REVIEW:2016 Bowman's Best Baseball+GIVEAWAY!

If you grew up in the 90's collecting world, I just know how excited you were to hear that Topps had revived the Bowman's Best brand last year. I know I was.

For those collectors who missed out on that era, I believe your first time experience will be just as exciting as us who collected it back then. It may actually want to drive you to go back and try some from that era as well to compare.

So let's check out what the 2016 version has to bring us and shows me since I missed last years relaunch.

In master box of 2016 Bowman's Best baseball, you will find 2 mini boxes. There are 6 Packs Per Mini Box with 5 Cards Per Pack. There are two autographs to find per mini box and one atomic refractor to find per master box. Master boxes will run you less than $100. Not a shabby price.

The base cards are chromed, that alone should hook you, with a blurred top background and a team logo across the middle.

It is a small base set made up of 65 cards with most of it compiled of rookies. Meaning only stars in the base set too.

 

Rookie cards include all of the top ones like Albert Almora, Gary Sanchez, Michael Conforto, Luis Severino, Aaron Nola, Trevor Story, Miguel Sano, Blake Snell, Lucas Giolito, Nomar Mazara, Julio Urias, Corey Seager, Jose Berrios, Jameson Taillon, Kenta Maeda, Michael Fulmer, Willson Contreras, Tyler Naquin, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber.

 

As with other Bowman products, you gotta expect that Prospect insert. This is a 35 card set made up of upcoming prospects and the design is similar to the base other than the "card tear design" running the opposite way.

 

Onto the inserts that should take you back.

As expected, refractors are found. Even with this product, the word refractor can be found on the back as a tribute to the 90's. The only part I didn't like about it, the word refractor wasn't found on them all including....

 

The atomic that falls one-per-master box.

 

Or even on these. But, even though refractors are obvious, the wording is fun and I wished more consistent. The Betts is a green and the Goldy is a blue I believe.

 

 

Other parallels to find are...

• Gold Refractor: sequentially numbered.
• Orange Refractor: sequentially numbered to 25.
• Red Refractor: sequentially numbered to 5.
• SuperFractor: numbered 1/1.

Whoa! These not only look awesome, but took me way back to 1996. There are 30 cards in the set made up of prospects and veterans and legends, except my main guy Griffey.

Parallels for these include....

• Atomic Refractor Parallel: sequentially numbered to 25.
• SuperFractor Parallel: numbered 1/1.

Mirror Image brings you back to the 90's as well, especially to 1996 where I just picked up a few of them. I will show those later on! Some great player selections on here of veterans and prospects that should "mirror" them.

Parallels for these include....

• Orange Refractor – /25
• Superfractor – 1/1

Stat Lines reflecting on the most notable performances of the Baseball season, with current veteran and prospects.

 

 

Other inserts not found in my box are....

Baseball America Presents Prospect Forecast is focused on the leading prospect publication, Baseball America, that projects call-up dates for the game's biggest prospects. There are also Orange Refractors numbered to 25 and SuperFractors numbered 1/1.

 

The autograph checklist is loaded full of on-card auto finds. It makes the product even better. I didn't pull any of the insert autographed cards, but I did get four of the Best of 2016 Autographs. 

These also include parallels such as this orange (looks super sharp) and

• Refractor

• Atomic Refractor – /25
• Red Refractor – /5
• Superfractor – 1/1

 

Other autographs in the product and not in my box include:

 

1996 Bowman's Best Autographs (I have seen images and WOW), Dual Autographs, Bowman Choice Autographs, AND look for low-numbered autograph parallels of the Stat Lines and Prospect Forecast with their respected parallels.

 

OVERALL, my break wasn't super strong, but I have seen some that were. There is a lot to offer in this product and with four autographs per box and the price being under $100, I think it's worth a gamble on. The checklist is pretty deep for prospects, rookies, veterans and a few legends that even though you won't hit it big with every break, but there is still that chance.

Also, if you can't afford a master box, see if you can get a mini box to give you a taste. Then decide from there.

Now time for the giveaway!!!

How to win this super sweet card read below,

RULES:

1. Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review and to host this/these nice giveaways with. Follow them on all social media sites and visit their site, HERE, as well.
2. ***VERY IMPORTANT***MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT to enter or have a shipping address in the U.S. Shipping costs have gone haywire and I can't afford to ship everywhere.This is always hard to do as I appreciate all readers but I hope you all understand non-U.S. readers.
3. Random winner will be chosen after 7 randoms
4. Card may be shipped PWE. I like to forewarn on this.
5. LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW telling me ONE PRO AND ONE CON OF THE PRODUCT.
6. Sport Card Collectors or it's owner (person who runs the blog), WILL NOT be held responsible for lost, stolen or damaged mail. Sorry had to add this in since someone tried to scam me once about this.
7. Contest starts today, ends on January 20th 2017. Winner will be announced in a separate post on January 21st 2017
8. Don't forget to thank the above sponsor of this contest and I won't mind a thank you as well :)

Good luck to all that enter and thanks for reading!