Why 1st Bowman Autos Are the Cornerstone of a Legacy Collection
Jimmy Jarvis isn’t just a collector—he’s on a mission. Featured in the latest I Collect episode, Jarvis has set his sights on an ambitious and ultra-specific goal: to collect every true refractor 1st Bowman Chrome Auto released from 2001 through 2020, each graded BGS 9.5 with a 10 autograph.
It’s a master-level pursuit that spans the entire modern era of Bowman cards; an undertaking rooted in precision, patience, and passion for The Hobby.
But as his collection grew, so did a meaningful pattern: many of the cards he was hunting down were players who had gone on to shape baseball history. A natural subset is starting to emerge: 1st Bowman Chrome Autos of Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers. What started as a technical completionist’s dream evolved into something more profound: a cardboard Hall of Fame, captured in refractor chrome.
At the center of it all is a rare and historic card: Joe Mauer’s 2002 Bowman Chrome Refractor Auto.
“This [Joe Mauer] card is probably my favorite in the whole collection,” Jimmy says. “It’s the highest graded version—two 10s, two 9.5s. There are no Beckett 10s out there. This is the best one.”
More than just eye-popping grades, this card represents a first in Hobby history: Mauer is the only player in the Hall of Fame with a 1st Bowman Chrome Auto. That fact elevates the card from grail to milestone.
From Every Card to a Curated Hall
While Jarvis’s overarching focus is to complete the entire 2001–2020 run of true refractor 1st Bowman Chrome Autos, the Hall of Famer subset has become a passion project in its own right. Cards like the 2005 Bowman Chrome Justin Verlander Refractor Auto and the 2009 Bowman Chrome Freddie Freeman Refractor Auto now represent both technical checkboxes and personal favorites.
“He’s a lock for the Hall of Fame,” Jimmy says of Verlander. “One of the greatest pitchers of his generation, an incredible strikeout guy.”
Freeman’s card was a harder find. “When I first acquired it, I was super excited,” he says. “It’s hard to find one that’s well-centered. I loved Freddie when he was in Atlanta. It definitely helps complete the collection.”
And that’s what makes this pursuit so compelling: it’s both comprehensive and personal. A set registry goal with emotional depth. A matrix of chrome slabs that doubles as a tribute to baseball’s greatest names.
Bowman Chrome Refractors, With Legacy in Mind
1st Bowman Chrome Autos have long been the crown jewel of prospecting in The Hobby, but Jimmy’s vision turns that excitement on its head. Instead of betting on future greatness, he’s collecting proof of it—slabbed reminders of players who fulfilled the promise prospectors once hoped for.
With players like Clayton Kershaw, Miguel Cabrera, Buster Posey, and Yadier Molina nearing Cooperstown—and generational stars like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper stacking their resumes—this subset within the master chase becomes more powerful.
Jarvis’s collection is a timeline. It is a way of watching baseball history unfold through the prism of true refractor 1st Bowman Chrome Autos, each one a snapshot of what once was a dream and is now a legacy.
For collectors, it’s a model of how The Hobby can be both structured and soulful. It’s not just about completion, it’s about connection.
Watch the full I Collect video spotlighting Jimmy Jarvis and get inspired to chase greatness, one 1st Bowman at a time.
