Card sets based on Americana tend to include a fun mix of
humor and nostalgia, seldom featuring the other side of what makes America
great, the people who rise up to represent the citizens of this country. With the bottomless pit of attention
paid to news about entertainers, celebrities and Honey Boo Boo Child, it is
refreshing to celebrate the people who’s accomplishments go beyond self
interest and make us proud to be a part of this nation. 2012 Panini Americana Legends &
Heroes takes a look at our Presidents, Astronauts, Tuskegee Airmen and members
of our National Sports Teams and provides an important set collectors to consider
building.
Panini Americana Legends & Heroes falls under our
classification of trading cards.
Hobby Boxes contain 18 – 10 card packs and feature 3 memorabilia or
autograph cards.
Here is a look at some of the cards we pulled.
Base Set
Presidents of the United States
George Washington, front and back
Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman
Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan
First Lady
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Barbara Bush
Astronaut
Al Worden, Dick Gordon, Scott Carpenter
Allen Bean, Kathlyn Thornton, Fred Gregory
U.S. Athletes
Bonnie Blair, Scott Hamilton
Kerri Strug, Bart Conner, Carly Patterson
Mark Spitz, Greg Louganis, Lenny Krayzelburg
Bruce Jenner, Frank Shorter, Dick Fosbury
Tuskegee Airmen
Charles McGee, Herbert Carter, Eugene Richardson
Roscoe Draper, Floyd Carter, Roscoe Brown
U.S. Women's Soccer
Alex Morgan, Abby Wamback, Hope Solo
Heather Mitts, Carli Lloyd, Kelley O'Hara
Base Set Numbered Parallels
George H.W. Bush color version #/299, Kelley O'Hara Silver Proof #/50
Inserts
Bob Beamon
Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Lisa Fernandez
Sally Ride, Edgar Mitchell
George T. Sakato, Theobald G. Wilson
Nicole Barnhart & Shannon Boxx
Amy Rodriguez, Stephanie Cox
The Hits
Edgar Mitchell Memorabilia #/299
Amy Lepeilbet Autograph #.179
Eric Heiden Autograph/Memorabilia #/99
Overall Look
Panini chose to go with all black and white photography for
the base cards, reserving color photography for numbered parallels and inserts,
a choice I feel works for this set.
The write on the back of the cards are well done. All of the inserts look great with some
really nice layout work. Hit cards are well designed and executed.
Quality and Variety of checklist.
This is a great mix of people. The corresponding numbering of the Presidents’ cards from 1
to 44 is an excellent choice, but the arrangement after that is confusing. It appears there was an original list
of cards that were done in alphabetical order according to first name and then
others were added arbitrarily within that list. A minor point but not enough to detract from the subjects on
the cards, like the inclusion of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Do the hits hold up?
I really like these hits. The sticker autos are placed neatly on the cards and blend
in with the design. There are lots
of desirable hits with good secondary market values like the top members of the
US Women’s Soccer team and others.
The highlights of the product are the four Eisenhower cut signature
cards that include an actual U.S. Army General’s star from his uniform.
Will you want to collect them all?
This is one of those sets that should be highly desirable
for set builders. At the
very least you will want to one of the complete 125 base card sets.
Rating
5 out of 5
2012 Panini Americana Legends & Heroes is a great
tribute to a group of people worthy of recognition.
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