Bowman is an American trading card company that was founded in 1948 by James Bowman. The company is best known for producing baseball cards, but it has also produced cards for a variety of other sports and non-sports subjects over the years.
One of the most important Bowman sets of all time is the 1948 Bowman Baseball set, which is considered the company's first true baseball card set. The set featured 240 cards, each measuring 2-1/16" by 2-15/16", and included players from all 16 Major League Baseball teams. The cards were sold in packs of five for a nickel and were highly sought after by collectors at the time.
In the years that followed, Bowman produced a number of other popular baseball card sets, including the "Bowman Draft Picks" sets, which featured prospects and rookie players, and the "Bowman Chrome" sets, which featured high-quality card stock and holographic elements. In the 1990s, Bowman also produced a number of popular football, basketball, and hockey card sets, including the "Bowman Football" and "Bowman Hockey" sets.
In the 2000s, Bowman continued to produce a wide variety of sports and non-sports card sets, including sets featuring the popular Pokémon franchise and the Harry Potter series. In recent years, Bowman has continued to focus primarily on producing baseball card sets, including its flagship "Bowman Baseball" set and specialized sets such as "Bowman Chrome Prospects," which features prospects and rookie players, and "Bowman Platinum," which features premium card stock and exclusive autograph and memorabilia cards.
In addition to its trading card sets, Bowman has also produced a number of other products, including stickers, posters, and other collectibles. Today, the company is still a major player in the trading card industry and its cards are highly sought after by collectors of all ages.
Here are a few examples of some of the most important Bowman cards:
- 1948 Bowman Baseball: This set is considered the company's first true baseball card set and features cards of many iconic players, including Jackie Robinson and Ted Williams.
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1953 Bowman Color Baseball: This set is considered one of the most iconic Bowman baseball sets of all time and features cards of many Hall of Famers, including Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.
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1989 Bowman Football: This card, which features Troy Aikman in his rookie season, is highly sought after by collectors.
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2000 Bowman Chrome Baseball: This set is considered one of the most popular Bowman baseball sets of all time and features cards of many current and future Hall of Famers, including Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols.
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2020 Bowman Baseball: This set features cards of many current and future stars, including Fernando Tatis Jr. and Bo Bichette.
These are just a few examples of the many important and valuable Bowman cards that have been produced over the years. Whether you're a fan of baseball, football, basketball, or any other sport, there is likely a Bowman card set that will appeal to you. Bowman has also made a name for itself by producing high-quality card stock and including exclusive autograph and memorabilia cards in many of its sets, making them especially popular among collectors. Overall, Bowman has had a significant impact on the trading card industry and has helped to bring trading cards to the mainstream.
