Panini Illusions Football is known for its distinctive holographic designs. They also include several interesting case hits that use the unique design concept to its best advantage. Illusions also has more autos than most Panini releases.
However, the line is not particularly popular and is known for its low value; even some of the “best” cards in the product suffer. In addition, the current crop of Panini releases suffers because many of the best rookies are partaking in exclusive contracts with Fanatics.
So, is this a terrible release? Or are we looking at a successful installment of a product with a niche audience? Find out in our 2024 Panini Illusions Football review.
The company debuted Panini Illusions Football in 2017. The box had five hits: an autographed memorabilia card, two other autographs, and a regular memorabilia card.
That year, the base set was based on a nifty premise: it matched a current star with a legend from the same team. So, for example, you would get your Dak Prescott with a piping hot side serving of Tony Romo. Autographs were plentiful, although they were sticker auto only.
The inserts were very different from the other cards, stressing an acetate stock and taking advantage of the design opportunities that it provides. Meanwhile, the designs were futuristic without being alienating. It was a nice product that was generally well-received. But it didn’t make a massive impact.
The following releases settled into increasingly colorful takes on 1990s designs. In 2018, they continued to feature the combined veteran and current player scheme, adding to the nostalgia.
However, starting in 2019, Panini decided to use two images of the same player instead. That was a controversial move, which lost some of its vintage-oriented fans while gaining some ultra-modern-oriented consumers. The old concept remained in some inserts and variations.
The array of hits has not changed all that much over the years. Now, three auto cards and two memorabilia cards are in the box. That means they no longer guarantee an auto patch card, though most boxes still feature them.
Now, you can also expect to hit 5 parallels in every box, which is an improvement. Those little perks have helped Illusions maintain enough of a following to survive but not necessarily to thrive.
Now we get to everyone’s favorite part of the review: how far behind is Panini? We can’t tell you yet because the release date has to be decided. But hopefully not too far after the date for the last box, which was March 13, 2024. If it is around then, it will not be too late by Panini standards.
The Panini Illusions product is a combination of hobby and retail release. It was never intended to be high-end, and when card-selling times are tough, it is often the last football product on the shelves.
So far, we only have the specifications for the hobby box. Therefore, we will estimate what the others will look like until we have more information.
The main advantage of Panini Illusions is its attractive and unique design, which sells for a relatively modest price. Granted, $300 isn’t a reasonable price for a set that is not desirable on the market, but that is inexpensive.
Because there is no considerable demand, Illusions has a relatively low print run. It is said to be around 2,000 boxes, which is very modest by today’s standards. Getting Illusion hobby boxes is harder than getting other products.
That gives it an exclusive atmosphere and keeps the cards from being overprinted. Nonetheless, that has minimal influence on raising the resale value. But it could help with card prices in the future.
Finally, there are quite a few autos in this release. We won’t hold the fact that these are sticker autos against the release. At that price point, we would expect nothing less. Early on, the release included points for redemption instead of autos. But after persistent complaints, you now get three autos per box. A firm number for the price.
We listed the price as a pro, but some think the current level is a con. As one Blowout forums user joked, “Boxes carry a suggested retail price of $250? Well, here’s the first illusion.”
I will do the same thing for the design. Yes, Illusions often has beautiful designs. However, the 2024 version isn’t one of those. All of the mockups look pretty bad. The word that comes to mind is cheap. Sorry, but it’s true. In its early incarnations, people discussed the design as a notable advantage. Now you hear that less and less.
But Panini Illusions’s main drawback is almost intangible. It is one of the most notable non-notable releases of the year. In other words, when people think of products they would not mind seeing cut from the annual schedule, Illusions often come to mind.
The decision to cut the veterans from the card design removed much of what was special about these cards.
When Panini Illusions first came out, it relied heavily on its base cards. However, that has changed over time. It has since become more of an insert and auto-first release.
Either way, the 2024 Panini Illusions Football base set will have around 140 cards. The number changes from release to release.
There were 134 in the 2023 release and 42 in the 2022 product. Meanwhile, the hobby boxes will come with serial-numbered Trophy Collection parallels at a rate of five per hobby box. These also have auto versions.
We don’t have the parallel information yet. But Illusions doesn’t usually have too many.
The 2024 rookie class has exploded in value and prestige with the rise of Jayden Daniels as one of the best rookie quarterbacks ever.
The class is also stacked elsewhere, with a strong contingent of running backs, especially wide receivers. Marvin Harrison Jr. has shown enough signs of brilliance to warrant an investment, and Malik Nabers was even better. Brock Bowers may be a future legend, but he is a tight end.
Anyway, you look at it, this is an elite group. Of course, the problem is that Williams, Drake Maye, Daniels, and Malik Nabers are all players with Fanatics exclusives. Still, some good rookie autos, like Brian Thomas Jr’s ones, are available.
The autos in Illusions are relatively unattractive at the best of times. They are sticker autos and often come in designs that seem less than thought out.
In 2024 Panini Illusions Football, the problem is compounded by the fact that the best rookies do not have autos included in the release. This has become a depressingly common problem for Panini releases last year. Still, let’s see what is on offer.
The most desirable autos on a typical year, First Impressions Autographed Memorabilia, are RPAs with an unremarkable striped design. The dual auto rookie card, the Rookie Reflections Dual Patch Autographs, is somehow even less attractive.
The auto that has the most of that traditional Illusions type of charm is Elusive Ink. They are also designed to make the stickers less intrusive. They are the best-looking by far. Other autos are on the checklist, including Rookie Signs and Prodigy Endorsements.
Most releases of Illusions of relatively low caliber have inserts as an afterthought. However, the acetate material they are made from has always allowed them to stand out from the crowd.
The Holoheroes inserts are a particular favorite and have fans who collect them religiously. They use hologram technology very effectively if we can still call it that decades later. Despite having a pretty good reputation, these cards have very little value. Even the most desirable 1/1s go for less than $500.
You will also find the Illusionists and the Abracadabra inserts in this product. Though less well known than the Holo Heroes, Illusionists go for a similar value, and an autographed Lamar Jackson 1/1 sold recently for almost $2,500. Abracadabra is a new insert, and we look forward to seeing it.
Panini Illusions has a reputation for carrying very little value. They are traditionally about a specific design and feel. Still, the occasional card has some value. And what about wax? We crunched the numbers to see if any financial value could be had.
Here are the current prices for recent hobby boxes of Panini Illusions Football.
| 2019 Panini Illusions Football Hobby Box | $1,295 |
| 2020 Panini Illusions Football Hobby Box | $989 |
| 2021 Panini Illusions Football Hobby Box | $399 |
| 2022 Panini Illusions Football Hobby Box | $349 |
| 2023 Panini Illusions Football Hobby Box | $310 |
The 2019 and 2020 boxes go for a good chunk of change. There is no way the 2024 box without the best rookie autos will go for the same. But even the weaker years are worth more than the current new price.
That probably has to do with the low print runs that this product is known for. It is hard to believe you will make any money stashing away 2024 Panini Illusions Football wax. But it may end up being more or less a wash. And if you have any old boxes of Illusions, you can pay off your mortgage!
Illusions has some attractive cards and a good amount of fans. Do the singles carry enough value to justify busting some boxes?
Of course, all the top cards from Illusions were Patrick Mahome rookies. So, I only put one on the list. Going further down the sales list, I discovered a fairly robust list of autos worth around $1,000 if they are low-count autos.
That means the cards are worth 3 or 4 times the box, which isn’t bad at all. It can cover the box if you get an auto with less scarcity. The trouble is, most of the very desirable rookies do not have autos in this box.
Therefore, if you want to bust a box of Illusions, your best move is to get one from a previous year. Because 2024 is likely to disappoint.
There isn’t too much to recommend a 2024 Panini Illusions Football box. It would be a different story if it had a Jayden Daniels auto, but it doesn’t. The designs aren’t great.
The wax resale value will likely suffer for that reason, and these boxes usually only break-even, to begin with. There are other advantages to Illusions. Many people like their unique designs and the relatively affordable price. But it is hard for me to recommend it on those grounds, either.
The design seems particularly unattractive this time to me. You may disagree. It is a subjective issue, after all. But the price is too high for a product that should be a fun rip. Call me old-fashioned, but a $300 box should have more upside.
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