Geared more toward prospects and inserts than ever, 2015 Bowman Baseball made its official debut Wednesday.
Every 24-pack hobby box has one autographed card. Jumbo boxes, with 12 packs of 32 cards, have three autographed cards.
Among the big prizes: Signed cards of White Sox phenom Carlos Rodon. Several had already been listed on eBay by Wednesday night, including a Red Refractor Autograph numbered to 5 priced at $3,999, a Gold Refractor auto numbered to 50 at $1,400 and some other Rodon autos that were much less. Also popular are the dual autographs featuring Cubs rookie Kris Bryant and fellow franchise prospect Kyle Schwarber, which are numbered to 99. A couple were offered at north of $1,000.
“2015 Bowman Baseball will place even more of an emphasis on thematic insert content and the game’s up-and-coming prospects while continuing to deliver the autographed content that collectors expect from the Bowman brand,” Topps stated in a news release last fall when it announced the product.
The base set shrinks to 150 this year with a total 120 veterans and 30 rookies to make room for 150 Prospect base cards (master base set is 300 cards). At around $30-35, Prospect base sets are among dealers’ big sellers.
Base Card Paper Parallels will include sequentially numbered silver, purple, blue and gold border versions with orange numbered to 25, red numbered to 5 and 1/1 black borders. Additionally, look for Foilboard Parallels of all 150 players including one Silver Ice Foilboard per hobby box and 1/1 White Ice. Red Ice Foilboard cards and 1/1 Printing Plates will be exclusive to jumbo boxes.
In addition to the base chrome cards, up to 60 subjects will be featured with a Chrome Prospect Autograph card that showcases an on-card signature.
Parallels for the Chrome Prospects and Chrome Prospect Autographs include sequentially numbered Refractors with Purple, Blue, Gold, Orange (# to 25), Red (# to 5) and the 1/1 SuperFractor and Printing Plates that are staples of the brand.
Insert content will include:
Bowman Scouts’ Top 100, featuring the top 100 prospects as ranked by Topps “Bowman Scouts”, on chrome technology. There will be three parallel versions:
Die-Cut Parallel: sequentially #’d.
Die-Cut Autographed Orange Parallel: sequentially #’d to 25 (hobby only).
Die-Cut Autographed SuperFractor Parallel: #’d 1/1.
The Farm’s Finest Minis highlighting the top 5 players in each organization’s farm system, on chrome technology. There are Purple, Blue, Gold, Orange (# to 25 hobby only) and Red (# to 5)
Shimmer Refractors as well as 1/1 SuperFractor and Printing Plates. Autograph parallels will also be inserted. Gold Shimmer Refractors will be jumbo box exclusives.
Rookie Recollections celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 1990 Bowman Baseball rookie class. This set will feature that year’s biggest names, such as Frank Thomas and Juan Gonzalez, on the 2015 year’s base rookie card design (1 per hobby and jumbo box). Look for:
Refractor Autograph Parallel: sequentially #’d.
Gold Refractor Autograph Parallel: sequentially #’d.
Red Refractor Autograph Parallel: sequentially #’d to 5.
SuperFractor Autograph Parallel: #’d 1/1.
Autograph possibilities will include:
Chrome Rookie Autographs have up to 20 on card rookie autographs on chrome technology. Parallels include sequentially numbered Refractors, plus gold, blue, orange (# to 25-hobby only), red (# to 5) and SuperFractors (1/1). Printing Plate 1/1s are exclusive to jumbo boxes.
Look for Sophomore Standouts, highlighting the top-performing rookies from the 2014 MLB season, with sticker autographs with gold, red (# to 5) and 1/1 black parallels.
Other autograph components in 2015 Bowman Baseball includes:
- Dual Autographs: Four times more cards than in 2014 Bowman Baseball.
- Bowman Black Continuity Autographs: Featuring on card autographs, sequentially #’d to 25.
- All-America Game Autographs: Autographed All-America Game cards, signed by high
school prospects.
Additional content in 2015 Bowman includes:
SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game Relic Cards with game-used jersey swatches from the 2014 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, sequentially #’d to 25.
Wave Refractor hot packs specially inserted into hobby boxes.
Click here for the most recent eBay listings of 2015 Bowman Baseball.
2015 Bowman Baseball Final Checklist
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