Bowman’s Best Baseball Cards: A History of Excellence in the Hobby
Bowman Gum Company launched their first baseball card set in 1948 and quickly became one of the premier issuers of cards chronicling Major League Baseball. While Topps would eventually dominate the modern era beginning in the 1950s, Bowman established themselves as an innovator by releasing some of the earliest color cards and experimenting with new sizes, designs, and production techniques. Even after Topps gained exclusive rights to MLB players in the late 1980s, Bowman found creative ways to remain a staple in the collector marketplace. One of their most acclaimed modern sets is Bowman Best, which has earned a sterling reputation for quality among hobbyists.
Bowman Best was introduced in 1998 as Bowman’s answer to the dominant Topps Finest set that debuted three years prior. Finest featured sharp photography, refractors, and parallels that became highly sought after by investors. Bowman aimed to compete directly by producing a set with equally impressive aesthetics and chase cards using cutting edge printing technology. The inaugural 1998 Bowman Best set focused on prospects, parallels, and inserts featuring some of the game’s biggest stars. Rated on a scale of 1-10, refractors could be pulled with ratings of 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Lower numbered parallels like Gold (#/1999) added tremendous value.
Perhaps the most iconic card from the 1998 release was a Chipper Jones refractor parallel numbered to just 50 copies. Highly conditioned examples now sell for thousands due to Jones’ Hall of Fame career and the extreme scarcity of the parallel. Other stars prominently featured included Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, and Sammy Sosa. The prospect selection was also ahead of its time, with cards of young players like Andruw Jones, Bobby Abreu, and Alfonso Soriano who went on to have stellar MLB tenures. Overall design was clean and photography was sharp, showing Bowman was more than capable of competing at the highest level.
In the years that followed, Bowman Best continued to refine and expand on the formula. The 1999 set introduced a new borderless design along with parallels like Gold, Black, and Blue that became fan favorites. Rated refractors of stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Pedro Martinez, and Vladimir Guerrero are still considered visual masterpieces today. Prospect selection remained top-notch with future stars Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, and Mark Mulder among the featured rookies. The 2000 Bowman Best took photography and printing quality to a new level while introducing popular parallel colors like Green and Red. Star rookies Adrian Beltre, Carlos Beltran, and Barry Zito led the way.
By 2001, Bowman Best had firmly established itself alongside Finest as the premier high-end release of the year. That year’s edition introduced a modernized design with holograms and 3D effects. Parallels expanded further with Orange, Purple, and 1/1 White parallel options added to the mix. Rookies such as Josh Beckett, Jimmy Rollins, and Nomar Mazara showed the set’s keen eye for future talent. The following years saw continued innovation as Bowman experimented with new technologies. In 2002, the set debuted a “Matrix” parallel concept where cards were printed with a digital code revealing their parallel designation. Short prints and 1/1s became the ultimate collector prizes.
The mid-2000s represented the peak years of Bowman Best’s popularity. Sets from 2003-2005 are still considered among the finest ever produced from a design and photography standpoint. Parallels proliferated with serial-numbered options in nearly every color of the rainbow, along with ultra-rare Stitching and Spectrum parallels. Top prospects like Justin Verlander, Ryan Braun, and Troy Tulowitzki led the way on rookie cards that hold tremendous long-term appeal. Meanwhile, inserts paid tribute to MLB milestones and Bowman’s own rich history in the hobby. By 2006, the set had expanded to include prospects from the Dominican Summer League in addition to domestic minor leaguers.
While Topps regained the MLB player license beginning in 2007, Bowman Best soldiered on featuring top international prospects and minor leaguers. The sets maintained the high standards of years past with innovations like refractors printed with players’ autographs. Parallels remained abundant and the prospect selection as strong as ever. Notable rookies included Yoenis Cespedes, Manny Machado, and Kris Bryant. Into the 2010s, Bowman Best continued adapting by focusing more on top draft picks and international amateurs before their MLB debuts. Sets paid homage to Bowman’s rich history in the hobby while maintaining the tradition of innovative parallels and inserts.
Today, Bowman Best is celebrated as one of the finest modern releases in the collecting world. Sets from the late 90s through mid-2000s peak era routinely fetch premium prices in the secondary market. Part of the appeal lies in the prospect selection which has proven uncannily predictive of future MLB stardom. Meanwhile, the parallels and inserts provide endless chase opportunities for investors. Above all, Bowman Best established a reputation for cutting edge design, photography, and printing techniques that pushed the industry forward. Even without MLB player licensing, the brand’s legacy ensures it remains a premier destination for collectors pursuing the game’s top prospects. Bowman Best exemplifies why Bowman Gum Company’s contributions to the baseball card hobby will never be forgotten.
