• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Write for Sports Collectors Daily
    • Write About Your Sports Collection
    • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Hot on eBay
    • Most Watched Graded Rookies
    • Most Watched PSA 10 Cards
    • Most Watched BGS, BVG Cards
    • Most Watched SGC Cards
    • Most Watched CSG,CGC Cards
    • Most Watched Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2023 Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards
      • Bowman Chrome Cards
      • Ronald Acuna Jr. Cards
      • Shohei Ohtani Cards
      • Mike Trout Cards
      • Fernando Tatis Jr. Cards
      • Babe Ruth Cards
      • Hank Aaron Cards
      • Jackie Robinson Cards:
      • Mickey Mantle Cards
      • Willie Mays Cards
      • Vintage Baseball Card Sets
      • T206 Cards
    • Most Watched Basketball
      • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2022-23 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2021-22 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2020-21 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2019-20 NBA Rookie Cards
        • Zion Williamson Rookie Cards
        • Ja Morant Rookie Cards
      • Michael Jordan Cards
      • Kobe Bryant Cards
      • LeBron James Rookie Cards
      • Nikola Jokic Rookie Cards
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo Cards
      • Luka Doncic Rookie Cards
      • Prizm Basketball Cards
      • Panini National Treasures
    • Most Watched Football Cards
      • Most Watched NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2022 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Brock Purdy Rookie Cards
      • 2021 NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2020 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Joe Burrow Rookie Cards
        • Justin Herbert Rookie Cards
        • Jalen Hurts Rookie Cards
      • Josh Allen Rookie Cards
      • Patrick Mahomes Rookie Cards
      • Tom Brady Cards
    • Most Watched Hockey Cards
      • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2021-22 NHL Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2020-21 Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2019-20 Rookie Cards
      • Connor McDavid Cards
      • Wayne Gretzky Cards
      • Bobby Orr Cards
    • Most Watched Soccer Cards
    • Most Watched UFC Cards
    • Most Watched Golf Cards
    • Most Watched 1 of 1 Cards
    • Most Watched Racing Cards
    • Top Sports Card Dealers on eBay
    • Most Watched Memorabilia
      • Vintage Sports Memorabilia
    • Vintage Sports Tickets, Stubs
    • Most Watched Autographs
  • Ending Soon on Ebay
    • Baseball Cards
    • Basketball Cards
    • Football Cards
    • Hockey Cards
    • Soccer Cards
    • Golf Cards
    • UFC Cards
  • Top - Ad

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports collecting news - Sports cards and sports memorabilia industry news.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
      • Shop Talk
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Affordable Vintage Cards, Collectibles
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • Around The Hobby
    • Editor’s Blog
    • David Cycleback’s Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Popular Stories
  • Sell Your Cards
You are here: Home / Popular Stories / Rise of the Bowman Chrome Autograph

Rise of the Bowman Chrome Autograph

September 16, 2014 By Jeff Hwang

We spent the past couple of weeks talking about the likely impact that case breakers are having on inflating the supply of new card issues, and whether or not case breakers are good or bad for the hobby. Regardless of where you stand on the latter issue, the one thing that is clear is that increasing supply creates logistical issues of great impact for manufacturers, particularly as it relates to product configuration and ultimately box value.

One key area impacted by supply growth for any given product are the numbered parallels. Finest Baseball, for example, generally has a 100-player base checklist with 50 gold refractors #’d/50, for a total of 5,000 gold refractors every year. The problem is, if product supply rises but the number of base set gold refractors remains fixed at 5,000, then the gold refractors necessarily become harder to hit, resulting in lower box value. To fill the need to support box value in the face of rising supply, Topps’ response has generally been to add more rare parallels to the product.

2011 Bowman Chrome Rookie Auto FreemanThis has certainly been the case with the Bowman Chrome family of products, whose gold refractor history we traced in The Modern Baseball Card Investor. Topps introduced the Gold Refractor to Bowman Chrome as a #/99 in 2001, before becoming a staple #/50 in 2002. The now ubiquitous 1/1 Superfractor and #/5 Red Refractors were introduced in 2005 Bowman Chrome (the Red Refractor was a 1/1 in 2004 and 2005 Bowman Chrome Draft, before becoming a #/5 in 2006). The standard Orange Refractor #/25 was introduced in 2006.

But in the face of exploding case breaker demand, 2013 Bowman brought the Black Refractor #/99 to the Bowman Chrome Prospects set; 2013 Bowman Chrome included Yellow Refractors #/10, Black Refractors #/15, and Magenta Refractors #/35; while 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft included Silver Wave Refractors #/25, Red Wave Refractors #/25 (previously a redemption feature), Black Refractors #/35, and Green Refractors #/75.

And the other key area impacted by supply growth for a given product relates to autograph production.

The Rise of the Bowman Chrome Auto

PujolsChromeEverybody knows that a baseball player’s key card is generally his first Bowman Chrome auto, topped by the rarest parallels of those cards. This has been the case going back to 2001 Bowman Chrome, which included the Albert Pujols RC Auto #/500. Meanwhile, the top of the modern hobby is arguably the 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Mike Trout Auto Superfractor 1/1, which a few weeks ago we argued could conceivably fetch $100,000 today.

This has lead to a growing fixation on the Bowman Chrome brand. Moreover, because Topps prints to pre-order demand, we have observed a dramatic increase in the supply of new Bowman Chrome issues over the past decade.

Through 2013, Bowman Chrome auto had been inserted at a rate of one per Hobby box since 2003 Bowman Chrome, and three per Jumbo box since 2010 Bowman. And because the Bowman lines have continued to grow – and because more and more boxes were produced with one chrome auto per Hobby box and three per Jumbo box – this means that Topps must print more autos as base set production continues to grow.

There are two ways Topps can do this:

  1. Print more autos per player, or
  2. Widen the autograph checklist.

The good news for the investment-minded collector is that auto print runs haven’t changed much in the past decade. We know from stated print runs (taken 2009 orange refractor auto Mike Troutfrom Beckett.com) that 2003 Bowman Chrome included 2,500 autos per player (including 1,700 base autos), while 2004 Bowman Chrome included 2,800 autos per player (with 2,000 base autos). Recent Bowman Chrome prospect issues don’t appear to be materially different, while the 2012 Bowman Chrome Draft prospect autos appear to be relatively short with about 1,741 autos (give-or-take, including about 1,000 base autos) per player.

The bad news is that the prospect autograph checklists have grown spectacularly over the past decade, such that the spring 2014 Bowman release included a record-smashing 54 Bowman Chrome Prospects autos plus 16 RC autos, while 2014 Bowman Chrome – slated for a September 24 release date – looks to have a whopping 73 Bowman Chrome Prospects autos and 5 RC autos (thanks to Jaypers on the Freedom Cardboard forums for providing the checklist).

Bowman Chrome Prospect Autos by Set and Year

Year Bowman Bowman Chrome* Bowman Draft Total
2001 — 20 — 20
2002 — 22 10 32
2003 — 22 11 33
2004 — 20 10 30
2005 — 23 15 38
2006 — 25 25 50
2007 — 36 30 66
2008 20 45 19 84
2009 17 24 22 63
2010 31 40 32 103
2011 33 37 34 104
2012 38 41 40 119
2013 42 57 47 146
2014 54 73 — —

Sources: Beckett.com, cardboardconnection.com, sportscardradio.com, freedomcardboard.com

*Bowman Chrome 2001-2005 contains cards that would fall under RC auto category from 2006-present

Note that the MLBPA changed the definition of an official rookie card beginning with the 2006 card issues. Consequently, though the Bowman Chrome autos from 2001-2005 are listed as RCs in the Beckett price guides, they are generally equivalent to the Bowman Chrome Prospects autos from 2006-present. Meanwhile Topps has become increasingly reliant on Bowman Chrome RC-logo autos, which are in many cases the second Bowman Chrome auto for a given player.

Bowman Chrome RC Autos: 2006-2013

Year Bowman Bowman Chrome Bowman Draft Total RCAutos Total Prospect Autos Total RC + Prospect Autos
2006 — 5 0 5 50 55
2007 — 0 0 0 66 66
2008 — 0 5 5 84 89
2009 — 0 0 0 63 63
2010 14 1 1 16 103 119
2011 — 2 0 2 104 106
2012 12 4 2 18 119 137
2013 14 7 1 22 144 166
2014 16 5 — — — —

Source: Beckett.com, The Cardboard Connection, Sports Card Radio

But as a consequence, the Bowman Chrome prospect autos as a class – which were already speculative to begin with – have become exponentially weaker and more speculative as a whole, increasing the risk of buying a box and having your box “hit” wind up being a super dud. This is likely why 2014 Bowman Chrome Hobby boxes will include two autos per box for the first time, while the Jumbo boxes will include five autos per box, compared to three per box in 2013.

Jeff Hwang is a gaming industry consultant and the best-selling author of Pot-Limit Omaha Poker: The Big Play Strategy, the three-volume Advanced Pot-Limit Omaha series and The Modern Baseball Card Investor. Follow Jeff on Twitter @RivalSchoolX.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Facebook Messenger

Related Stories:

Shohei Ohtani Superfractor Sells for $184,056 Kris Bryant 2016 Bowman National RefractorTopps’ NSCC Wrapper Redemption Set Planned PSA 10 1952 Topps Mickey MantleThe Upside of the Modern Baseball Card The Four Basic Types of Ungraded Strategies Bowman Chrome Box 20132013 Bowman Chrome Baseball Review Topps Chrome Emerges from Crowded Release Calendar

Filed Under: Popular Stories, Sports Memorabilia Industry News Tagged With: Bowman Chrome, Modern baseball card investor, Superfractor

Primary Sidebar

Our articles may contain affiliate links. When you click on links to merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

Shop Sports Cards on Ebay
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey

High End Cards and Memorabilia

  • BBCE Authenticated Boxes, Packs opens in a new window
  • Graded pre-War Card eBay Auctions
  • PWCC Premier Auction
  • PWCC Fixed Price Marketplace
  • Graded Rookie Cards on eBay opens in a new window
  • Authenticated Photos on eBay opens in a new window
  • Graded Tickets & Stubs opens in a new window

Bargain Corner

  • Michael Jordan cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Kobe Bryant cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Mickey Mantle Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Graded T206 Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Pre-War Cards Under $100 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Baseball Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Football Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Basketball Cards $25 and less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Hockey Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Complete Sets $20 and Less opens in a new window
  • Baseball Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Football Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Hobby Boxes Under $30 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1986 Rookie Cards Under $1 opens in a new window
  • Buy Boxes Directly from Topps opens in a new window

RSS Auction Report

  • Pristine Auction Offers Monthly Elite Auction Ending Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023
  • REA Midwest Consignment Trip – Consign Today
  • MEARS Auction of Memorabilia and More Ends October 7, 2023

Footer

Categories

  • Around the Hobby
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • David Cycleback's Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Editor's Blog
  • Featured Articles
  • Hobby Shop Talk
  • National Sports Collectors Convention
  • Popular Stories
  • Rich Klein's Ramblings
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Uncategorized

Sponsor Links

  • Sports Card Forumopens in a new window
  • Buying Vintage Sports Cardsopens in a new window
  • Game Used Jerseysopens in a new window
  • Championship Rings For Saleopens in a new window
  • Vintage Basketball Cardsopens in a new window
  • NBA Signed Itemsopens in a new window
  • Autographed Baseballsopens in a new window
  • NASCAR Autographsopens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Baseball Cardsopens in a new window
  • Player Picturesopens in a new window
  • Vintage Football Cardsopens in a new window
  • Sports Collectors Storeopens in a new window

Pages

Ending on eBay Soon
  • Baseball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Basketball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Football Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Hockey Card Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay Ending Soon
Top 100 on Ebay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Card Auctions
  • Top Authenticated Vintage Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
Most Watched on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Graded Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Tom Brady Card Auctions on eBay
  • 50 Hottest Hobby Boxes at Auction on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Golf Trading Cards on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Wrestling Trading Cards on eBay
  • 75 Most Watched Bowman Chrome Cards
  • Most Popular Bobbleheads on eBay
  • Most Watched 1/1 Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Basketball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Complete Baseball Card Sets at Auction on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Rookie Card Auctions
  • Most Watched Goudey Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Hockey Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Racing Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Soccer Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Autographs on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Jerseys on eBay
  • Most Watched Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
  • Most Watched Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay
  • Hottest Panini National Treasures Cards on eBay
  • Hottest PSA 10 Cards for Sale on eBay
  • What’s Hot on eBay
Sports Memorabilia
  • Sports Card Bargain Bin
  • Sports Memorabilia Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
About Sports Collectors Daily
  • Advertise with SC Daily
  • Contact Us
  • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Sell Your Cards
  • What’s It Worth
  • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?

Copyright © 2023 SportsCollectorsDaily.com | Web Design by Wickam Groupopens in a new window