Buzz Break: 2011 Panini Americana (100-pack retail lot)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2011 Panini Americana trading cards (100-pack retail lot)
Where to buy: Click here

Packs per lot: 100
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this lot: 502
Base set completion: 
100 of 100 (100 percent)
Duplicates: plenty ... as many as nine copies of some cards

Notables on base cards – David Carradine, Linda Hamilton, Tommy Chong, John Hurt, Corey Haim, Ralph Macchio, Ric Flair, Christina Applegate, Jeffrey Tambor, Katie Hoff, Tori Spelling, Erika Eleniak, Leslie Nielsen, Burt Reynolds, Michael Madsen, Michelle Beadle, Pamela Anderson, Justin Bieber, George A. Romero, John Schneider, Kenny Baker, Alan Ruck, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Selma Blair, Noel Neill, Brigitte Nielsen, Elise & Electra Avellan (aka "The Crazy Babysitter Twins")

Insert/short-print cards: 39 (all in gallery below with some base)
Platinum Proofs (1) – Ric Flair (/10)
Gold Proofs (2) – Daniel Roebuck, Bill Pogue (/50)
Silver Proofs (6) – Selma Blair, Ralph Macchio, Dick Gordon, Jill-Michele Melean, Daniel Logan, Barry Pearl (/100)
Matinee Legends (11) – Bettie Page (2), James Dean,  Jayne Mansfield (2), Leslie Howard (2), Ginger Rogers, Jean Harlow, Dorothy Lamour, Ava Gardner
Screen Gems (7) – Selma Blair (2), John Hurt, Justin Bieber, Piper Laurie, Willie Aames (2)
Prime Time Stars (12) – Chris Noth, Lee Majors, Michael Ontkean (2), Milo Ventimiglia (2), John Schneider, Linda Hamilton, Piper Laurie, Josie Davis, Leslie Nielsen, Selma Blair

Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Movie Posters Materials (2) – Bob Hope, Deborah Kerr (/499)

What's Buzz-worthy: This edition of Panini America's Americana has aged pretty well with a number of notable names who don't have a lot of card appearances elsewhere and a good variety of inserts. This jumbo retail lot was part of the recent big sale here -- just $25 for 100 packs -- and it delivered more hits than I expected (two out of 18 thick packs) and way more serial-numbered cardboard with my rarest card (Ric Flair, /10) coming in my absolute final pack. (I'll probably grade it for fun since it's that scarce and looks pretty clean and it's a good add to my WWE stash.) The blasters here typically delivered a memorabilia card, while the hobby boxes -- relatively tough finds now -- were a hit per pack and just four packs per box. The retail base cards for this one are not on foilboard -- a plus in my mind -- while the parallels are also on standard stock with just the three colors seen here in the mix. The other inserts appear to be the same. See the list of names up top and you'll see a good mix of past and present and various genres, too, making it a cheap and somewhat fun way to amass some good names. (Thrown in a number of NASA notables I didn't mention and a few Olympians and there's even more potential interest at a cheap price.) Autographs could be possible -- many of those names in the base set signed -- though these retail packs are likely at longer (unannounced) odds as I've not found ink in them ... yet. (Look for a final 100-pack lot in the next Buzz 12 in 12 series.)  For now, there are smaller pack lots available at the link above -- they're worth a look if you ask me as these are relatively low-risk rips that are safer with pack volume. They can surprise at times like this one did.

Product Grade: A-
Lot Grade: A (at this price)
Fun Grade: A- (at this price)

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type="image_grid" images="140719,140720,140721,140722,140723,140724,140725,140726,140727,140728,140729,140730,140731,140732,140733,140734,140735,140736,140737,140738,140739,140740,140741,140742,140743,140744,140745,140746,140747,140748,140749,140750,140751,140752,140753,140754,140755,140756,140757,140758,140759,140760,140767,140761,140762,140763,140764,140765,140772,140766,140768,140771,140769,140770"][/vc_column][/vc_row]