2021-22 Paninibasketball

Contenders Optic

Full checklist

Rookies

Evan Mobley headshot
EVAN MOBLEY 0 autos 7 cards
Jalen Green headshot
JALEN GREEN 1 auto 8 cards
Scottie Barnes headshot
SCOTTIE BARNES 0 autos 7 cards
Josh Giddey headshot
JOSH GIDDEY 1 auto 8 cards
Alperen Sengun headshot
ALPEREN SENGUN 1 auto 5 cards

STARS

Luka Doncic headshot
LUKA DONCIC 2 autos 9 cards
Anthony Edwards headshot
ANTHONY EDWARDS 3 autos 8 cards
Ja Morant headshot
JA MORANT 1 auto 8 cards
Jalen Green headshot
JALEN GREEN 1 auto 8 cards
Zion Williamson headshot
ZION WILLIAMSON 2 autos 3 cards
Cade Cunningham headshot
CADE CUNNINGHAM 1 auto 8 cards
2021-22 Panini Contenders Optic Basketball hobby box
What are these options?
Hobby Box
The full-size box sold through card shops rather than big-box stores. It has the most packs and the best odds, and most modern hobby boxes guarantee at least one autograph or memorabilia card. Pack and card counts vary by product line. Older listings sometimes call this a wax box.
Format In USAUSD In CanadaCAD
Hobby Box Trading Card Market $380

These are the best prices we could find for this product across the 3 retailers we follow for 2021-22 Panini Contenders Optic, checked daily. Prices move constantly and stock sells out; always confirm on the retailer’s own page before buying.

Checking eBay for sealed boxes…

2023-24
Panini Contenders Optic hobby box
THOMPSON
$420
2022-23
Panini Contenders Optic hobby box
HOLMGREN
$350 $270
2021-22
Panini Contenders Optic hobby box
MOBLEY
$380
2020-21
Panini Contenders Optic hobby box
EDWARDS
$540
2019-20
Panini Contenders Optic hobby box
MORANT
$225
2018-19
Panini Contenders Optic hobby box
DONCIC
$1.2k

Frequently asked

Who's 2021-22 Panini Contenders Optic for?
The deep end. People buy this chasing top rookie patch autos and legend signatures, and the price reflects it.
What makes Contenders Optic different from regular Contenders?
Optic adds the chrome opti-chrome finish for a shinier, more premium look and feel. The configuration is also more compact at just 6 cards per box instead of the standard Contenders setup, making it a quick rip.
What are the key rookie autographs to chase?
The Rookie Season Ticket Autographs set includes top 2021 draft picks like Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, and Evan Mobley. These are on-card autos and the main draw for most collectors opening this product.
How do the parallels work?
Base cards and autos come in multiple parallels: Silver and Red (no serial), 75th Anniversary, Blue /99, Orange /49, Green Pulsar /25, Black Pandora (hobby exclusive, no serial but rare), Gold /10, and Gold Vinyl 1/1. Higher tiers are much scarcer.
What's the Black Pandora parallel?
Black Pandora is a hobby-exclusive parallel without a serial number, but it ranks among the rarest parallels in the product. It's randomly inserted and harder to pull than the numbered tiers.
Are the autographs on-card?
Yes, Panini focused on on-card ink for this product. Rookie Season Ticket, Rookie Variation Season Ticket, Veteran Ticket, and 1984 Tribute Autographs all feature on-card signatures.
What insert sets are in this product?
You'll find Lottery Ticket, Uniformity, Superstars (die-cut), All-Star Aspirations, Hoop Dream, Legendary Tandems, Pick N Roll, Playing the Numbers Game, and Suite Shots. Insert parallels include Blue and Red Cracked Ice versions.
Is there a 1984 Tribute set?
Yes. The 1984 Tribute Autographs set pays homage to the 1984 Donruss Baseball design and includes retired legends like Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, and Dirk Nowitzki, plus current stars like Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson.
How many cards are in the base set?
The base set has 140 cards total. Cards 1-100 are Season Ticket veterans, and cards 101-140 are Rookie Season Ticket Autographs. Rookies also appear in a separate Rookie Variation Season Ticket subset.
When did 2021-22 Panini Contenders Optic come out?
It dropped December 14, 2022.
What's in a 2021-22 Panini Contenders Optic hobby box?
1 pack per box, 6 cards per pack. Each box contains 1 autograph, 2 inserts, 2 parallels, and 1 base card.
What's the cheapest 2021-22 Panini Contenders Optic hobby box right now?
Cheapest we're tracking is $380.00 USD. Prices update daily, and the trend arrow on this page shows which way it's been moving.
Where can I buy 2021-22 Panini Contenders Optic?
We track listings across the major North American card shops and surface the best price up top. The Buy on eBay links go through the eBay Partner Network.

2021-22 Panini Contenders Optic Basketball

2021-22 Panini Contenders Optic brings the chrome finish and on-card autographs back for basketball, with rookie season ticket autos from top first-year players like Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, and Jalen Green.

Autographs

1 Autograph per box on average

On average per hobby box
  1. 2 Insert cards (Lottery Ticket, Uniformity, Superstars, All-Star Aspirations, Hoop Dream, Legendary Tandems, Pick N Roll, Playing the Numbers Game, or Suite Shots)
  2. 2 Parallel cards (Silver, Red, 75th Anniversary, Blue /99, Orange /49, Green Pulsar /25, Black Pandora, Gold /10, or Gold Vinyl 1/1)
  3. 1 Base Season Ticket card
Inserts to watch
  • Rookie Season Ticket Autographs On-card autos of top 2021 draft picks like Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, and Evan Mobley.
  • 1984 Tribute Autographs Retro-design autos of retired legends and current stars like Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, and Luka Doncic.
  • Superstars Die-cut insert set featuring elite players, available in multiple parallels including Cracked Ice versions.
  • Lottery Ticket Popular insert set with Cracked Ice parallels that collectors actively hunt.
  • Uniformity Insert set with Blue and Red Cracked Ice parallels that add visual appeal.
Fast facts
Released
December 14, 2022
Box config
1 pack per box, 6 cards per pack. Each box contains 1 autograph, 2 inserts, 2 parallels, and 1 base card.
Set size
140 cards
Top rookie
Evan Mobley
6 CARDS PER PACK
=
1 PACKS PER BOX

By CardStock Editorial