a card in 2024 Origins, but the fact that he’s not popping up on eBay for early Gold Standard rips is concerning.
There is, however, a mystery insert card that many think could be a Caleb Williams SSP. And maybe so, but I can’t figure out why Panini would intentionally omit him only to include him as a mystery SSP. Seems like self-sabotage to me.
On top of that, as I’ve mentioned in other 2024 product previews, many of the top 2024 draft picks are working exclusively with Fanatics on autographs: Caleb Williams, AD Mitchell, Malik Nabers, Brendan Rice, Jayden Daniels, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, and Drake Maye, to name a few.
These athletes agreed to no more autos with Panini, but they could still have some in this set. And, if they do, having a licensed NFL-uni auto will be a big deal to investors. Those cards could/should go for a lot of money.
One area where Gold Standard aims to stand out is in its autograph and memorabilia cards. The checklist features some of the most eye-catching cards of the season, including popular case-chase inserts like Super Bowl Diamond Signatures Dual and Golden Shield Signatures.
Cards like these are designed to stand out not just for their aesthetics but also for their limited availability, making them some of the more valuable pulls in the set… if you get one of the few top rookies still signing with Panini.
The product also reintroduces the Bullion Brand Tags Signatures, which feature jumbo swatches from jerseys, as well as the visually appealing White Gold memorabilia set.
While these cards are undoubtedly stunning, they represent the kind of high-risk, high-reward approach that can either leave collectors thrilled or disappointed, depending on what they pull.
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As with many premium products, Gold Standard includes a few SP inserts designed to make collectors chase harder. Opulence Rookie, Golden Portraits, and Nouveau Riche Patch Autographs are just a few of the short-printed options that collectors will be hunting for.
However, these SPs, like many elements of Gold Standard, are rare, making them tough to find.
Every box of Gold Standard 2024 contains the following:
While that sounds exciting on paper, the box’s hefty price and limited card count make it a high-risk proposition. For $439, you’re essentially paying over $60 per card, meaning the value needs to come from hitting a key autograph or memorabilia card.
For those who love the thrill of the chase, Gold Standard might offer enough excitement. For others, it’s a significant gamble with limited potential returns.
Shop for boxes of 2024 Gold Standard Football on eBay
Disclaimer: at this point, with all the unknowns, it’s hard to figure out how to even think about investing in this product. But, considering the release price of $430 for 2024 Luminance, let’s at least look at the value of sealed Luminance boxes in recent years (as of 9/18):
The numbers speak for themselves: this is a clear stay away at the release price. The only previous release selling for more than this product is asking for is 2020. And this year’s washed-out, watered-down product doesn’t have half the rookie autograph potential that the previous year’s do (even though 2023 doesn’t include CJ Stroud autos, either.)
Don’t buy this box anywhere near the $400 mark.
Shop for boxes of 2024 Gold Standard Football on eBay
In the case of 2024 Gold Standard, there is only one card I’m potentially buying: licensed rookie autograph cards of players that are now committed to exclusively sign with Fanatics. Again, as of 9/18, that list could include AD Mitchell, Malik Nabers, Brendan Rice, Jayden Daniels, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, and Drake Maye.
There’s a world where this product is one of very few products that has an autograph of, say, Jayden Daniels in his actual NFL jersey. If that’s the case, that card could be worth a lot of money because licensing does mean a lot to collectors.
Other than that, though, I’m out on Gold Standard… and probably most of the Panini football products to follow.
So, is 2024 Gold Standard Football worth your investment? No. I spent a long time trying to come up with an optimistic, redeeming spin for this… but have nothing. It’s a bad product and the price isn’t fair for what it offers.
The product relies heavily on its autographs and memorabilia cards while most of the top signers don’t appear on the auto checklists. It’s like fishing in a pond that’s only stocked with baitfish — you’re not going to catch anything to show off.
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