So, I finally got around to tackling the 2023 National Treasures NFL checklist today. You know how it is, you hear the buzz, you see a few spoilers, and eventually, you just gotta dive in and see what they’ve cooked up. It’s like a ritual for me, especially with a big set like NT. I wasn’t even planning on buying much, if anything – my wallet usually screams when I even look at NT boxes – but I just love seeing the lineup.
My Little Adventure with the Checklist
First off, finding the thing. Wasn’t a huge ordeal, a quick search on the usual spots and there it was, ready to be downloaded or just scrolled through. I grabbed a coffee, sat down, and just started scrolling. My initial thought? Man, this thing is dense. Seriously, the number of parallels, inserts, and memorabilia variations they pack in there is always wild. It’s not a quick glance kind of checklist, that’s for sure.
I started by looking for the big rookie names, of course. That’s usually where the real heat is, especially with the Rookie Patch Autographs. Spent a good chunk of time just seeing who got what. It’s always interesting to see their choices, who they think is gonna be the guy. Sometimes they nail it, sometimes, well, not so much. That’s the gamble, right?
Then I got into the actual memorabilia cards. I noticed a few things this year:
- The booklet cards still look insane. Some of those multi-player auto booklets? Pure eye candy, even if they’re way out of my league.
- They’re still finding new ways to categorize patches. Brand Logos, NFL Shields, Laundry Tags… it’s a whole sub-hobby just figuring out the hierarchy of those things.
- Saw a few veteran autos I’d actually be interested in, which is always a nice surprise. Sometimes it feels like it’s all rookies, all the time.
I actually tried to print a section of it, the part with my favorite team. My old printer, bless its heart, decided to throw a fit. Streaky lines, paper jam… the usual. After wrestling with it for ten minutes, I just gave up and stuck to looking at it on my screen. Sometimes technology is more trouble than it’s worth, you know?
One thing that always gets me with National Treasures is just the sheer ambition of the set. They really do try to go all out. It’s not for the faint of heart, or the light of wallet. But going through the checklist, it’s like a free museum tour of what could be. You see all the crazy patches, the on-card autos, the super limited stuff. It’s fun to imagine pulling some of those monsters.
Was anything a massive shocker? Not really. NT pretty much follows its own playbook year after year, which is high-end, hit-focused, and memorabilia-driven. But seeing the full checklist laid out, it really gives you perspective on the whole product. It helps you understand what people are chasing when you see those break videos online.
So yeah, that was my deep dive. Spent a good hour or so just combing through, making mental notes. It’s part of the hobby for me, this kind of “research.” Even if I don’t end up with a single card from the set, it’s good to know what’s out there. Now, the real test is avoiding the temptation to watch a bunch of case breaks and feel poor. We’ll see how that goes!
