Debut Year: 1997 
Licensors: MLB 
Value Level: Premium Debuting in 1997, Bowman Chrome has established itself as one of the most popular products in The Hobby for collectors Chasing premium prospect cards. Each season the MLB celebrates a new crop of exciting prospects, and more than likely, their 1st Bowman Card will be in Bowman Chrome – with the added bonus of some Chrome Rookie cards as well.
Topps gives Bowman Chrome an even more elevated look with the online-exclusive Bowman Chrome Sapphire Edition. For example, the 2022 Bowman Chrome Sapphire Edition Baseball adds the ever-popular blue finish to the Bowman Chrome base and prospects, while also featuring 32 limited parallels.
WHO IS BOWMAN CHROME FOR?
Like the name implies – and like Topps Chrome and Topps Cosmic Chrome – Bowman Chrome is a higher-priced product that appeals to the more seasoned collector. These cards are manufactured with premium materials featuring innovative designs, making them appealing as long-term investments and mini works of art. Bowman Chrome is one of the highlights of the yearly release calendar for collectors.
Bowman Chrome also stands out from the other major Bowman releases. Bowman Baseball includes paper and Chrome cards, but Bowman Chrome is chrome tech only. In addition to Bowman Chrome’s offering of RCs, it has also become the product of choice for Prospectors chasing international prospects following MLB’s International Signing Day. As a complement to Bowman Draft’s focus on MLB Draft and US prospects, Bowman Chrome spotlights the top international prospects.
THE HISTORY
Bowman got its start when Jacob Warren Bowman founded Gum, Inc. in Philadelphia in 1927. By 1930, Bowman’s Blony Gum was the top-selling chewing gum in the United States. In 1939, Gum, Inc. introduced its first set of baseball cards, the iconic Play Ball series. As the United States mobilized war production for World War II, the manufacture of trading cards was sidelined for the war effort. In 1948, the newly renamed Bowman Gum Company released its 1948 Bowman Baseball set, continuing to release cards until 1955. In 1956, Topps bought Bowman and effectively retired the brand. But in 1989 Topps reintroduced Bowman Baseball. Following the successful relaunch of Bowman Baseball, Topps would release one of The Hobby’s first premium sets, Bowman’s Best Premier Edition, in 1994. Bowman Chrome was then introduced in 1997, and the rest is Hobby history.
WHY BOWMAN CHROME MATTERS
Bowman Chrome is loaded with the top names in MLB and some consider it the home of 1st Bowmans for international prospects. Additionally, Bowman Chrome also offers a lot of RCs. In terms of quality and premium price points, all cards in Bowman Chrome feature chrome technology.
WHAT AM I CHASING?
1st Bowman Cards will always be a draw – these cards represent the first time a player has been on a Bowman product, and for Bowman Chrome, this is usually the case for international prospects. In addition to the RC and international prospect Base Cards, Bowman Chrome offers an array of parallels and Autos to satisfy the demands of most exacting collectors.
