Sports Card Release Calendar: April 2023
Spring is here, bringing the start of baseball season, the climax of the NBA regular season, the Final Four and the NFL Draft – and the April release calendar has something for everyone as well, including TCG fanatics.
From affordable and achievable brands that collectors love, to ultra high-end products for basketball, football and even WWE, UFC and soccer, April promises to be an exciting month for card releases. Let’s dive in.
Official release dates are subject to change on short notice at the discretion of the manufacturer.
April 5, 2023: 2022 Panini Limited Football
While 2022 didn’t seem to be the hottest NFL rookie class on paper, guys like Kenneth Walker III, Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and even Kenny Pickett had decent rookie seasons, showing some promise. Accompanied by follow rookies Chris Olave, George Pickens, Breece Hall and more, they highlight a solid 2022 Panini Limited Football Release that features a hobby configuration of 15 total cards including one Rookie Patch Autograph, one Additional Autograph, one Relic, one Base Parallel and one 2004 Tribute Insert – for an opening price of around $370. Unique to Limited are Spotlight Parallels, including Silver /125, Gold /99, Ruby /49, Amethyst /25, Holographic /22, Emerald /10 and Sapphire 1/1.
April 5, 2023: 2022-23 Panini Contenders Basketball
This release was covered in last month’s article, so we won’t delve into it too much other than to say the release date has apparently moved to April, and FOTL (First Off The Line) boxes feature one blue shimmer /21 or red shimmer auto /5 and one Opening Night Ticket parallel /25. Dutch Auction pricing for FOTL starts at $1,000 per box and decreases to $400 per box or selling out prior to the floor pricing. Lottery Ticket and Permit to Dominate SSPs, as well as the now iconic Rookie Ticket Autos are the top chases.
April 7, 2023: 2021-22 Panini Eminence Basketball
Also one covered in last month’s article, the late release of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green’s rookie class is extremely high-end, opening at $28,500 per hobby box and featuring on-card autos, some with jumbo patches.
April 7, 2023: 2022-23 Panini Court Kings Basketball Blaster
Court Kings is not only known for its artistic sketch-based portrait designs, but also for the rookie class coming in four tiered “rookies” subsets. Rookies 1 is the most common. The final grouping, Rookies IV, is full of SSPs (Super Short Prints).
The 2022-23 Court Kings release also promises a cool list of inserts including First Steps, Maestros, Works in Progress and Water Color (which is new this year).
Collect the rookie class of Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr.
April 7, 2023: 2023 Panini Prizm WWE
For the second year, the classic and highly-chased Prizm brand is releasing WWE hobby boxes. They average two autos and feature tons of amazing high-flying action shots of the top personalities and up-and-comers, including the chance at Mojo Prizms, Gold Prizms and Black Prizms as chases.
Joining the hobby release is the new 2023 Panini Prizm WWE Under Card format that has one auto and one base variation per box, with the chance at Under Card Red Prizms, Under Card Gold Prizms and Under Card Blue Prizms.
The checklist also includes a familiar base parallel breakdown, and inserts such as “Legends of the Hall,” “Prizmatic Entrances,” “Ring Royalty,” the SSP Color Blast, and several auto inserts such as “Throwback Signatures,” “Iconic Rivals” (a dual auto) and “Sensational Signatures.”
April 12, 2023: 2022 Panini Playbook Football
Known for its absolutely beautiful patch auto booklets, 2022 Panini Playbook Football releases at $360 per hobby box, which feature four hits – including two autographs and two relics – with one of them likely to be a booklet card. Booklets open either horizontally or vertically, and the new Storybook /49 has a fairytale type theme and typically features top rookies like Kenny Pickett, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.
The autograph breakdown features rookie signatures Gold /99, Platinum /49, Blue /25, Green /10 and Red 1/1, as well as Shotgun Signatures (veterans, typically QBs) /199, Gold /99, Platinum /49, Green /25 and Red 1/1.
April 12, 2023: 2022-23 Panini Donruss Soccer
Donruss Soccer features stars in their international country kits. Hobby boxes run about $220 and feature one auto and one memorabilia card on average. The base set has 175 cards, mostly paper but with some Optic (chromium based) cards sprinkled in.
Hobby Base parallels include Silver, Teal /199, Red /99, Blue /49, Gold /10 and Black 1/1. Hobby Base Optic parallels include Optic Holo, Red /199, Blue /99 Teal Mojo /49, Purple Mojo /25, Gold /10 and Black 1/1.
Of course, the iconic Rated Rookie brand exists on 25 different player cards this year. The Donruss base design mirrors the recent Donruss Football and Basketball releases.
Collectors may be familiar with the Net Marvels insert, which appears in 2022-23 Donruss Soccer, as well as the super-chaseable Kaboom! Insert.
And just in case you’re wondering, yes, 22-year-old phenom Erling Haaland is on the auto checklist.
April 12, 2023: 2022-23 Panini Prizm Basketball Hobby
The big month for basketball releases continues as Panini follows up Contenders with Prizm, its flagship product. Hobby Boxes are likely to sell for around $800, and are likely to have two autographs, which a chance at chasing exclusive Mojo, Gold, Black Gold and Black Prizm parallels along with the typical remainder of the rainbow that collectors yearn for. Panini Prizm Basketball Choice boxes will offer the same checklist as hobby, but with one auto instead of two. Prizm Basketball Fast Break is also due out later this month.
April 12, 2023: 2022-23 Panini Prizm Premier League Soccer Breakaway
Another release previewed in last month’s article, it looks like Panini pushed this one back a bit to April. Look for fan-favorite footballers and the brand new Fractal and Kaleidoscopic inserts. Boxes feature three Base Prizms Silver, eight Additional Breakaway-exclusive prizms and six Inserts, for about $150.
April 14, 2023: Pokémon Crown Zenith Morpeko V-Union Playmat Premium Box
April appears to be a big month for the world’s most popular and classic TCG, Pokemon. Pokemon Crown Zenith Morpeko V-Union Playmat Premium Box launches at just less than $37, highlighted by four etched promo cards that make up a single Morpeko V-UNION, one oversize card featuring Morpeko V-UNION, one helpful Supporter card featuring Professor Burnet, one playmat featuring Marnie and Morpeko, five Pokémon TCG Crown Zenith booster packs, a code card for Pokémon TCG Live and a colorful playmat featuring artwork of Morpeko and Marnie.
April 14, 2023: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Build & Battle
Up next is this 40-card ready-to-play deck with four Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet booster packs, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live. Meet first partners Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly, and explore the power of the Legendary Pokémon Koraidon and Miraidon as Pokémon ex. Other Pokémon evolve their way into battle—including Arcanine and Gyarados with a fresh new look.
April 14, 2023: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Build & Battle Stadium
For the true gamer, this release includes two individual Build & Battle Boxes, three additional Scarlet & Violet booster packs, 121 Basic Energy cards, six damage-counter dice, one competition-legal coin-flip die, two coin condition markers, and a collector’s box to help organize the pieces.
April 19, 2023: 2022-23 Panini Revolution Basketball
If you’re an NBA collector looking for a more affordable hobby box to rip, Revolution could be it. For around $170, you can take your shot at grabbing the best from the 2022-23 rookie class, like Keegan Murray, Bennedict Mathurin, and of course Paolo Banchero. Parallels include Astro, Groove, Fractal, Impact /149, Cosmic /99, Sunburst /75, Future Frame /60, Cubic /50, Lava /10 and Galactic SSP. Inserts include the die-cut Liftoff!, and there is a strong veteran and rookie auto checklist.
Also available is Panini Revolution Chinese New Year Basketball boxes, which don’t necessarily include autos, and have slightly different parallels.
April 19, 2023: Panini Select La Liga Soccer
It’s not often that we see La Liga Select Soccer releases, and this one looks nice. Starting at just under $500 per hobby box, there are three hits on average, that can be a mix of autos, relics or autographed relics. With representation from 20 La Liga Clubs, there are 250 base cards, broken down into subsets of Terrace, Mezzanine and Field Level – each with their own parallels. Inserts include Equalizers, for La Liga standouts, as well as Select Stars and Unstoppable.
April 19, 2023: Panini Select Serie A Soccer
While Panini has combined European Leagues into one release like Chronicles in recent years, they’re releasing the Italian Pro League Serie A Soccer within its own Select Release this year, just like the La Liga release above. The configuration is exactly the same as La Liga, above, but also features four different ultra-rare, limited inserts: Stained Glass, Artistic Impressions, Visionary and Team Badges. Find one of each per case, on average.
April 21, 2023: 2021-22 Panini Flawless Basketball
I wrote about this release last month as well – look for the next biggest logoman chase – but it’s not cheap. Hobby box breaks on average feature nine Autographs/Memorabilia Cards and one Diamond Card.
April 21, 2023: 2022 Panini Contenders Optic Football
This is one of the most anticipated releases of the year for football card collectors. More desirable than its Panini Contenders paper cousin, the Optic Contenders release is created with premium chromium stock. Chase the Optic Rookie Ticket Autos of guys like Kenny Pickett, Kenneth Walker III and Garrett Wilson, base and parallels Silver, Red /175, Teal /99, Blue /75, Orange /50, Green Pulsar /30, Cracked Ice /22, Red, White, Blue /13, Gold /10, Neon Marble /4, Nebula /2 or 1/1 and Gold Vinyl 1/1.
April 21, 2023: 2023 Panini Stars and Stripes Baseball
According to Panini, this release has the “largest grouping of unique players autographs ever.” There are eight international teams featured, including U-18 Baseball World Cup as well as Collegiate US National Team Training Camp members. In addition to the tons of autographs, there appear to be some sick patches in this prospect-focused licensed release.
April 26, 2023: 2022 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary Baseball Hobby & Lite
This release was featured in last month’s article, and celebrates the classic 1953 Topps design, while showcasing top players from the past, present, and future.
April 26, 2023: 2022-23 Panini Crown Royale Basketball
Known for being a die-cut only release, collectors can chase multiple Crystal editions this year, including Blue Crystal /99, Red Crystal /49 and several other hobby-only parallels, like Pink Crystal /75, Purple Crystal /25, Gold Crystal /10 and Platinum Crystal 1/1. There’s the new Hand Crafted and Pillars of the Game inserts that join classics like Rookie Royalty and Test of Time.
April 26, 2023: 2022-23 Panini Select English Premier League Soccer
Just like La Liga and Serie A above, Select Soccer will also print EPL Soccer this year, the exact same three-hit-per-box format. Look for autos from top stars like Erling Haaland in auto inserts like Pitchside Signatures, Select Signatures, Signatures and Autographed Memorabilia.
April 28, 2023: 2022 Topps Chrome Road To UEFA Nations League Final
Soccer card collectors should pay attention to the debut of this release in chromium stock. At $155 per box, chase the controversial Gavi in his Spain kit, with the “national debut” logo (an RC alternative). There are 15 different base refractor parallels, from the base (one in every three packs on average) down the SuperFractor 1/1, it also features international superstars Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland and more.
April 28, 2023: 2022 Topps Definitive Baseball
The hobby box features on-card autos, with six total per box, and two additional non-auto relics. There are more than 10 different auto subsets, complete with low serial-numbered parallels, focusing on the top veterans and rookies in the MLB.
April 28, 2023: 2022 Topps MLS Renaissance Soccer
Major League Soccer is growing enough in popularity for Topps to justify a complimentary release to the flagship Topps Chrome. Renaissance Soccer debuts in a one premium card per pack, one pack per box format. That’s right, Renaissance appears to be another version of “Dynasty,” with one Encased Autograph Relic (#’d/20) or Encased Foil Autograph Card (#’d/20) per box.
April 28, 2023: 2022 Panini Prizm UFC Hobby
For around $250, you can grab a hobby box of 2022 Prizm UFC. Jam-packed with two Autographs, 22 Parallels and 12 Inserts in a 12 card per pack, 12 pack per box format, chase Prizm favorites like Color Blast and new Throwback Signatures of legendary UFC fighters.
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Paul Hickey is a regular contributor to Sports Card Investor, the creator of the Sports Card Investment Report at NoOffseason.com, and the host of the Sports Card Strategy Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. He can be found on Instagram at @sportscardstrategy and on Twitter @nooffseasoncard.
