SCF Official Review: 2014 Bowman Platinum

**Enigma** · 09-08-2014, 10:12 AM

First and foremost, I'd like to thank our sponsors at Topps for providing us with this box.

2014bwplatBB.jpg

20 packs per box
5 cards per pack
Current Retail Price (online): $89.99 - $109.99

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

AUTOGRAPHS

Autographed Prospect Cards:
- Green Refractor #'d to 399.
- Blue Refractor #'d to 199.
- Gold Refractor #'d to 50.
- Red Refractor #'d to 25.
- Black Refractor #'d to 10. Hobby Only
- Atomic Refractor #'d to 5. Hobby Only
- Super-Fractor 1/1. Hobby Only
- Printing Plates 1/1. Hobby Only

Purely Platinum Autographs Cards are printed on simulated metal. 1/1. Hobby Only

Dual Autographs Dual prospect subjects sequentially #'d to 25.

Triple Autographs A mix of Prospects, Veterans, and Rookie subjects sequentially #'d to 10.

Hexagraphs Book Card Featuring Veterans, Rookies, and prospects on a book card; sequentially #'d to 5. Hobby Only

Bowman Black #'d to 25. Hobby Only
- Bowman Black Violet Parallel #'d to 10. Hobby Only NEW!

AUTOGRAPHED RELICS

Autographed Platinum Cut Relic Cards #'d to 49. NEW!

Autographed Relic Cards Autographed Jumbo Relic Cards
- Blue Refractor #'d to 199.
- Gold Refractor #'d to 50.
- Red Refractor #'d to 25.
- Atomic Refractor #'d to 5. Includes patches. Hobby Only
- Super-Fractor 1/1. Includes patches. Hobby Only
- Printing Plates 1/1. Includes patches. Hobby Only

INSERTS
Toolsy Die-Cut INSERTS: Unique Die-Cuts representing on-field abilities NEW!
- Toolsy Die-Cut Power
- Toolsy Die-Cut Average
- Toolsy Die-Cut Arm
- Toolsy Die-Cut Speed
- Toolsy Die-Cut Fielding
- 5-Tool Die-Cut featuring the best 5-Tool players in the game.

Cutting Edge Stars Die-Cut cards featuring top vets & rookies
- Die-Cut Relics. #'d to 50.
- Die-Cut Autographs. #'d to 25.

Top Prospects
- Die-Cut #'d to 25.
- Die-Cut Autographs. #'d to 5

INSERTS & RELICS
1989 "Bowman is Back" Silver Diamond Refractor This insert is a continuity program in all Bowman products, celebrating the year that Bowman cards started to be produced again in 1989.
- 1989 "Bowman is Back" Black Refractor Autograph : #'d to 25. Hobby Only

Arizona Fall League CONTEST INSERT: These promotional cards offer collectors the chance to win a behind-the-scenes experience at the 2014 Bowman Fall Stars Game.

Arizona FALL LEAGUE All-Stars Redemption Pr gram Redemption cards good for and Game-Used memorabilia.

Prospect Bat Plate Will utilize the bat plates from top prospects' bats. 1 /1. Hobby Only

BASE CARDS

Veterans & Rookie Stars
The top veterans and rookies of MLB on rainbow foil board.
- Gold Parallel
- Blue Sapphire Parallel
- Ruby Parallel
- Printing Plates #'d 1/1. Hobby Only

Prospects 100 top prospects
- Refractor
- X-fractor
- Green Refractor #'d to 399.
- Blue Refractor #'d to 199.
- Gold Refractor #'d to 50.
- Red Refractor #'d to 25.
- Orange Refractor #'d to 10. Hobby Only NEW!
- Atomic Refractor #'d to 5. Hobby Only
- Superfractor #'d 1/1. Hobby Only
- Printing Plates #'d 1/1. Hobby Only

WHAT WE PULLED

Base - 23/100 (23%)
Prospects - 49/100 (49%)
Prospects Chrome - 5/100 (5%)

CCF08292014_00000_zps41193167.jpg
CCF08292014_00001_zps6c1928ac.jpg

Gold (4)
Sapphire (2)
Ruby (1)
Prospects X-Fractor (1)
Prospects Green /399 (2) - Raul Mondesi, David Dahl
Prospects Gold /50 (1) - Alen Hanson

CCF08292014_00002_zps6654b082.jpg
CCF08292014_00003_zps5c669076.jpg
CCF08292014_00004_zps6a367344.jpg

1989 Bowman Is Back (1)
5-Tool Die Cut (1)
Cutting Edge Stars (2)
Top Prospects (4)

CCF08292014_00005_zps7db75fe8.jpg
CCF08292014_00006_zps5a73bc28.jpg

Shae Simmons Autograph (on card)

CCF08292014_00007_zps4a4f88c9.jpg

Tyler Danish Autograph (on card)

CCF08292014_00008_zpsa6ee5d10.jpg

Matt Stites Jersey/Autograph

CCF08292014_00009_zps6ec98c07.jpg

Bowman's latest foray into showcasing prospects is Platinum. Utilizing foilboard cardstock, Platinum features a 100-card base set as well as a 100-card prospects set (which also has a chrome refractor version). The Base and Rookies have three unnumbered parallels, while the prospects have seven (all of which are serial numbered except for the X-Fractors). Along with the chrome prospects, expect these cards to appear four in every five packs.

Platinum contains three insert sets along with the 1989 Bowman continuity program. To commemorate its 25th anniversary of being released again, Bowman is featuring players of today in the original 1989 Bowman design. These cards will appear all year long throughout the Bowman family of products. The three chase sets have the extra touch of being die-cut. The 5-Tool series features 50 young players who possess one of the "5 tools" of the game. The parallel focuses on 15 current stars that encompasses many of the traits. Top Prospects is a 30-card set of youngsters expected to be the faces of tomorrow. The final set is a 20-card release called Cutting Edge Stars, encompassing players young and old.

Each box will yield three autographs, one of which also contains a relic. Outside of the base autographs, there are various set such as Black and Purely Platinum. The Black serise is prospects only, while Purely Platinum mixes them with current players. If you enjoy multi-player signature cards, Platinum has three sets (Dual, Triple and Hexagraph Booklets). With the bat knobs being popular over the last couple of years, Platinum has a 10-card prospects series of Bat Nameplates.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Base - 4/5
Design - 4.5/5
Fun - 4/5
Value - 3.5/5
Rebuy - 3.75/5

Overall - 19.75/25 (79%)

NPN INFORMATION

NPN 2014 Bowman Platinum BB
PO Box 2230
Duryea, PA 18642

Limit 1 Request Per Household

Postmarked By: 11/5/14
Receievd By: 11/12/14

Canada Skills: 19 x 2 + 12 - 3 = ?

Once again, I'd like to thank our wonderful sponsors at Topps for giving us the opportunity to open and review this release. For more information on all of their products, visit them today at www.topps.com.

Base and inserts are available for request. Please PM me with the card or cards of interest. Cards will remain available for 30 days from the time this review is posted. As always, only VIPs may make a request for the first 48 hours.