Official SCF Review: 2008 Bowman Chrome

[tchavezcards]

Thanks to TOPPS for providing us with the opportunity to review this product.



BOX BREAKDOWN
18 packs per box
4 cards per pack


Base Cards

Veterans: 190 Major League Baseball® players.

Rookies: 30 young stars featured with the MLB Rookie Card Logo.



Bowman Chrome Prospects
2 Per Pack!
110 Prospects who did not appear in 2008 Bowman Baseball are numbered BCP131-240 and are shown in their MLB uniform and a “First Bowman Chrome Card” logo.

SUPERFRACTOR: HOBBY STORE EXCLUSIVE! ALL 1 OF 1! Odds: 1:16,694
RED: Numbered* to 5. Odds: 1:3,924
ORANGE: Numbered* to 25. Odds: 1:785
GOLD: Numbered* to 50. Odds: 1:393
BLUE: Numbered* to 150. Odds: 1::131
X-FRACTOR: Numbered* to 250. Odds: 1::79
REFRACTOR: Numbered* to 500. Odds: 1::40

Autographed Bowman Chrome Prospects
1 Per Box! Odds: 1:31
40 Non-Major League prospects appear with their signatures.

SUPERFRACTOR: HOBBY STORE EXCLUSIVE! ALL 1 OF 1! Odds: 1:40,216
RED: Numbered* to 5. Odds: 1:8,549
ORANGE: Numbered* to 25. Odds: 1:1,784
GOLD: Numbered* to 50. Odds: 1:953
BLUE: Numbered* to 150. Odds: 1:295
X-FRACTOR: Numbered* to 250. Odds: 1:175
REFRACTOR: Numbered* to 500. Odds: 1:88


Autographed Cards
Head of the Class:
Former 1st Round Draft Picks and MLB stars appear with their signatures on Dual Autographed Cards!
Odds: 1:1,773

AVAILABLE IN THE FOLLOWING PARALLELS:
SUPERFRACTOR: HOBBY STORE EXCLUSIVE! ALL 1 OF 1! Odds: 1:589,824
GOLD: Numbered* to 50 Odds:1:12,823
REFRACTOR: Numbered* to 99. Odds: 1:6,298


Parallel Cards
SUPERFRACTOR: HOBBY STORE EXCLUSIVE! ALL 1 OF 1! Odds 1:8,308
RED: Numbered* to 5. Odds 1:1,972
ORANGE: Numbered* to 25. Odds 1:393
GOLD: Numbered* to 50. Odds 1:197
BLUE: Numbered* to 150. Odds 1:66
X-FRACTOR: Numbered* to 250. Odds 1:40
REFRACTOR: Numbered* to 500.



Framed Printing Plates

All 220 players from the base set and 110 Prospect cards are featured on 4 different framed printing plates. 1,320 ONE-OF-ONE PLATES IN ALL! Odds: 1:1,382

Autographed Prospect Framed Printing Plates
40 SUBJECTS 4 framed printing plates of each autographed subject. 160 AUTOGRAPHED ONE-OF-ONE PLATES IN ALL! Odds: 1:10,471





REVIEW

BASE CARDS:

Selected base card of the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Braves I had pulled in the box.


Rookie Cards:

The only 4 rookies I pulled from the box. #198 Chin-Lung Hu; #199 Luke Hochevar; #203 David Purcey; #219 Masahide Kobayashi


BOWMAN FIRST CARDS:

Just a sampling of the Prospects from the box. since I am from the Bronx, I will place a sample of YANKEES prospects of course:
#BCP167 Kai Liu; #BCP191 Justin Snyder; #BCP210 Mike Dunn; #BCP225 Brandon Laird



REFRACTORS:

Pulled out SIX refractors. The best known among them is #90 Barry Zito. These card have no serial numbers on the back.



BLUE REFRACTOR:

Pulled this nice Blue refractor of #175 Randy Johnson on the last pack. It is numbered to #054/150 Odds: 1:66



The ONE AUTOGRAPHED ROOKIE PER BOX:

Nice autograph-refractor of #BCP275 Aaron Cunningham #011/500 Odds: 1:88


As usual, Topps sticks to the well-proven formula with Bowman Chrome, and you can't really go wrong. This product has been geared either toward the set collector, and for those quessing which "Hit or Miss Prospect" will become the next Albert Pujols. Last year collectors were breaking Bowman Chrome boxes for the Joba Chamberlain AUTO/RC. Not sure who is the hot prospect is this year, but this is why Topps gears this product for: collectors looking for the next hot prospect.

Last year, the prospects were the only ones with white borders, which made it stand out from the set. This year the entire Bowman Chrome product has white borders, which gives it a very classy appearance. Just like in the past two years, even though they are considered "inserts", the Bowman Chrome Prospects will be very sought-after cards of up-and-comers. The quality of Bowman Chrome card is the same as ever before: excellent structure, with a simple design. Bowman stuck to the color-coded theme by using "red" for vets, "green" for Rookies, and "blue" for the prospects.

The parallels are always great additions to the set and are always attractive. The blue bordered Randy Johnson was a nice pull. The other colored refractors from this set must also be very nice, but very hard pulls. The pictures are great shots as far as clarity and action. And as always the skills, resume, and up close paragraphs on the back are very insightful.

The autographed card of Aaron Cunningham was actually from the first pack I ripped open. I was hoping for another auto in the box (a dual one), but it wasn't meant to be. The auto card is a very nice card, with the refractor effect, and a nice signature on the card itself. NEVER CHANGE THAT!!!

Bowman Chrome will be a hit just like in past years, and the prospects will be always be among the most valuable.


Final Tally: (out of 5)
Box Contents v/s Stated odds: 5/5
Base set Collation: 4/5
Enjoyment: 5/5
Design: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Re-buy: 5/5(Collectors will buy)


Thanks SCF and Topps/Bowman.

[stewart20rulz]

Great review...thanks for sharing!

[etmill01]

great review Tony...Thanks Ed

[pootshwan]

Thanks for this review. I've actually been looking to buy a box of this. The blue refractor was a nice hit, and I think we're all hopeful they don't start using auto's with stickers.

[derekjeter2nyy]

Nice cards, nice review.

[Jeremy_Falcons]

Nice review. Set looks great.