2018 Bowman Platinum will make its return in the next couple of weeks. But you’ll have to battle shoppers looking for fireworks at Walmart to get it. As it did last year, Topps has turned the prospect and rookie-oriented product into a retail exclusive with three types of packaging: Collector Box, Value Box and Fat Packs. The Collectors Boxes will be similar to hobby boxes and contain two autographs.
Here’s an overview of what’s inside (full checklist below):
Base Cards
The base set consists of 100 cards featuring the top MLB veterans and breakthrough rookies. At least one error has been discovered and it involves Yankee rookie Gleyber Torres. The photo on his card actually pictures Ronnold Torreyes.
There are ten image variations to chase and numerous parallels including:
Ice Pattern Foilboard – Value Box only
Sky Blue– Fat Pack only
Purple– numbered to 250
Blue– numbered to 150
Green– numbered to 99
Orange– numbered to 25, Collectors Box only
Red – numbered to 10
FoilFractor– 1/1
Insert Cards
Look for a few different insert sets but the primary focus will be on Top Prospects which features 100 of the top MLB prospects on rainbow foilboard technology.
Parallel cards:
Ice Pattern Foilboard – Value Box only
Sky Blue– Fat Pack only
Purple– numbered to 250
Blue– numbered to 150
Green– numbered to 99
Orange– numbered to 25, Collectors Box only
Red– numbered to 10
FoilFractor– 1/1
Three additional insert sets will include:
- P
latinum’s Prismatic Prodigies – featuring top prospects from across MLB’s franchises, including select autographed parallels. - Rookie Revelations – Early-season MLB rookies on a dual-image design with select autographed parallels.
- Platinum Presence – Highlighting some of the biggest prospects, rookies and veterans.
Parallels for the Platinum’s Prismatic Prodigies, Rookie Revelations and Platinum Presence inserts include:
Purple– (numbered to 250)
Green– (numbered to 99)
Orange– (numbered to 25)
FoilFractor – (1/1)
There will also be a short-printed insert set dedicated exclusively to Cincinnati Reds prospect Hunter Greene, the number one pick in last year’s draft. There will also be autographed versions.
Memorabilia cards
It appears there will only be one memorabilia/relic card offering: Platinum Patches, which will be a card carrying a jumbo patch piece.
Autographed Cards
Top Prospect Autographs will be the main autograph subset which will simply be an signed version of the Top Prospect insert cards.
Autographed parallels will include:
Blue – (numbered to 150)
Green – (numbered to 99)
Ice Pattern Foilboard – (numbered to 50)
Orange – (numbered to 25, Collectors Box only)
Red – (numbered to 10)
FoilFractor – 1/1
Other autograph content will include:
Platinum Cut Autographs: Die-cut cards in the shape of a precious gem.
80-Grade Prospect Autographs – Showcases the most elite prospects.
Red (numbered to 10) and 1/1 FoilFractors will be available for the latter two.
Autograph Relics
Platinum Rookie Auto Pieces – Early 2018 rookies with a game-used or player-worn relic and an autograph.
Parallels include:
Orange– (numbered to 25, Collectors Box Only)
FoilFractor (1/1)
While it’s a retail exclusive, there are plenty of cards and boxes available on eBay. Click here to see them.
2018 Bowman Platinum Baseball checklist
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