There seems to be a lot of confusion out there on the upcoming MJ Panini cards, from exactly how many different cards will be released, to specific questions involving the special parallel cards, numbered cards, inserts, memorabilia and costume cards, to questions involving the contents within each 24 pack “hobby box.” We hope you find this useful, and feel free to email us if you have any further questions!
How many cards are in the entire base card set, and how many are within each sub-set?
The cards form a 190 base card set that consists of commons and four complete sub-sets: "Achievement Cards", "Decade Cards", "Top Ten Cards", and "Number One Cards", as detailed below:
- 112 Commons: Various Photos and informative text on Michael from the late 70’s through 2009
- 20 Achievement Cards: Sub-set documenting several of his Grammy and Guinness World Record Awards
- 30 Decade Cards: Sub-set that includes ten cards from the 80's, ten from the 90's and ten from the 2000's, each focusing on specific events within each decade
- 15 Top Tens: Sub-set featuring information on 15 of MJ’s Top Ten Songs
- 13 Number Ones: Sub-set featuring Michael’s 13 Number One Hits. Panini recently released images of the full sub-set (front and back) here.
What are the “parallel cards”?
Each of the above 190 base cards will be printed in limited runs of special “parallel cards” which come in the following numbered editions: Gold (numbered to 500), Platinum (numbered to 100), and Diamond (numbered to only 10). Each of these parallel cards are coated in a shiny metallic foil.
What’s inside each “Hobby Box”?
Each “Hobby Box” contains 24 packs of cards (with 5 cards in each pack), for a total of 120 cards per box. Panini states that each hobby box will contain at least 8 Achievement cards, 12 Decades, 6 Top Tens, 6 Number Ones and at least 3 Gold Parallels (which are limited and numbered to 500 for each as per the above).
Exactly what are these limited “insert cards” and in what quantity were they printed in?
In addition to the 190 base cards, and the corresponding “parallel cards”, Panini has produced a very limited run of 59 different insert cards, including genuine COSTUME SWATCHES from clothing MJ wore in concert during the J5’s second world tour. A complete list of the 59 insert cards and the quantity that each was produced in was exclusively released by MJJCollectors.com last month right here.
What are the odds of finding one of these special insert cards?
The hobby boxes come in a sealed case of 20 boxes per case. Panini states that each sealed case contains at least FOUR limited insert cards, which is at least ONE of each of the following:
- Diamond Parallel (which are numbered to only 10 per base card, as per the above)
- Number Ones Deluxe (which are numbered according to the year of release, i.e.: “Beat It” is numbered to only 83 as it was released in 1983)
- Black or White Card (special card sub-set with foil stamping)
- Memorabilia Card (one of the “costume swatch” cards named “Eclectic Threads,” “Televised Fashions” or “Jackson Live”, most of which are numbered to only 99 or less. Some of these cards are “dual swatch” meaning there are TWO swatches on the card including both shirt and pants!)
Again, you can view a complete list of insert cards and the quantities they were produced in here.
Based on the above, and since each sealed case contains 20 hobby boxes, the odds of you finding one of the special “costume swatch” cards, for example, is 5% (1 out of 20). If you buy three boxes, those odds increase to 15%. The odds of there being any one of the four insert cards are much greater, but of course the only way to be 100% sure of finding all four is to buy a sealed case! If you are interested in pricing for a complete sealed case of 20 hobby boxes, please email us.
Aside from the “hobby boxes”, does Panini plan to offer the cards in any other format? Why did you stop selling the “Blaster” boxes?
Originally, Panini planned to release the cards in two formats: the 12 pack “Blaster” boxes, and the 24 pack “hobby boxes.” The Blaster boxes were a standalone product that were NOT going to include any of the special limited or insert cards. Because interest was so high in the cards and packs contained within the hobby boxes (since all of the numbered, insert, and memorabilia cards are contained inside there), we are now being told that Panini plans to only release the 24 pack hobby boxes. If you have already pre-ordered one or more of the 12 pack “Blaster” boxes from us, please email us for very special upgrade pricing! ;-) Otherwise, we will fulfill these orders with the packs contained directly from within the hobby boxes, which of course are MUCH more valuable packs since they can potentially contain the valuable insert and memorabilia cards!!
After the cards are released, how can I find the cards I am looking for or trade with others?
No doubt, as soon as the cards are released, various card dealers will be auctioning off individual insert cards, and it is very likely that some of the costume swatch cards could be worth as much as $150-200+ each! If you are also interested in trading with other collectors, we have a special thread on our forum where everyone will be able to find and trade for the cards they are looking for to help each of us complete our collections!
Will there be any companion products with this release, such as a custom “MJ-themed” binder?
Unfortunately, Panini America has no current plans to release any promotional or companion products with this release, including a custom binder. What we suggest to collectors is to get a generic binder that has a clear insert pocket on the front so you can insert a custom color MJ photo in it or other artwork. We sell these in our Shop (along with the card sleeves), or you can find them at office supplies stores.
Why should I pre-order before the cards are released June 8th?
Panini has made it clear to all retailers that once the initial pre-orders are fulfilled, NO MORE product will be made available for reorder since they expect to sell out of stock as soon as the cards hit USA stores next month. Due to these limited supplies, we can only fill orders for the remaining hobby boxes on a "pre-order" basis. There are still three ways you can ensure that you don’t miss out on your chance to own a piece of collecting HIStory before they sell out!
1) This "buy it now" for THREE sealed hobby boxes (for only $229). This Ebay auction expires tomorrow, and this will be the LAST set sale we offer on Ebay until next month.
2) An MJJCollectors.com EXCLUSIVE Ebay auction for FIVE sealed hobby boxes. This listing ends this MONDAY, so be sure to add it to your “Watch List” and submit your final bid before the auction closes!
3) And finally, you can still order a limited supply of the hobby box sets by the individual box at our Shop.
Since their announcement late last year, these cards have been THE talk of the Michael Jackson and collector card world--merging the “King Of Pop” with the very first card series featuring numbered and memorabilia cards from his own stage-worn clothing. This HIStoric collectible is less than two weeks away...
Brace Yourself!!
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