(For a full listing of all Wax Heaven reviews, click HERE)
Perhaps more than any other time in the history of Wax Heaven, I may have overreacted. When first images of 2009 Bowman started hitting the Internet I was in complete disbelief. The cards appeared to be bland, plain, and featured lousy photography.
After busting a box of 2009 Bowman, I now understand when someone defends a card by saying “you have to see it in person”. This year’s Bowman is far from perfect but it’s nowhere near as bad as I originally believed.
Below is my review of 2009 Bowman.
Design: C
Believe it or not, this product’s design grade is saved by the dark, classy look of the veteran set. When you reach the prospects cards, the design drops a few points.
Furthermore, Topps went with a very subtle look to Refractors so for the first time in many years you might pass over a Refractor unless you happen to be sitting under a hot lamp.
Price: B
For about $60 dollars, you can bring home a Hobby edition of 2009 Bowman which guarantees you 240 cards including one on-card prospects autograph.
For about $20 dollars more you get close to 400 cards and three autographs if you choose to go with a Jumbo box instead.
Pulls: A+
In a way, I was bummed about pulling so few Refractors (3). In reality, I pulled many of the best players in base card versions, while finding a surprising amount of Bowman serial numbered parallels.
When you get to the “hit” of the box, you can’t go wrong with a Red Refractor autograph of highly-touted prospect, Greg Halman. The card is overall very dark except for the beautiful Refractor technology that runs across the entire card. It’s numbered to just five copies.
Overall: B
Like I said, not close to being perfect but way more fun than I ever expected. The crazy look of popular parallels have been toned down quite a bit and the design is lazy or too bland, depending on who you talk to.
The veteran set features a great design and wonderful photographs but the rest leaves a lot to be desired. Hopefully Topps listens to collectors and gets rid of that unnecessary white section on their cards for facsimile autographs and brings back the pizazz that was missing from this year’s Refractor line.
(thumbnails lead to full-size scans)
Cool looking Halman!
Umm I’ll take Halman for the directory.
Nice looking lincecum.
Mario, what are you going to do with the Halman card? Sit on it, or the ‘bay?
His cards seem to be selling pretty freakin’ well considering that he’s 100% boom or bust. I love the kid, but such a ridiculous strike-out rate worries just about all the scouts.
Speed and power are hard to come by, but dear God what a K-Rate. Thankfully, he’s been young for his level…
I Must say congrats on the Pull Mario. I really like that card.
I too thought the design was heavily flawed when the first scans came out. But it’s growing on me now and I hate that.
cool red refractor
Mario, that is a ridiculous pull. I would get that up on the bay ASAP. People go nuts for the Reds, and if he is a good guy to pull, that should go for a few hundred. Ahh, the spoils of prospecting. Congrats my friend.
FREAKING SCORE! I agree with Gellman, EBAY ASAP!
I bet that card tops 300 bucks pretty easily, and that’s why i’ll never understand prospecting…
It’s not his first bowman card…he was in last year’s set.
It’s not his first bowman auto card.. he was in sterling..
what it is, is his first On-Card Autograph in a Mariners Jersey..
Cool Halman!
Gotta like those red refractors.
Off subject, did you see Clay Zavada debut for the Diamondbacks? He is bringing back the handlebar mustache! Damn, why did the card companies sleep on him? I will be paying anything for the first auto card featuring Clay and his ‘stache.
sell it Mario!
You deserve it after all the contests and stuff you give people.
The look does grow on you.
Nice red ref pull. Sell ASAP on EBAY.
@Justin: just looked up Zavada and wow! thats a nice stache! he’s carrying on a long tradition of handlebar mustache wearing relief pitchers.
How is the quality control on 2009 Bowman corners this year?
I received a hand-collated set in the mail today and a lot of corners were curled slightly or had dings. I am wondering if that is factory damage (i.e. common not to have sharp corners from pack fresh cards) or if they got damaged from being improperly shipped.