Everything You Need To Know About 2022 Flawless Football – Review And Investment Tips [Checklist Added]

Flawless Football continues to arrive in an elegant briefcase, this year releasing for $9,000 and delivering 1 pack of 10 cards.

But if you’re curious about what makes a product so distinctive (and pricey) that it’s presented in a briefcase rather than a typical cardboard box, then read on for our 2022 Flawless Review.

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2022 Flawless Football introduction

Flawless made its debut in 2014 as Panini expanded its football product lineup. Surprisingly, it predates Optic and many other mainstream brands.

Flawless stands as the crown jewel of Panini’s annual releases, and the term “jewel” is quite literal here: this product is renowned for including genuine gems within the cards themselves.

It may not have the same mass appeal as some optichrome brands, but that’s because it’s exceptionally rare and expensive.

The staggering five-figure price tag for a box (or should we say briefcase) of these cards puts it out of reach for most collectors. Additionally, its print run is significantly smaller.

Every Flawless card is meticulously numbered, underscoring the rarity of this product.

In summary, Flawless is not for everyone due to its price, but for those delving into the high-end card market, Flawless represents the pinnacle and is the reason we included it among our best NFL products to invest in.

2022 Flawless Football is currently scheduled to come out on September 20th, 2022. At this point, it looks as though Panini will release the product despite losing its license with the NLFPA last month.

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What to expect from 2022 Flawless Football

Flawless 2022 continues the tradition of excellence, building upon its super-premium history and being the single-biggest risk for any sports card collector looking to open a box. 

Each box has 6 on-card autos, 1 or 2 gems and 2 or 3 memorabilia, but remember that each card costs nearly $1,000. 

That said, the cards are rare. All of them are numbered to 25 or less. But that’s how it should be with a $9000 box. 

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2022 Flawless checklist information

Flawless doesn’t boast an extensive range of sets, so we can explore each of them in detail.

First up is the base set, although it’s not quite a typical base set as every card features a gemstone. The 2022 Panini Flawless Football Gems constitute the base set, and each card showcases a different rare material based on its rarity.

The cards begin at /20 and include the following tiers:

• Base Ruby – #/20
• Base Sapphire – #/15
• Base Diamond – #/10
• Base Emerald – #/5
• Base Platinum – 1/1

You might also strike gold with Rookies Gem Signatures, which features rookie autographs embedded with gemstones, and they share the same rarity and gemstone tiers as the base set.

The only “new” addition this year is a framed on-card autographed set with Flawless Frame Signatures, Rookie Frame Signatures, and Champions 2x, 3x and 4x Signatures. Also, be on the lookout for the all-new 1 of 1 Black Diamond parallel!

The Rookie patch autographs are a major attraction, including the Platinum 1/1 NFL shield edition (the NFL’s closest equivalent to a logoman). There’s also the Rookie Dual Patch Autographs, which showcase two patches and an autograph, all on-card for this product.

To include both legends and current stars, there are veteran patch autographs and veteran dual patch autographs.

Flawless Dual Autographs typically pair a legend with a rookie or two NFL stars, and All-Pro Ink is reserved for the cream of the crop. Other cards in the lineup encompass Flawless Duals, Rookie Booklets, Signatures Gems, Super Bowl Gems, and Veteran Booklets.

Finally, the Red, White, and Blue Booklet cards make their debut this year, featuring the NFL shield, a swatch, and an autograph. Early reports suggest this is a QB-only checklist.

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Investing in Flawless Football

Investing in Flawless unquestionably falls into the high-end category of football investments. Let’s explore the different strategies for investing in Flawless.

Investing in sealed boxes

Determining the resale value of Flawless can be somewhat challenging because there are relatively few boxes available on the market. You can reference the asking prices from resellers for previous years, but keep in mind that there’s often a substantial gap between asking price and the actual resale price.

For instance, the most recent sale of a 2020 box was $9,500, whereas the asking price for the same product at Blowout Cards was $19,000 at the time of writing, marking a 2x markup.

Given these figures, it’s advisable to exercise caution when considering purchasing a 2022 Flawless box at retail price.

While it’s an exceptional brand with many high-value cards, its price point acts as a significant barrier, limiting the potential pool of second-hand buyers and potentially affecting the resell price.

Investing in rookies

When it comes to rookie investing, I have a general rule: focus on numbered parallels (preferably graded) or low-numbered autographs.

Flawless is mainly comprised of both.

With every card numbered and autographs featured on-card, Flawless rookie autographs generally meet the criteria for solid sports card investments.

However, it’s worth emphasizing that a premium rookie autograph from Flawless can cost five figures or more. Again, it’s crucial to align your investment decisions with your budget and exercise prudence before making a substantial investment.

In conclusion: Should you rip, hold, or pass 2022 Flawless Football?

Flawless stands as the pinnacle of high-end cards. These star-studded (pun intended) cards come packaged in a briefcase, with each card numbered to 25 or fewer. The product offers a diverse array of cards, spanning rookies, veterans, and even retired legends.

While Flawless cards may not be the best long-term hold due to the limited buyer market and inherent risks, if your budget allows, investing in a Flawless autograph or Rookie Patch Autograph (RPA) could become a valuable addition to your collection, possibly serving as the crown jewel.

As for its worth in five years, that’s a challenging prediction to make, as it largely depends on the performance of featured players, the continued interest in high-end sports cards, and the availability of Flawless boxes on the market.

It’s a unique and exclusive product that could hold or appreciate in value, but it also carries inherent market risks.

What are your thoughts on this product? Where do you think its value will stand in five years? Share your insights with us on Twitter @card_lines.

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2022 Flawless Football checklist

See below for a full checklist from 2022 Flawless Football, fully sortable and searchable!