[ryancholden]

Sorry to bug you guys again about comparing products. As I search for a set with a fun base to collect, I'm trying to weigh my options. I think Heritage would be fun, but I really enjoy rookie cards...some of my favorite cards in my collection are cards of stars/future hall of famers when they were just kids...it's fun to watch these "kids" grow into superstars and all stars.

I busted a bunch of 2011 BDPP, but find it confusing....they have regular, chrome, bowman first cards, rookie cards, usa cards, gold cards (not to be confused with colored refractors), etc. They are Bowman and Chrome, but not the same as Bowman Chrome. Even the numbering sequence is different between the prosepcts and other cards in the set. Seems like too much to put together a master set.

Can anybody give a brief description or thoughts/advice on putting together a set of Bowman product? I would hope there is an option out there that is more straight forward than BDPP. Maybe even a Topps label that I am overlooking? Would Bowman Chrome be a better option? Platinum? Sterling is probably a bit rich for me...

Thoughts?

[krn001]

Thoughts?

With all the hype in 2010 i bought a few boxes of Bowman, unaware there were a number of different products available. I think they were released at different intervals during the year. The boxes i purchased were (HTA)& contained base, chrome prospects, bowman prospects along with orange, blue regular & chrome. Plus Topps 100, Bowman throwbacks, refractors & more.
When i got a Heyward blue it was numbered BDP40 not #200 which is what it was listed as in the trade, only then did i realize there were other Bowman sets made. I probably wouldn't have even noticed except the player picture was different. A bit confusing with Bowman having all of these (listed below) in 2010. A decent amount were somewhat sorted when i got them, mainly Heyward, Strasburg & Harper. I'm finally getting to sort & put them in my org. It's not easy except for the base to put sets together, esp the #/25, #/5 or 1/1
2010 Bowman Products:
Bowman
Bowman Sterling
Bowman Chrome
Bowman Bowman Platinum
Bowman Chrome Draft
Bowman Draft

[JRMdawg311]

I've convinced myself that If was was limited to collecting one set a year because of budgetary reasons I would collect Bowman. The nice thing about Bowman/Bowman Chrome/Bowman Draft is that it's released in 3 segments throughout the year (so there are three times a year to look forward to). Bowman is released in late spring with the 220 card paper (base) veteran/rookie set with 110 card paper and chrome prospect set plus the inserts. Bowman Chrome is released in early fall with 220 the same veteran/rookie set in chrome and an additional 110 card chrome prospects set that adds to the previous set. Bowman draft is released in the late fall and has a 110 card paper and chrome rookie sets as well as 110 paper and chrome prospects set usually showcasing the years top draft picks. The thing that's so great about Bowman is probably the prospecting and Autos. Bowman Autos carry high demand. You could even make it more simple and just put together the Bowman Base and Chrome sets and forget about Bowman Draft. Bowman Draft kinda seems like it's for the more involved prospecting collector with the patience to wait 3 years to see the prospects/rookies develop.

Bottom line in my opinion is that Bowman is the staple for rookie card collecting and prospecting and Topps has done a great job developing it into that. Platinum, Finest and Sterling are flashy but a little rich and I personally tend to avoid it. I love Heritage but the product lacks in rookies.

Another option is Topps Chrome. It's a simple 220 card set including 170 of the tops stars and 50 rookies and their Autos. If Bowman is too complicated and too large a set this is the way to go.

Sorry my post is a little more than brief, hope it helps...

[ryancholden]

Sorry my post is a little more than brief, hope it helps...

No, this is exactly what I was looking for...so, let me get this straight:

Bowman- released spring. 220 vetran/rookie paper base. 110 prospect in paper AND chrome set. plus inserts.

Bowman Chrome- released fall. same 220 vetran/rookie as Bowman, but in Chrome. A new batch of 110 prospects in Chrome. plus inserts.

BDPP- released fall. 110 rookies in paper and chrome. 110 prospects (from most recent draft) in paper and chrome.

Yeah...I think I should just cross BDPP off the list. I'll have to consider Bowman and Bowman Chrome base sets...