It won't win any design awards, but for collectors, the 1948 Bowman baseball set has carved out its own unique place. Consisting of just 48 cards, with virtually no tremendously scarce or exceedingly valuable parts, the black and white set is attractive for anyone looking for a reasonable challenge that carries a story or two behind it. Dawn of the Post-War Bubble Gum Card … [Read more...] about 1948 Bowman Baseball Set a Realistic Target for Collectors
1948 Bowman
A Look at the Evolution of Early Bowman Baseball Cards
After World War II, the Bowman Gum Company quickly became a viable competitor to Topps. Both companies produced sets early in the postwar era but Bowman would eventually get swallowed up by its rival. Topps, of course, ceased printing cards under the Bowman label after 1955 until reviving the brand back in 1989. But while Bowman's first run lasted only from 1948 through … [Read more...] about A Look at the Evolution of Early Bowman Baseball Cards
Notes: Wagner, Vintage Wax Update; NM Mantle RC Sale
Bidding for the T206 "Original" Honus Wagner card at SCP Auctions is now at $417,724 heading into the final three days. There's a 20% buyer's premium tacked on at the end so it's safe to say it'll realize somewhere north of $500,000--not a bad investment considering consignor J. Ross Greene paid $48,500 in 1996 ($75,586 in today's dollars). And it's likely there … [Read more...] about Notes: Wagner, Vintage Wax Update; NM Mantle RC Sale
Bidding for Vintage Wax Find Already Booming
Bidding for the partial box of 1948 Bowman baseball packs in Mile High Card Company’s new auction soared to over $121,000 in the first 48 hours of bidding. The one-of-a-kind was just part of an incredible find of unopened material dating back more than a half-century. Consigned by the nephew of an elderly Tennessee woman, the boxes had been stored for … [Read more...] about Bidding for Vintage Wax Find Already Booming
Ramblings: Yogi Berra Rookie Card Was Only the Beginning
Part of me always thought Yogi Berra would live forever. He was a link back to the very first important post-War sets (1947 Tip Top and 1948 Bowman rookie card) to the modern era when you could usually find a few throwback cards in Topps issues. There always seemed to be accessible sets featuring Lawrence Peter Berra. Just think, if you were eight years old in 1948 and … [Read more...] about Ramblings: Yogi Berra Rookie Card Was Only the Beginning
1948 Bowman Baseball Set Launched Post-War Card Market
After a flurry of colorful and interesting issues released just as the Great Depression began to lift in the late 1930s, baseball cards disappeared from the American landscape after 1941 thanks to the ravages and rations of World War II. Seven long years later, and nearly three full years after our troops came home, the 1948 Bowman baseball set gave the hobby a tentative … [Read more...] about 1948 Bowman Baseball Set Launched Post-War Card Market
eBay Set of the Week: Ralph Kiner Bowman Collection
For New York Area residents of a certain age, the voices of summer for the 1970's were the grouping of New York Yankees and New York Met announcers. The Yankee broadcasters for most of the decade were Frank Messer, Phil Rizzuto and Bill White while the Mets voices were Ralph Kiner, Bob Murphy and Lindsey Nelson. Those three Mets broadcasters covered the team for the first 15 … [Read more...] about eBay Set of the Week: Ralph Kiner Bowman Collection
Ralph Kiner Cards a Big Part of Baseball’s Post-War Era
Hall of Fame outfielder Ralph Kiner died Thursday at the age of 91. Kiner, who spent most of his 10-year career (1946-55) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hit 369 home runs and still holds the record for most homers by a player in his first five seasons. He had been a popular Mets broadcaster since 1962. For a player of his caliber from the era in which he played, Kiner’s … [Read more...] about Ralph Kiner Cards a Big Part of Baseball’s Post-War Era
1948 Bowman Basketball: The NBA Debuts on Cardboard
When collectors look at the history of basketball cards they usually start with a set that's a bit of a lone wolf. It was a time of change as the BAA and NBL were about to merge to form the NBA. These superstars were the first Celtics, Knicks and Warriors on basketball cards, and there were also cards of players from teams like the Providence Steamrollers and Indianapolis … [Read more...] about 1948 Bowman Basketball: The NBA Debuts on Cardboard