2023 Panini Plates & Patches Football

This is one of the last Panini releases before the brand lost the NFL license, and it's a premium product built around die-cut parallel cards and leather patch memorabilia. You're getting hobby boxes with five packs, each delivering a high-end card or two. The base set features current stars like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts alongside a mix of veterans and emerging talent. What makes Plates and Patches stand out is the physical design: cards are literally die-cut into helmet shapes or other team-themed cuts, which immediately separates them from standard releases. The set leans hard on parallels and autograph content, making it a hunter's product rather than a builder's one. The real pull here is the patch cards. You're chasing Rainbow Foil parallels, which have a prismatic finish and can range from common players to short-printed stars. Rookie patch autographs from the 2023 class are the chase cards, especially if they land on key defensive prospects or backfield contributors. Look for Gold Vinyl, Black Silk, and Rainbow Silk versions, each with varying print runs. Most boxes will land you one or two premium hits, so variance is significant. The leather patches are legitimate texture, not printed overlays, which collectors either love or find too niche. Retail and hobby boxes are largely the same product, so there's no real advantage hunting one over the other. Buy this if you want premium-feeling cards and don't mind the stylistic risk of die-cuts. It's not for set builders or budget-conscious collectors. Singles hunting works better than ripping for most people, since you can target specific patch cards or colors without chasing box after box. The nostalgia factor as a final Panini NFL release gives it some appeal to completists, but the product itself is better suited to players and autograph chasers than investors.