When old baseball card collectors gather around their shoe boxes full of rubber-band-bound stacks and conversation turns to the greatest sets of the post-War era, as it inevitably does, the predictable run of iconic issues fills the air: 1951 Bowman, 1952 Topps, 1953 Topps and Bowman. Sandwiched among these heavyweights of the hobby, maybe the 1952 Bowman set … [Read more...] about 1952 Bowman Baseball: Underrated Elegance
1952 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
Ranking the Population of Early Mantle Cards
If you're assuming the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle is the rarest of his standard Topps and Bowman cards, you're correct. It's a statistic that most collectors are familiar with. However, a comparison shows the difference in the number of graded Mantles from his first three seasons isn't quite as startling as you might think. The infographic below tallies the population … [Read more...] about Ranking the Population of Early Mantle Cards
5 Great Mickey Mantle Cards on a Budget
You see the headlines. Probably read some of them right here. High grade Mickey Mantle cards selling for five and sometimes six figure prices. It can be enough to scare anyone off. Maybe you're interested in a nice Mantle or two...but what to buy? None of them are "cheap" anymore, but there are some value plays. Here are some ideas for … [Read more...] about 5 Great Mickey Mantle Cards on a Budget