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Panini Obsidian Football 2022 Review: Is It Worth The Investment? [Checklist Updated]

panini obsidian football

With a release date of March 24th, 2023, Obsidian Football is back for another year and ready to black out our take on football cards. 

The seven card boxes carry risk at $500 per box, but in this article, we’ll break down the product, what you can pull from it, and most importantly, decide the best way to approach Obsidian as investors. 

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2022 Panini Obsidian Football product Introduction

Panini Obsidian Football, named after the volcanic glass, is known for its sleek, black design and unique cardstock.

Obsidian Football was first released in 2018 and has since become a popular choice among collectors. While it’s not one of the most popular brands, per se, it can be one of the most valuable. The cards look great and the right low-numbered pull can easily be a 4-figure card. 

Each box typically contains 4 autographs or memorabilia card, and 1 base cards and 2 electric etch parallels. Some boxes may also include additional inserts or autographs.

Shop for 2022 Panini Obsidian Football boxes on eBay

A Mahomes Electric Etch parallel

What’s new in Panini 2022 Obsidian Football?

Going into its fifth release, Obsidian has done a good job innovating the design and offering to demand popularity. It’s a tough sell at $500/box, which is what the 2022 cards are releasing for, but the brand has done its best to make that kind of price at least feel reasonable.

This year continues the same trend of innovation. 

The Electric Etch Parallels are some of the nicest-looking football cards to hit that market every year, and they return as the parallels to chase in Obsidian. 

There’s also an Obsidian version of the Color Blast SSP called “Color Blast Black,” which darkens the color blast card but still demands a big resell price. Also returning are Tunnel Vision, Super Nova, and Vitreous inserts.

Shop for 2022 Panini Obsidian Football boxes on eBay 

The iconic Color Blast Black.

So what’s new in 2022? This year introduces the Electric Etch Neon Mojo Parallel, which will be /5, and new sets include Magmatic Signatures, Orbital, and Galaxy Ink 

As far as the autographs go, here’s the lineup and who you can expect to pull:

  • Rookie Jersey Autos: No need to explain this one. The name’s as on-the-nose as possible.
  • Rookie Jersey Ink: Another version of an RPA. These appear to be vertical while the Rookie Jersey Autos are horizontal cards. 
  • Aurora Autogs, Lighting Strix, Matrix Material Autos: Different sets that highlight past and present stars. Veterans and retired players. 
  • Galaxy Inx and Magmatic Signatures: Galaxy Ink appears to be more retired players, based on the checklist, while Magmatic Signatures is more active vets, except for Zach Wilson, who might be retired soon.
Rookie Jersey Auto (This is the 1/1 Blue Etch)
Rookie Jersey Ink

The 2022 Obsidian Football formats

Obsidian will be released in two formats. Here’s a breakdown of everything we can expect.

2022 Obsidian Football Hobby Box

  • 4 autographs or memorabilia
  • 2 parallels or inserts
  • 1 base card

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2022 Obsidian Football FOTL bobby box

  • 1 Rookie Jersey Auto Purple Flood (#/35) or White Mojo (#/10)
  • 3 Additional Autographs or Relics
  • 1 Purple Flood Parallel (#/16)
  • 1 Additional Parallel or Insert
  • 1 Base

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2022 Obsidian Football checklist

One thing that’s notable about Obsidian cards is that they’re progressively getting less… Obsidian. The dark-background cards have more color introduced every year, from parallels to the Electrc Etch cards. 

Here’s a look at this year’s hobby colors:

  • Electric Etch Contra
  • Electric Etch Purple – #/100
  • Electric Etch Orange – #/75
  • Electric Etch Green – #/50
  • Electric Etch Red Flood – #/29
  • Electric Etch Yellow – #/25
  • Electric Etch Purple Flood – #/16
  • Electric Etch Gold Flood – #/10
  • Electric Etch Red – #/10
  • Electric Neon Mojo – #/5
  • Electric Etch Blue Finite – 1/1

Panini 2022 Obsidian Football value

If you’re hoping to invest in Obsidian 2022, the first question to answer is if you should buy singles or wax.

Wax value

Let’s look at the two most popular formats of Obsidian.

Hobby Boxes

This year’s Obsidian boxes are selling for $500 pre-order. Let’s look at the last few years of Obsidian and recent sales (as of 3/23/23):

ReleaseValue
2018 Obsidian Football$775
2019 Obsidian Football$350
2020 Obsidian Football$1050
2021 Obsidian Football$530

Shop for your own Obsidian football hobby boxes right here.

The assessment here is going to be a lot like the other value analyst I’ve offered for 2022 brands: the pitfall of the value in this class with be the rookies. 

As you can see above, the rookies included make a huge difference. 2019 is the weakest rookie class on this list, while 2020 (with Burrow, Herbert, Jefferson and more) is by far the best. The difference is reflected in the price.

That said, age and print runs should both be considered. The older the product is, the more valuable it should become since it’s harder to find sealed. And recent releases (2020 and later, I’d say), have a higher print run when Panini really kicked it into overdrive. This lowers value. We can’t see for certain, but I’d bet 2018 Obsidian has half the print run of 2022 (or even less). 

There’s no secret that the 2022 class isn’t exciting. The best player is Sauce Garner, and defensive cards never hold value long-term. With this in mind, consider 2019 a better recent comp than any of the other draft classes listed above. And, if that’s the case, don’t buy into Obsidian 2022 at the release price. It will drop, and if it hits around $300 or $350, that’s the time to get some exposure to it. 

Obsidian Football 2022 singles value

Thanks to the low print run, Obsidian Singles is an attractive investment. It’s a brand that is pretty mainstream as far as 7-card boxes go, so having the right RPA from Obsidian could translate to big bucks down the road. 

But caution: don’t buy the first Obsidian cards that appear on eBay for this year. The price will inevitably drop as the supply meets the demand.

Bottomline of the 2022 Obsidian Football review

While the Obsidian 2022 release might be coming significantly later than we’d hope and most collectors are already eyeing 2023, it still provides some beautiful cards that can demand a pretty penny if you have the right pulls. 

2022 Obsidian Football is not a must-buy by any means. I’ll almost certainly stay away. It’s not a great rip, either—probably better to hold sealed or buy singles. 

What do you plan on doing with 2022 Obsidian? Let us know on Twitter @card_lines, and be sure to sign up for our free newsletter, delivering hobby news into your inbox twice a week.

Shop for 2022 Obsidian Football hobby boxes on eBay

Full 2022 Obsidian Football checklist

wdt_ID Set Player Team Position Card number Number of cards
1 Atomic Material Dalvin Cook Minnesota Vikings RB 1 125
2 Atomic Material Joe Mixon Cincinnati Bengals RB 2 125
3 Atomic Material AJ Dillon Green Bay Packers RB 3 125
4 Atomic Material Travis Etienne Jr. Jacksonville Jaguars RB 4 125
5 Atomic Material Derrick Henry Tennessee Titans RB 5 125
6 Atomic Material Ezekiel Elliott Dallas Cowboys RB 6 125
7 Atomic Material David Montgomery Chicago Bears RB 7 125
8 Atomic Material Eli Mitchell San Francisco 49ers RB 8 125
9 Atomic Material Clyde Edwards-Helaire Kansas City Chiefs RB 9 125
10 Atomic Material Tee Higgins Cincinnati Bengals WR 10 125
11 Atomic Material Davante Adams Las Vegas Raiders WR 11 125
12 Atomic Material James Robinson New York Jets RB 12 125
13 Atomic Material Deebo Samuel San Francisco 49ers WR 13 125
14 Atomic Material Tyreek Hill Miami Dolphins WR 14 125
15 Atomic Material Chris Godwin Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR 15 125
16 Atomic Material Rashod Bateman Baltimore Ravens WR 16 125
17 Atomic Material Courtland Sutton Denver Broncos WR 17 125
18 Atomic Material Elijah Moore New York Jets WR 18 125
19 Atomic Material DeVonta Smith Philadelphia Eagles WR 19 125
20 Atomic Material Amon-Ra St. Brown Detroit Lions WR 20 125
21 Atomic Material Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers QB 21 125
22 Atomic Material Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers QB 22 125
23 Atomic Material Derek Carr Las Vegas Raiders QB 23 125
24 Atomic Material Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins QB 24 125
25 Atomic Material Davis Mills Houston Texans QB 25 125
26 Atomic Material Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams QB 26 125
27 Atomic Material Dallas Goedert Philadelphia Eagles TE 27 125
28 Atomic Material Nick Chubb Cleveland Browns RB 28 125
29 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Dalvin Cook Minnesota Vikings RB 1 1
30 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Joe Mixon Cincinnati Bengals RB 2 1
31 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite AJ Dillon Green Bay Packers RB 3 1
32 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Travis Etienne Jr. Jacksonville Jaguars RB 4 1
33 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Derrick Henry Tennessee Titans RB 5 1
34 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Ezekiel Elliott Dallas Cowboys RB 6 1
35 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite David Montgomery Chicago Bears RB 7 1
36 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Eli Mitchell San Francisco 49ers RB 8 1
37 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Clyde Edwards-Helaire Kansas City Chiefs RB 9 1
38 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Tee Higgins Cincinnati Bengals WR 10 1
39 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Davante Adams Las Vegas Raiders WR 11 1
40 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite James Robinson New York Jets RB 12 1
41 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Deebo Samuel San Francisco 49ers WR 13 1
42 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Tyreek Hill Miami Dolphins WR 14 1
43 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Chris Godwin Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR 15 1
44 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Rashod Bateman Baltimore Ravens WR 16 1
45 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Courtland Sutton Denver Broncos WR 17 1
46 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Elijah Moore New York Jets WR 18 1
47 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite DeVonta Smith Philadelphia Eagles WR 19 1
48 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Amon-Ra St. Brown Detroit Lions WR 20 1
49 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers QB 21 1
50 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers QB 22 1
51 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Derek Carr Las Vegas Raiders QB 23 1
52 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins QB 24 1
53 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Davis Mills Houston Texans QB 25 1
54 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams QB 26 1
55 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Dallas Goedert Philadelphia Eagles TE 27 1
56 Atomic Material Electric Etch Blue Finite Nick Chubb Cleveland Browns RB 28 1
57 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Dalvin Cook Minnesota Vikings RB 1 50
58 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Joe Mixon Cincinnati Bengals RB 2 50
59 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green AJ Dillon Green Bay Packers RB 3 50
60 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Travis Etienne Jr. Jacksonville Jaguars RB 4 50
61 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Derrick Henry Tennessee Titans RB 5 50
62 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Ezekiel Elliott Dallas Cowboys RB 6 50
63 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green David Montgomery Chicago Bears RB 7 50
64 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Eli Mitchell San Francisco 49ers RB 8 50
65 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Clyde Edwards-Helaire Kansas City Chiefs RB 9 50
66 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Tee Higgins Cincinnati Bengals WR 10 50
67 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Davante Adams Las Vegas Raiders WR 11 50
68 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green James Robinson New York Jets RB 12 50
69 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Deebo Samuel San Francisco 49ers WR 13 50
70 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Tyreek Hill Miami Dolphins WR 14 50
71 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Chris Godwin Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR 15 50
72 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Rashod Bateman Baltimore Ravens WR 16 50
73 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Courtland Sutton Denver Broncos WR 17 50
74 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Elijah Moore New York Jets WR 18 50
75 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green DeVonta Smith Philadelphia Eagles WR 19 50
76 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Amon-Ra St. Brown Detroit Lions WR 20 50
77 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers QB 21 50
78 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers QB 22 50
79 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Derek Carr Las Vegas Raiders QB 23 50
80 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins QB 24 50
81 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Davis Mills Houston Texans QB 25 50
82 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams QB 26 50
83 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Dallas Goedert Philadelphia Eagles TE 27 50
84 Atomic Material Electric Etch Green Nick Chubb Cleveland Browns RB 28 50
85 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Dalvin Cook Minnesota Vikings RB 1 75
86 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Joe Mixon Cincinnati Bengals RB 2 75
87 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange AJ Dillon Green Bay Packers RB 3 75
88 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Travis Etienne Jr. Jacksonville Jaguars RB 4 75
89 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Derrick Henry Tennessee Titans RB 5 75
90 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Ezekiel Elliott Dallas Cowboys RB 6 75
91 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange David Montgomery Chicago Bears RB 7 75
92 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Eli Mitchell San Francisco 49ers RB 8 75
93 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Clyde Edwards-Helaire Kansas City Chiefs RB 9 75
94 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Tee Higgins Cincinnati Bengals WR 10 75
95 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Davante Adams Las Vegas Raiders WR 11 75
96 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange James Robinson New York Jets RB 12 75
97 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Deebo Samuel San Francisco 49ers WR 13 75
98 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Tyreek Hill Miami Dolphins WR 14 75
99 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Chris Godwin Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR 15 75
100 Atomic Material Electric Etch Orange Rashod Bateman Baltimore Ravens WR 16 75
Set Player Team Position Card number Number of cards
Jesse Haynes

Jesse Haynes

Jesse Haynes is the co-founder of Solaro Shades, an Amazon #1 Bestselling novelist, and a lifelong sports card collector. His nonfiction work has been featured in Forbes, Inc., MarketWatch and more. At CardLines, Jesse’s specialties are basketball and football cards, not to mention making informative video and Instagram content.
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