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Bowman

Topps acquisition of the Bowman Gum Company in the early 1950’s consolidated the bubblegum baseball card market under a single entity that would last for almost thirty years. However, it wasn’t until 1989 that Topps resurrected the Bowman brand as a standalone product. The cards were slightly larger than the traditional 2-1/2” x 3-1/2” sized cards collectors had become accustomed to and proved frustrating from a storage and archival standpoint. Despite a strong rookie checklist that included Ken Griffey Jr. the new Bowman brand was met with a lukewarm reception.

Home of the Rookie Card

The following year, the brand was reconfigured and included an aggressive marketing campaign with a new tagline, “Home of the Rookie Card”. This statement was manifested in the product itself in the form of the 120 rookies that were included in the checklist. In subsequent years, the Bowman brand continued to evolve. One of the most notable changes being in the card stock used from that of the traditional clay stock to a premium stock that included a high gloss finish. The checklist and size of the set itself continued to grow in quantity, which saw the 1992 version of the brand containing a total of 183 rookie cards, most notable of which were; Manny Ramirez, Mike Piazza, and Carlos Delgado

Brand Evolution

Since its early years under Topps control, the Bowman brand has spawned several sister products. Capitalizing on the popularity of rookie card collecting, enhancements in printing technologies and Topps exclusive licensing agreement with Major League Baseball, the Bowman name has given rise to some of the most desirable brands in the baseball card market. Some of these correlating branded products include names like, Bowman Chrome, Bowman’s Best, Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects, and Bowman Sterling. Regardless of the name, product configuration, or technologies employed, one constant has remained, in that the Bowman brand has become the most recognizable rookie card brand in the baseball card landscape.

Other Sports

The early success of the revitalized brand coupled with the boom era of sports cards in the early ‘90’s afforded Topps the opportunity to role out the Bowman brand across the other major sports. The first of these came in the much smaller hockey card market for the 1990-91 season, in the form of both a hobby pack product and a 264-card factory set. Later that decade, in the mid ‘90’s, both Bowman and it’s premium version, Bowman’s Best would be released to the football card market. The resulting success caused the company to open the brand to basketball in 1996-97, which just so happened to coincide with the return to prominence of the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan. As with baseball before them, the popularity of the Bowman brands has been utilized in multiple formats across all sports through the years and will continue to be a dominate force in the hobby for years to come.

Bowman Card Sets

Browse our database of Bowman card sets, which feature product reviews, set checklists, expert analysis, price comparisons, and more.

2024 Bowman Baseball Cards

2024 Bowman Baseball Cards

Showcasing a new design, 2024 Bowman Baseball covers top prospects and more with paper and Chrome cards.

2021 Bowman Baseball Cards

2021 Bowman Baseball Cards

Dig for cardboard gold in 2021 Bowman Baseball. The popular brand starts off the season of MLB prospect collecting with Hobby and Jumbo formats.

2020 Bowman MLS Soccer Cards Checklist

2020 Bowman MLS Soccer Cards Checklist

Major League Soccer is back and the 2020 Bowman MLS Soccer set features some of the top up-and-coming talent. The exclusive release includes autographs, as well.

2020 Bowman Baseball Cards

2020 Bowman Baseball Cards

A little old and a lot of new awaits in 2020 Bowman Baseball. The MLB prospect-filled release again offers the first batch of Chrome Prospect Autographs.

2020 Bowman 1st Edition Baseball Cards

2020 Bowman 1st Edition Baseball Cards

2020 Bowman 1st Edition Baseball is a limited preview product coming to Topps’ online store. All prospect cards carry the 1st Edition stamp, including the Chrome autographs.

2019 Bowman Mega Box Chrome Baseball Cards

2019 Bowman Mega Box Chrome Baseball Cards

Track down exclusive prospect and rookie cards in 2019 Bowman Mega Box Chrome Baseball. The highly-anticipated MLB release offers some of the game’s best up-and-coming names in a Mojo Refractor.

2019 Bowman Baseball Cards Checklist

2019 Bowman Baseball Cards Checklist

Gear up for prospect season with 2019 Bowman Baseball. The popular brand celebrates 30 years highlighting up-and-coming MLB talent. Hobby boxes contain one autograph while Hobby Jumbo has three.

2018 Topps Holiday Bowman Baseball Cards

2018 Topps Holiday Bowman Baseball Cards

Get free cards just in time for the Christmas season thanks to 2018 Topps Holiday Bowman Baseball. Exclusive to Hobby shops, collectors receive a pack by making a Topps purchase.

2018 Bowman Baseball Cards

2018 Bowman Baseball Cards

Chase some of the top prospects of the year with 2018 Bowman Baseball! Offering on-card autographs, Hobby boxes have one signed card and Jumbo has three.

2017 Bowman Baseball Cards

2017 Bowman Baseball Cards

Celebrating 70 years of cards, 2017 Bowman Baseball provides ample coverage for top prospects as well as throwbacks from the history of the brand. Hobby boxes deliver one autograph while Jumbo promises three signed cards per box.

2016 Bowman National Refractors Baseball Cards

2016 Bowman National Refractors Baseball Cards

The Topps National Sports Collectors Convention wrapper redemption features exclusive 2016 Bowman National Refractors Baseball cards. The limited set includes parallels and autograph versions.

2016 Bowman Baseball Cards

2016 Bowman Baseball Cards

A key release for prospecting, 2016 Bowman Baseball returns with all the bells and whistles collectors have come to expect, including Chrome Prospect Autographs and many Refractor parallels. Hobby boxes promise one autograph.

2015 Bowman Football Cards

2015 Bowman Football Cards

2015 Bowman Football jumps out early with four on-card rookie autographs and a veteran relic card per hobby box.

2015 Bowman Baseball Cards

2015 Bowman Baseball Cards

2015 Bowman Baseball features a bigger prospect checklist to go alongside its many other familiar elements. Chrome Prospect Autographs and Refractors once again highlight the set.

2014 Bowman Football Cards

2014 Bowman Football Cards

2014 Bowman Football is highlighted by some of the first rookie cards of the season. Hobby boxes have five total hits including four autographs.

2014 Bowman Baseball Cards

2014 Bowman Baseball Cards

2014 Bowman Baseball marks the 25th anniversary of Topps reviving the classic brand and giving it a heavy rookie and prospect focus. Hobby boxes once again promise one autograph.

2013 Bowman Football Cards

2013 Bowman Football Cards

Focusing on the latest rookies, 2013 Bowman Football takes a more traditional brand approach. The set arrives with some of the first autographs from the 2013 rookie crop and plenty of parallels.

2013 Bowman Baseball Cards

2013 Bowman Baseball Cards

2013 Bowman Baseball marks the 65th anniversary of the brand. Traditionally one of the top sets for prospectors, hobby boxes deliver one autograph and lots of the game’s future stars.

2012 Bowman Football Cards

2012 Bowman Football Cards

2012 Bowman Football is highlighted by the first Topps autographs from the 2012 NFL draft picks. Every pack of the hobby version, dubbed Bowman Signatures, is guaranteed to have either an autograph or a signed relic card. The 200-card base set has 100 rookie cards.

2012 Bowman Baseball Cards

2012 Bowman Baseball Cards

Other than a few cosmetic changes, 2012 Bowman Baseball sticks with what’s made it one of the most popular brands in the hobby. Once again collectors can expect rookies and prospects galore and a ton of parallels and refractors to chase. Bowman Black autographs debut.

2011 Bowman Baseball Cards

2011 Bowman Baseball Cards

An annual favorite for prospectors, 2011 Bowman is a prime option for Bryce Harper collectors. Hobby boxes offer one autograph per box.

2010 Bowman Baseball

2010 Bowman Baseball

2010 Bowman Baseball will feature the first official Topps certified autographs of mega prospect Stephen Strasburg, in addition to an exclusive relic program and three new insert sets.
2008 Bowman Baseball

2008 Bowman Baseball

Product Details Product Details 2008 Bowman Baseball now features even more must-have, Bowman Exclusive cards than ever before! NEW this year, 2008 Bowman Baseball presents Hobby Exclusive AUTOGRAPHED Bowman Chrome Prospect Cards, at an insertion rate of 1 per Hobby and HTA Box and introduces Bowman Scouts Autographed Cards, highlighting baseball scouts who have signed […]

2003-04 Bowman Basketball Cards

2003-04 Bowman Basketball Cards

Basically two sets in one, 2003-04 Bowman Basketball is a rather odd NBA release that offers a double dose of LeBron James rookie cards with both regular Bowman and Bowman Chrome options.

2001 Bowman Baseball

2001 Bowman Baseball

The 2001 Bowman Baseball card set is arguably the best modern Bowman set ever produced thanks to rookie cards of Albert Pujols, Justin Morneau and Jose Reyes.

1996 Bowman Baseball Cards

1996 Bowman Baseball Cards

As far as rookies go, 1996 Bowman Baseball may be the weakest the brand has ever seen. However, the release does boast a larger number of inserts and an important tweak that is still used today.

1994 Bowman Baseball Cards

1994 Bowman Baseball Cards

Jorge Posada and Torii Hunter highlight the 1994 Bowman Baseball checklist. While it may not rank among the strongest modern Bowman sets, it’s still respectable.

1993 Bowman Baseball Cards

1993 Bowman Baseball Cards

1993 Bowman Baseball doesn’t have quite the same prestige as the previous year’s set. However, it does include rookie cards of both Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte.

1992 Bowman Baseball Cards Checklist

1992 Bowman Baseball Cards Checklist

One of the greatest sets of the decade, 1992 Bowman Baseball is highlighted by a massive rookie card checklist. Key cards include Mariano Rivera, Mike Piazza, Manny Ramirez, Chipper Jones and Pedro Martinez.

1991 Bowman Baseball Cards

1991 Bowman Baseball Cards

Led by Jim Thome and Chipper Jones, 1991 Bowman Baseball has a loaded checklist as far as rookies go. However a plain design and massive print run keep it from reaching the heights it did a year later.

1990 Bowman Baseball Cards

1990 Bowman Baseball Cards

1990 Bowman Baseball might be wildly over-printed, but it has a clean look and a strong rookie card checklist. Frank Thomas, Juan Gonzalez, Larry Walker and Sammy Sosa are among the first-year standouts.

1989 Bowman Baseball Cards

1989 Bowman Baseball Cards

1989 Bowman Baseball marked the return of the iconic brand after a more than 40-year absence. The cards themselves are notable for their over-sized dimensions and the inclusion of a Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card on the checklist.

1955 Bowman Baseball Cards

1955 Bowman Baseball Cards

Closing out this hobby chapter for vintage collectors, 1955 Bowman Baseball provides the last release for the iconic baseball brand. The vintage set is headlined by Mickey Mantle.

1954 Bowman Baseball Cards

1954 Bowman Baseball Cards

1954 Bowman Baseball is highlighted by a classy, colorful design and the presence of many Hall of Fame cards. However, errors and variations are plentiful and the set does not have many notable rookie cards.

1952 Bowman Baseball Cards

1952 Bowman Baseball Cards

It may not carry the popularity of the other 1952 release, but collectors should not sleep on 1952 Bowman Baseball. The colorful set is led by second-year cards for Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.

1951 Bowman Baseball Cards

1951 Bowman Baseball Cards

Led by rookie cards for Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, 1951 Bowman Baseball is a set for the ages. The attractive release is considered by many to be one of the most important post-war sets of all-time.

1950 Bowman Baseball Cards

1950 Bowman Baseball Cards

1950 Bowman Baseball might not have the major rookie cards, but it’s certainly a thing of beauty to behold. And considering its age, one of the more affordable major sets of the era.

1949 Bowman Wild West Trading Cards

1949 Bowman Wild West Trading Cards

Collectors have lots of options when it comes to the American West on trading cards. However, few are as popular or colorful as 1949 Bowman Wild West.

1949 Bowman Baseball Cards

1949 Bowman Baseball Cards

1949 Bowman Baseball isn’t regarded as the most attractive set ever, but it does have a potent checklist. Highlights include rookie cards of Roy Campanella and Duke Snider as well as early cards of Jackie Robinson and Satchel Paige.

1948 Bowman Football Cards

1948 Bowman Football Cards

1948 Bowman Football marked the start of modern football collecting. The vintage set includes rookies of Sammy Baugh, Pete Pihos and Steve Van Buren.

1948 Bowman Baseball Cards

1948 Bowman Baseball Cards

1948 Bowman Baseball marks the first time the card maker made a set of baseball cards. The landmark issue includes rookie cards of Stan Musial, Yogi Berra and Warren Spahn.