Aesthetic RCs of 2009-10

Tallboy · 05-12-2024, 02:11 PM

Alright, so I'm one of the folks who is into cards because they resonate with me aesthetically and I like going through by year in seeing what pops out to me.

RCs have such a huge place in the hobby that I think it makes sense to focus threads based on them, and focusing threads so that we're seeing the same designs pit against each other.

If there's interest, will do other threads along these lines. Starting in '09-10 because it marks the handoff between the Open era and the Panini era, and so it's a time we can go both forward and backward from with some sense of continuity.

For reference, here's b-r's 2009 draft page. I'll be going through the guys that are most worthwhile to me from that group, I expect I mostly would pick the same guys as anyone else, but those who feel passionately about any guy - even a bust if they have nostalgia for'em, should feel free to post that guy's stuff.

I'm personally going to follow a rule of only including "Best in Category" cards. Meaning, the card's got to be my favorite based on some category I care about rather than just another cool card. I'd like y'all to try to do the same. I'll list some categories, but feel free to add your own (particularly if you feel like sharing a card that doesn't fit under any existing categories).

Some categories to consider (don't feel like you need to list out for all of these combos):

w/NBA team or w/out
auto or patch or RPA or non
base or insert or parallel or insert parallel
action vs portrait

Tallboy · 05-12-2024, 02:33 PM

Devoting this post to Curry, and I'll start exactly where you'd expect me to given my avatar:

Bowman #106
-Base, Non-NBA, Portrait

It's my jam. What can I say?

Court Kings #129
-NBA, Action

Gorgeous action shots with lovely Court Kings style.
Not enthusiastic about sticker autos, but this one is done in a way that doesn't harm the aesthetic.

Exquisite #72
-Auto

Just to speak a little bit here, while the Court Kings has an auto that I like well enough it doesn't bother me that it's a sticker, the Exquisite gives the real estate to allow for a beautiful signature, which Curry takes advantage of.

National Treasures #206
-RPA

I'm not a big RPA guy because of how little room it tends to leave for photography (and auto for that matter), but I can recognize versions done well or not done well. The NT definitely the cream of that crop.

I may end up adding others to this list, but these are the best-in-category ones that pop to mind.

Chris P · 05-12-2024, 06:46 PM

For Steph, this is my favorite non auto rookie parallel. I know Topps Chrome Refractors are the cream of the crop and I certainly would want one if I can afford it, but I really prefer Steph rookies that are in his NBA uniform, not a portrait or in his Davidson uni. I love his 2009-10 Elite Status because I'm a sucker for die cuts, it's low-ish numbered and it does have a legacy behind it albeit in Football/Baseball.

Nomad · 05-13-2024, 12:00 PM

Does Elite have its roots in actual Donruss? Or did Upper Deck have an era of Donruss. This can't be Panini, right?

Chris P · 05-13-2024, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad

Does Elite have its roots in actual Donruss? Or did Upper Deck have an era of Donruss. This can't be Panini, right?

Elite was a Donruss product, Panini then aquired the Donruss properties when they got into sports cards

rynobot · 05-13-2024, 12:28 PM

The first year of Panini was just leftover Donruss designs.

Nomad · 05-13-2024, 01:10 PM

I like how Panini works with printers on their legacy die-cut brands such as Elite and Crown Royale. I wouldn't be surprised if they contract these printing assignments to the OG card producers.

GOATcards · 05-13-2024, 01:31 PM

I have one RC from that year, I think it pops eye-appeal-wise (it has a familiar 'theme' for portrait-style RCs that it does well) but I think I'd enjoy looking at it a lot more if the subject had more playoff accomplishments

edit: amazingly enough, the color palette affects eye appeal, and OKC Thunder blue (against orange+black pinstriping) pops

Nomad · 05-13-2024, 01:58 PM

Some so-called superstars get by a lot on charisma. Of course I never saw prime Harden, someone correct me.

Tallboy · 05-13-2024, 08:15 PM

Glad to see some responses!

Next: James Harden

Studio #135
-Base, NBA, Portrait (w/Action)

There's an attitude in the portrait that fits Harden, and it's nice to get him driving to the hoop there as well.

Upper Deck Draft #40
-Base, Non-NBA

Catches Harden's passing nicely.

Court Kings #145
-Action w/Auto

Consistently excellent photography from this set, and worthy starting point from the program that I would say is Panini's finest work.

National Treasures - Logoman Signatures #4
-RPA

Okay so I get it if you want to DQ this one as an insert, but to me that really isn't a meaningful distinction when we're talking about a rookie who has a base autograph in the same release.

I also feel you if the sticker auto just kills it for you as a rule. For me it typically hurts at the very least...

but Harden's auto actually looks better on the sticker than it does in the limited space of the base RPA, so that's not really a tiebreaker for me here.

Meaning, the design allowed for some excellent photography that I feel compelled to shout out. As I've said, I tend to really hate photography on cards that have a lot of real estate taken up by memorabilia, but this is really nice.

Tallboy · 05-13-2024, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rynobot

The first year of Panini was just leftover Donruss designs.

I think tracking stuff like this is really interesting.

Making a taxonomy of '09-10 Panini sub-brand roots:

Panini
Panini
Adrenalyn XL
Season Update
Stickers

Action Packed
Rookies & Stars
Rookies & Stars Longevity

Donruss
Classics
Court Kings
Elite
Limited
Studio
Threads
Timeless Treasures

Pacific
Crown Royale

Pinnacle
Certified

Playoff
Absolute
Contenders
National Treasures
Prestige

And as point of comparison, '22-23 releases with roots to the best of my knowledge:

Panini
Black
Chronicles
Flawless
Flux
Immaculate
Impeccable
Noir
Obsidian
One and One
Origins
PhotoGenic
Recon
Spectra

Donruss
Court Kings
Donruss
Elite
Optic

Pacific
Crown Royale
Prizm
Mosaic
Revolution

Pinnacle
Select

Playoff
Contenders
National Treasures

SkyBox
Hoops
Winter

05-13-2024, 12:28 PM	#6
rynobot Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 682 rynobot	The first year of Panini was just leftover Donruss designs. __________________ I'm puttin' up points like an NBA player In my city you can call me the mayor

05-13-2024, 01:31 PM	#8
GOATcards Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 6,492	I have one RC from that year, I think it pops eye-appeal-wise (it has a familiar 'theme' for portrait-style RCs that it does well) but I think I'd enjoy looking at it a lot more if the subject had more playoff accomplishments edit: amazingly enough, the color palette affects eye appeal, and OKC Thunder blue (against orange+black pinstriping) pops Last edited by GOATcards; 05-13-2024 at 01:37 PM.

05-12-2024, 02:11 PM	#1
Tallboy Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 918	Aesthetic RCs of 2009-10 Alright, so I'm one of the folks who is into cards because they resonate with me aesthetically and I like going through by year in seeing what pops out to me. RCs have such a huge place in the hobby that I think it makes sense to focus threads based on them, and focusing threads so that we're seeing the same designs pit against each other. If there's interest, will do other threads along these lines. Starting in '09-10 because it marks the handoff between the Open era and the Panini era, and so it's a time we can go both forward and backward from with some sense of continuity. For reference, here's b-r's 2009 draft page. I'll be going through the guys that are most worthwhile to me from that group, I expect I mostly would pick the same guys as anyone else, but those who feel passionately about any guy - even a bust if they have nostalgia for'em, should feel free to post that guy's stuff. I'm personally going to follow a rule of only including "Best in Category" cards. Meaning, the card's got to be my favorite based on some category I care about rather than just another cool card. I'd like y'all to try to do the same. I'll list some categories, but feel free to add your own (particularly if you feel like sharing a card that doesn't fit under any existing categories). Some categories to consider (don't feel like you need to list out for all of these combos): w/NBA team or w/out auto or patch or RPA or non base or insert or parallel or insert parallel action vs portrait

05-12-2024, 02:33 PM	#2
Tallboy Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 918	Devoting this post to Curry, and I'll start exactly where you'd expect me to given my avatar: Bowman #106 -Base, Non-NBA, Portrait It's my jam. What can I say? Court Kings #129 -NBA, Action Gorgeous action shots with lovely Court Kings style. Not enthusiastic about sticker autos, but this one is done in a way that doesn't harm the aesthetic. Exquisite #72 -Auto Just to speak a little bit here, while the Court Kings has an auto that I like well enough it doesn't bother me that it's a sticker, the Exquisite gives the real estate to allow for a beautiful signature, which Curry takes advantage of. National Treasures #206 -RPA I'm not a big RPA guy because of how little room it tends to leave for photography (and auto for that matter), but I can recognize versions done well or not done well. The NT definitely the cream of that crop. I may end up adding others to this list, but these are the best-in-category ones that pop to mind.

05-12-2024, 06:46 PM	#3
Chris P Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 15,000	For Steph, this is my favorite non auto rookie parallel. I know Topps Chrome Refractors are the cream of the crop and I certainly would want one if I can afford it, but I really prefer Steph rookies that are in his NBA uniform, not a portrait or in his Davidson uni. I love his 2009-10 Elite Status because I'm a sucker for die cuts, it's low-ish numbered and it does have a legacy behind it albeit in Football/Baseball.

05-13-2024, 12:00 PM	#4
Nomad Banned Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Fomenting FOMO on the down low. Posts: 8,094	Does Elite have its roots in actual Donruss? Or did Upper Deck have an era of Donruss. This can't be Panini, right?

05-13-2024, 01:10 PM	#7
Nomad Banned Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Fomenting FOMO on the down low. Posts: 8,094	I like how Panini works with printers on their legacy die-cut brands such as Elite and Crown Royale. I wouldn't be surprised if they contract these printing assignments to the OG card producers.

05-13-2024, 01:58 PM	#9
Nomad Banned Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Fomenting FOMO on the down low. Posts: 8,094	Some so-called superstars get by a lot on charisma. Of course I never saw prime Harden, someone correct me.

05-13-2024, 08:15 PM	#10
Tallboy Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 918	Glad to see some responses! Next: James Harden Studio #135 -Base, NBA, Portrait (w/Action) There's an attitude in the portrait that fits Harden, and it's nice to get him driving to the hoop there as well. Upper Deck Draft #40 -Base, Non-NBA Catches Harden's passing nicely. Court Kings #145 -Action w/Auto Consistently excellent photography from this set, and worthy starting point from the program that I would say is Panini's finest work. National Treasures - Logoman Signatures #4 -RPA Okay so I get it if you want to DQ this one as an insert, but to me that really isn't a meaningful distinction when we're talking about a rookie who has a base autograph in the same release. I also feel you if the sticker auto just kills it for you as a rule. For me it typically hurts at the very least... but Harden's auto actually looks better on the sticker than it does in the limited space of the base RPA, so that's not really a tiebreaker for me here. Meaning, the design allowed for some excellent photography that I feel compelled to shout out. As I've said, I tend to really hate photography on cards that have a lot of real estate taken up by memorabilia, but this is really nice.