2020-21
Paninibasketball
2020-21 Panini Contenders Optic Basketball Hobby Box
Rookies
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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.
- tmall
- Panini's edition for the Chinese market, sold through the Tmall platform. It carries Asia-exclusive parallels you cannot pull from North American boxes. On this productTmall boxes hold one 6-card pack and include Asia-exclusive Red or Gold Wave parallels plus an exclusive rookie Asia card.
- Cases
- The factory-sealed carton a product ships in, holding a set number of boxes. A full case is the whole carton; an inner case is a smaller sealed block from inside it. Case buyers get untouched pack sequencing and a lower price per box. Some rare cards are seeded about once per case, which is what collectors mean by a case hit.
| Format | In USAUSD | In CanadaCAD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobby Box |  |
$540 | ||
| Hobby Box tmall |  |
$200 | ||
| Hobby Box Case (20) |  |
$5,750, $287 per box | ||
These are the best prices we could find for this product across the 4 retailers we follow for 2020-21 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…
Other releases of Panini Contenders Optic
Frequently asked
Who's 2020-21 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 uses chromium stock instead of regular cardstock, giving it a premium feel and different visual aesthetic. It's like comparing Donruss to Donruss Optic. The configuration is also more premium: just one pack of six cards per box instead of multiple packs.
Which rookie autographs are in this product?
The 2020 draft class is featured in Rookie Season Ticket Autographs, including LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, Tyrese Haliburton, Cole Anthony, Obi Toppin, and others. These are on-card signatures and the main chase for most collectors.
What parallel tiers are available?
Base parallels include Silver, Red, Blue (/99), Orange (/49), Green Pulsar (/25), Black Pandora (short print, not numbered), Gold (/10), and Gold Vinyl (1/1). Inserts also have Red and Blue Cracked Ice parallels. The higher-numbered tiers like Gold Vinyl are extremely rare.
How many inserts come in each box?
Each box has 2 inserts. Popular sets include Superstars (die-cut), Uniformity, Lottery Ticket, Hoop Dream, Team Tandems, Pick N Roll, and Suite Shots. You'll also find All-Star Aspirations and Playing the Numbers Game.
Are there any exclusive parallels to hobby boxes?
Yes, Black Pandora parallels are listed as hobby exclusive SSP (super short print) and are randomly inserted. They're not serial numbered but are confirmed to be tough pulls.
What's the base set like?
The base set is called Season Ticket and features 100 NBA veterans plus 40 rookies (139 total, with no #127). The design and layout match regular 2020-21 Contenders, just on chromium stock. Veteran cards #1-100 and Rookie cards #101-140.
Are there veteran and retired player autographs too?
Yes. Besides rookie autos, you can pull Veteran Ticket Autographs of current stars, Legendary Contenders Autographs of retired greats, Perennial Contenders Autographs, and Sophomore Contenders Autographs. The 1983 Tribute set includes legends like Bill Russell, Kareem, and Jerry West.
What's the case configuration?
A case contains 20 boxes, so you're guaranteed 20 autographs per case. At roughly $500-800 per box on the secondary market, cases run $5,000 and up depending on condition and seller.
When did 2020-21 Panini Contenders Optic come out?
It dropped December 1, 2021.
What's in a 2020-21 Panini Contenders Optic hobby box?
1 pack per box, 6 cards per pack. Each box contains 1 autograph, 2 inserts, and 2 parallels.
What's the cheapest 2020-21 Panini Contenders Optic hobby box right now?
Cheapest we're tracking is $540.00 USD. Prices update daily, and the trend arrow on this page shows which way it's been moving.
Where can I buy 2020-21 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.
2020-21 Panini Contenders Optic Basketball
2020-21 Panini Contenders Optic Basketball is a premium chromium take on the autograph-focused Contenders line, featuring on-card autos from rookies like LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman alongside veteran and retired player signatures.
Autographs
1 Autograph per box on average
On average per hobby box
- 2 Insert cards (Uniformity, Lottery Ticket, Superstars, Hoop Dream, Team Tandems, Pick N Roll, Suite Shots, All-Star Aspirations, or Playing the Numbers Game)
- 2 Parallel cards (Silver, Red, Blue /99, Orange /49, Green Pulsar /25, Black Pandora, Gold /10, or Gold Vinyl 1/1)
- 1 Base Season Ticket card
Inserts to watch
- Rookie Season Ticket Autographs On-card signatures of 2020 draft class rookies like LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and Tyrese Haliburton.
- 1983 Tribute Autographs Inspired by the classic 1983 Donruss baseball design, featuring legends like Luka Doncic, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Ja Morant.
- Veteran Ticket Autographs On-card signatures of established NBA stars mixed into the autograph pull.
- Superstars Die-Cuts Popular die-cut insert set featuring current NBA stars.
- Uniformity Insert set highlighting player uniforms and jerseys.
- Lottery Ticket Insert set with a lottery-themed design.
Fast facts
- Released
- December 1, 2021
- Box config
- 1 pack per box, 6 cards per pack. Each box contains 1 autograph, 2 inserts, and 2 parallels.
- Set size
- 139 cards
- Top rookie
- Anthony Edwards
6 CARDS
PER PACK
=
1 PACKS
PER BOX
Last 30 days
Canadian prices in CAD, American in USD. A break in a price line means every shop was sold out that day; a day we did not scrape carries the last known price forward.