2024 Panini Obsidian Football: A Dark Horse With Bright Spots

Panini’s Obsidian Football returns for the 2024 NFL season, bringing its signature dark Opti-Chrome design and a lineup that includes both seasoned veterans and the year’s standout rookies.

With a configuration of 1 pack per box and 7 cards per pack, each hobby box promises a concentrated burst of premium content. However, collectors should be aware of certain limitations and red flags with this set.

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An Introduction to 2024 Panini Obsidian Football

Scheduled for release on March 5, 2025 at $525/box, 2024 Obsidian Football offers a sleek and modern aesthetic, with each hobby box containing:

• 1 Patch Autograph
• 1 Additional Autograph
• 2 Memorabilia Cards
• 1 Insert or Insert Parallel
• 2 Base or Base Parallel Cards

A few red flags with 2024 Panini Obsidian Football

While Obsidian Football boasts a visually striking design and a robust card lineup, there are notable concerns:

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Limited Rookie Autographs

Due to exclusive agreements with other companies, several top rookies from the 2024 class, such as Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye, do not have autographs in this product.

This absence may disappoint collectors seeking signatures from these high-profile newcomers.

High-Risk, High-Reward Configuration

With only 7 cards per box—2 of which are autographs of non-top 4 rookies—and a premium price point, the product offers limited opportunities to recoup investment through high-value pulls. Collectors should be prepared for not landing a major hit in every box.

A breakdown of cards in 2024 Obsidian Football

For those considering diving into 2024 Obsidian Football, here’s what to expect:

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Base set and parallels

The base set features a mix of veteran stars and promising rookies, all showcased against the brand’s trademark dark Opti-Chrome finish. Parallels, known as Electric Etch, come in various colors and rarities, including:

• Purple: Numbered to 75
• Orange: Numbered to 49
• Green: Numbered to 25
• Yellow: Numbered to 10
• Red: Numbered to 8
• Deep Sea Mojo: Numbered to 5
• Blue Finite: One-of-one

Autographs and Memorabilia Cards

Despite the absence of certain top rookies, the autograph lineup includes:

• Rookie Jersey Autographs: Featuring rookies paired with jersey swatches and signatures.
• Matrix Material Autographs: Combining memorabilia pieces with player autographs in a matrix-style design.
• Lightning Strike Signatures: Showcasing autographs in a dynamic lightning-themed design.

Each subset offers a range of parallels, enhancing their appeal to collectors seeking rare and unique cards. And, remember, you can still at least hit autos of Michael Penix Jr and JJ McCarthy.

Inserts and Super Short Prints (SSPs)

The set introduces several eye-catching inserts, some designated as Super Short Prints (SSPs), including:

• Vitreous: Showcasing players in a dynamic design, presented without die-cuts this year.
• Black Color Blast: A dark twist on the popular Color Blast series, featuring vibrant player imagery against a black background.
• Black Stained Glass: New for 2024, presenting players in a striking, mosaic-like design.

These SSP inserts are designed to be rare and highly desirable, often becoming centerpiece items in collections.

Investing in sealed boxes of Obsidian Football

The premium nature of Obsidian Football, combined with its high-risk, high-reward configuration, suggests that sealed boxes may appreciate over time.. but do they? 

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Here’s a list of how the last few years are reselling (as of 2/22/25).

• 2024 (pre-sell): $525
• 2023: $369
• 2022: $330
• 2021: $350
• 2020: $950

Based on these numbers, the only box that’s selling for more than the 2024 box is 2020 – a class that includes Hurts, Burrow, Herbert, Love, Jefferson, Tua and more.

And while the 2024 draft class is very deep, the lack of rookie autographs from the top rookies should hurt the price a lot more than Panini is baking into the release. 

At $525 a box for a box that contains 30% autographs, I’m staying clear away from the box at release price. 

Investing in Obsidian Football singles

In the case of 2024 Obsidian, the only cards to consider are the rookie cards or the SSPs. The Black Colorblast and Black Stained glass, in particular. If you can get one at a good price and hold, it could pay off. 

The 2024 rookie class is full of potential – one of the best we’ve seen in the last decade – so this product might not be a bad long-term hold. 

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In conclusion: Should you rip, hold or pass on 2024 Obsidian Football

So, is 2024 Obsidian Football worth your investment? 

Probably not. 

It’s certainly not a product I’d recommend buying to rip or hold, especially at a release day price north of $500. But if you can snag a couple SSPs or rookie parallels, those could age well based on the player on the face of the card. 

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