Enigma
04-22-2008, 03:38 PM
Thanks to the wonderful folks at Topps, we have the privilege of doing a product review of 2007/08 Bowman Sterling Basketball as they have provided us with a pack of this product.
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/enigmas_cards/Basketball/0708bowmansterlingBKB.jpg
Product Description
SRP (Suggested retail price): Between 225.99-229.99
6 packs per box, 5 cards per pack
Bowman Sterling packs normally contain 1 auto, 2 relics and 2 rookie cards. The full box usually yields 3 auto/relics, 3 autos, 12 relics, 24 rookies and a rookie box loader.
This year, the rookie cards feature only 10 players from the 07/08 rookie class. You get two per pack, normally one base rc and a parallel rc. There are 12 parallels of the rookie cards ranging from being numbered to 399 all the way down to a 1 of 1. Actually, there's three 1 of 1s (Red, Gold and Black Superfractors).
Our pack contained a base rc and a regular refractor.
There are five types of autographed cards this year that are seeded 1 per pack. First is the rookie autos. Only 15 rookies were selected for this, 1 per box. Besides the base rookie auto, there are four parallels (Refractor #/50, Black Refractor #/25, Gold Refractor #/10 and the coveted Red Refractor #/1).
Next are the Rookie Autograph Relics. A total of 30 rookies were selected for this series, seeded 2 per box. The parallels run at the same rate as the regular rookie auto.
Veterans and retired players were grouped together for our next series. The Veteran/Retired Auto Relic series combines 20 of the top current and former NBA stars with a signature and relic on the same card. These were seeded one per box and the parallels run like the rookie auto.
Dual Autograph Relics are a 20 card series that combine rookies, veterans and legends in various combinations. They are seeded at 1 per 4-box half case. Parallels are offered as followed:
Red Refractor - #/1
Gold Refractor - #/3
Black Refractor - #/5
Refractor - #/10
Rounding out this group is a brand new set to Bowman Sterling, Rookie Auto Letterman Patches. 29 of the hottest rookies in the NBA signed the nameplate patches on their jersey to create more than 900 Autograph Letter Patches. These were seeded at 1 per 8-box case.
At 2 per pack, the box is loaded with relic cards. There are 10 rookie relics and 40 veteran/retired relics. The parallel versions are as follows:
Red Refractor - #/1
Gold Refractor - #/25
Black Refractor - #/99
Refractor - #/199
And in true Bowman Sterling fashion, the highly sought after box loaders return at a rate of 1 per box. There are 14 rookies that comprise this set with parallel versions matching the breakdown of the relic cards.
Overall Break:
Base RC - Al Horford
Refractor RC - Al Horford (060/399)
Veteran Relic - Kobe Bryant Jersey
Veteran Refractor Relic - Joe Johnson Jersey (072/199)
Veteran Relic/Auto - Ray Allen Jersey/Auto (155/190)
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/enigmas_cards/Basketball/CCF04222008_00000.jpg
Final Ratings:
Base Set - 4.25
Fun - 4.5
Overall Design - 5.0
Value - 4.0
Rebuy - 4.25
Final Grade - 22/25 (88%/B+)
It's really hard to judge a product based on one pack, but I did enjoy what came out of the pack. Was nice to see that we got an auto/jersey instead of just an auto as they are 1 in every two packs. Bowman Sterling is a fun product to open, though it usually doesn't give back in the money/resell department.
All cards will be going to our prize vault as this was an individual pack break.
On behalf of SCF, I would like to thank Topps for providing us with this pack of 2007/08 Bowman Sterling.
Here is a video of the break:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy95qlO996M
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/enigmas_cards/Basketball/0708bowmansterlingBKB.jpg
Product Description
SRP (Suggested retail price): Between 225.99-229.99
6 packs per box, 5 cards per pack
Bowman Sterling packs normally contain 1 auto, 2 relics and 2 rookie cards. The full box usually yields 3 auto/relics, 3 autos, 12 relics, 24 rookies and a rookie box loader.
This year, the rookie cards feature only 10 players from the 07/08 rookie class. You get two per pack, normally one base rc and a parallel rc. There are 12 parallels of the rookie cards ranging from being numbered to 399 all the way down to a 1 of 1. Actually, there's three 1 of 1s (Red, Gold and Black Superfractors).
Our pack contained a base rc and a regular refractor.
There are five types of autographed cards this year that are seeded 1 per pack. First is the rookie autos. Only 15 rookies were selected for this, 1 per box. Besides the base rookie auto, there are four parallels (Refractor #/50, Black Refractor #/25, Gold Refractor #/10 and the coveted Red Refractor #/1).
Next are the Rookie Autograph Relics. A total of 30 rookies were selected for this series, seeded 2 per box. The parallels run at the same rate as the regular rookie auto.
Veterans and retired players were grouped together for our next series. The Veteran/Retired Auto Relic series combines 20 of the top current and former NBA stars with a signature and relic on the same card. These were seeded one per box and the parallels run like the rookie auto.
Dual Autograph Relics are a 20 card series that combine rookies, veterans and legends in various combinations. They are seeded at 1 per 4-box half case. Parallels are offered as followed:
Red Refractor - #/1
Gold Refractor - #/3
Black Refractor - #/5
Refractor - #/10
Rounding out this group is a brand new set to Bowman Sterling, Rookie Auto Letterman Patches. 29 of the hottest rookies in the NBA signed the nameplate patches on their jersey to create more than 900 Autograph Letter Patches. These were seeded at 1 per 8-box case.
At 2 per pack, the box is loaded with relic cards. There are 10 rookie relics and 40 veteran/retired relics. The parallel versions are as follows:
Red Refractor - #/1
Gold Refractor - #/25
Black Refractor - #/99
Refractor - #/199
And in true Bowman Sterling fashion, the highly sought after box loaders return at a rate of 1 per box. There are 14 rookies that comprise this set with parallel versions matching the breakdown of the relic cards.
Overall Break:
Base RC - Al Horford
Refractor RC - Al Horford (060/399)
Veteran Relic - Kobe Bryant Jersey
Veteran Refractor Relic - Joe Johnson Jersey (072/199)
Veteran Relic/Auto - Ray Allen Jersey/Auto (155/190)
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/enigmas_cards/Basketball/CCF04222008_00000.jpg
Final Ratings:
Base Set - 4.25
Fun - 4.5
Overall Design - 5.0
Value - 4.0
Rebuy - 4.25
Final Grade - 22/25 (88%/B+)
It's really hard to judge a product based on one pack, but I did enjoy what came out of the pack. Was nice to see that we got an auto/jersey instead of just an auto as they are 1 in every two packs. Bowman Sterling is a fun product to open, though it usually doesn't give back in the money/resell department.
All cards will be going to our prize vault as this was an individual pack break.
On behalf of SCF, I would like to thank Topps for providing us with this pack of 2007/08 Bowman Sterling.
Here is a video of the break:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy95qlO996M