Thoughts on 2012 Panini Golden Age

I went to the local card shop today to pick up some team bags for a project Ryan and I will be working on this weekend and I just couldn't get out of there without buying some packs.  So, I picked up a pack of Bowman Platinum and Bowman Chrome.  I also was intrigued by a product I hadn't heard of before, 2012 Panini Golden Age.  I was a fan of Panini Cooperstown when it came out, so I figured I'd give this a shot and picked up 2 packs.

Golden Age features a retro theme (I feel like it is much like Topps 206 or Gypsy Queen) with an assortment of older ball players as well as other celebrities, etc.  Kind of Panini's answer to Allen and Ginter or UD Goodwin.  I was very happy when the last card in the second pack was Brooks Robinson.  So, right away, I had something to add to my PC.  Scored some points in my mind, haha.  The Brooks was the above Stand UP insert.  I love the sepia tone on the card.  Really sharp, and nice looking, in my opinion.

The above Dizzy Dean was a nice base card that I pulled.  I also pulled two mini cards, Eddie Cicotte (Croft Candies back) and Russell Johnson (who?) (Broad Leaf Tobacco back).  Always a good day when you pull a Dizzy Dean card.  I feel like there isn't enough Dean stuff.

Finally I got this moustache/chest hair card of Tom Selleck, er, I mean Thurman Munson.  He kind of looks like Magnum P. I. or John C. Reilly.  I always enjoy pulling a Munson card, though.

In my opinion, I think Panini is doing a great job with their products.  I loved Cooperstown and I definitely like Golden Age.  I'm not too big on the non-sports folks in the product, but again, this seems to be Panini's answer to Allen and Ginter or UD Goodwin.  Golden Age stacks up very well to Goodwin, that's for sure.  I've always been partial to Topps and A&G, but I do believe there is room in the MLB licensing wars for two brands and I would definitely not have a problem with Panini joining the fray.