Thursday, March 3, 2011

2011 Press Pass Element trading cards. An All About Cards review.

This year’s release of Element is a great entry-level product, fun for those who are new to collecting and because of its depth of drivers, nice for seasoned collectors too.

2011 Element is categorized as trading cards because of its reasonable price point, and base/insert card foundation.  Each hobby box contains 24 – 6 card packs with one autograph and one memorabilia card per box.  There is also a mystery top loader pack that contains a black-bordered base card numbered to 35 or an Undiscovered Element on card Autograph.  You’ll also receive the entire base set of cards in each box.  Lets take a look at the cards we pulled from the box.

First from the base set
Sprint Cup Drivers

Sprint Cup Cars

Nationwide Drivers

Camping World Truck Series Drivers

Sunday Sensations

G Force

Dream Team

Top Performers

and Undiscovered Elements

and there are also green versions of the base cards

From the inserts
Ned Jarrett is the subject of this release’s Hall of Fame cards

Tales from the track

High Octane Vehicle

Our hits were
From the Mystery Pack, Undiscovered Element Logan Ruffin On-Card Autograph

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Flagship Performers

David Reutimann On-Card Autograph

Overall Look
This is a nicely designed set.  The cards have a bit of a throwback feel with matte finish fronts and grey cardboard backs.  The insert cards are full foil fronts with premium backs.

Quality and Variety of Drivers and Subsets
This is really where the set excels.  52 Drivers can be found.  So this is a great representation of the racing circuit.  The Tales from the Track and High Octane Vehicle cards are nice and small enough to want to collect them all.

Do the Hits hold up?
The quantity of hits is less then some other Press Pass products by the quality is just as good.  On-card autographs are standard.  Element takes full advantage the variety of materials that can be used for racing memorabilia cards.

Will you want to collect them all?
Considering you get a complete base set included in each hobby box, you might think this is a “one and done” kind of product, but with the two sets of inserts of 10 and 12 cards each, you’ll want to collect them all.  This set is also accessible to the collector that can’t buy a whole box at one time.  Retail packs are available and make for some great set building

Rating
4 out of 5

2011 Press Pass Element is a great entry level for set building collectors.

2 comments:

  1. I love Element. One of my favorite releases of the year, designwise. It is a little weird to have autos of little kids, but I get what they're going for.

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  2. Are the two Reutimann cards available (this one and the one from the other box)? I love the Franchise!! Nice looking cards. I bought 1 pack the other night and pulled a HOV Michael Waltrip - my other favoriteowner/driver.

    dawgbones (at) cox (dot) net

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