It's parallel universe time!
For fans of seemingly limitless parallels, Bowman is a treat for collectors. Their 2012 effort has it all. Paper, chrome, refractory.
With 24 packs in a retail box, you're guaranteed 24 gold parallels, one silver ice and 2 chrome prospects in very pack.
Green (/450) and blue (/500) veterans have no stated odds, but you should expect one of those or possibly an unnumbered purple prospect parallel. Refractors of the chrome prospects exist, but even base refractors are /500, thus with Bowman's exceptionally high print run, are more of a "maybe" in a retail box.
In the non-color variation genre you have the International parallels, which of all the parallels in this set seem to have the strongest staying power - they are unnumbered and feature a flag of the players homeland draped through the background of the card, with veterans getting a black border and prospects keeping their white borders.
My goals for the parallels were as follows:
-24 Gold
-3 International, at least one prospect
-48 chromes (which can be replaced by Bowman's Best inserts)
-1-2 of the green, blue or purple variations, preferably purple or green
-maybe a chrome refractor
Seems reasonably attainable. Let's see how the parallels shook out:
First, Aurum:
Of the twenty-four gold parallels, none really stood out. I chose Ryan Howard here because I don't really like him, so of course I pull his parallels all of the time. Beachy is someone I don't pull very often, so it was a nice change. He should be back by the All Star break. The third that I chose was RA Dickey, who despite being a stand-up guy, was actually traded to my Blue Jays in December. Very nice shot on this card.
The golds are a nice touch at one per pack, but I just didn't get anyone I truly care about. If you're looking for someone in particular, let me know and I can maybe hook you up.
Next, we have some prospect chromerz:
Maybe you're wondering why a Yankee-unfriendly blog is mentioning a nobody Yankee prospect. Well, his name is Rookie. That's about as Bowman as it gets, right there. And of course, I had to juxtapose him with someone of an extremely opposite name, Adonys Cardona.
And of course, with 46 total chromers coming out of this box, we get some mega-prospects:
The three you see above are some of the more money prospects coming out of 2012 Bowman. Hulzen should see big-league time the soonest, but trusted scouts see an extraordinary ceiling in Oscar Taveras and serious power potential in Nick Castellanos.
For a $35 price tag on this box and current going prices on COMC, Oscar Taveras could have really helped the resale value, but I plan on flipping nothing from this box and just collecting the set. If you're wondering why I made that previous Taveras comment, wait no longer:
I've been keeping an eye on this and some other International parallels. I would place an average sale value on this one at $18 ebay and $15 on COMC. Definitely not one which I would buy on my own, and if I dare say so, my "hit" of the box. If you stay tuned, however, there is more of a true hit coming later.
Internationals land 1:8, so I was due two more.
I received one American (sort of):
And an Aussie!
I love the International parallels. Luckily for me, they will be back in 2013, but this time I think they will be more like "state and home town", so possibly a map like in 2011, which I am totally fine with, as long as they don't use the chromed-up Playskool maps like 2011.
A more-or-less guaranteed parallel in every 24th pack of 2012 Bowman is a silver ice parallel. I like these fine and all, but there's just a terrible separating in quantities between the commons (Silver, 1:24) and the rare (Red /25; Purple /10). Here was my guaranteed silver:
Ugh. Sick of Nick Maronde already. I've seen him pitch once in Cactus League action this Spring, and he got pummeled. Oh well, can't win them all.
Finally, someone who I've seen too damn much of this year already, Adam Jones:
I realllllly like this blue with the orange of the Orioles...umm...inner borders? Piping? Who cares. This card is baller, but I am willing to trade it to some foaming Orioles fan. I guess I just feel sorry for them since they'll probably finish 4th this year.
Bazinga.
On to the review: Parallels (Weighted 25%).
Bowman is a parallel-lovers dream of late. It was in the past, too, but it seems like they're more common, with more cards per pack and higher quality than they were in the past.
The blues are beautiful, and the Silver Ice are fantastic in the right light. As for the Internationals - as someone who loves the varying backgrounds as much as I do, as well as a closet flag-nerd, these may be the best yet, with honorable mentioned going to 1998 Bowman Flagship and Chrome and a Bowman's Best set that I cannot remember the year of.
Overall, 5/5. Bowman nailed the parallels in 2012. well done, chaps.
For fans of seemingly limitless parallels, Bowman is a treat for collectors. Their 2012 effort has it all. Paper, chrome, refractory.
With 24 packs in a retail box, you're guaranteed 24 gold parallels, one silver ice and 2 chrome prospects in very pack.
Green (/450) and blue (/500) veterans have no stated odds, but you should expect one of those or possibly an unnumbered purple prospect parallel. Refractors of the chrome prospects exist, but even base refractors are /500, thus with Bowman's exceptionally high print run, are more of a "maybe" in a retail box.
In the non-color variation genre you have the International parallels, which of all the parallels in this set seem to have the strongest staying power - they are unnumbered and feature a flag of the players homeland draped through the background of the card, with veterans getting a black border and prospects keeping their white borders.
My goals for the parallels were as follows:
-24 Gold
-3 International, at least one prospect
-48 chromes (which can be replaced by Bowman's Best inserts)
-1-2 of the green, blue or purple variations, preferably purple or green
-maybe a chrome refractor
Seems reasonably attainable. Let's see how the parallels shook out:
First, Aurum:
 |
| Goooooooooollllld |
The golds are a nice touch at one per pack, but I just didn't get anyone I truly care about. If you're looking for someone in particular, let me know and I can maybe hook you up.
Next, we have some prospect chromerz:
 |
| Easy choices. |
And of course, with 46 total chromers coming out of this box, we get some mega-prospects:
 |
| Danny Hulzen, Oscar Taveras, Nick Castellanos |
For a $35 price tag on this box and current going prices on COMC, Oscar Taveras could have really helped the resale value, but I plan on flipping nothing from this box and just collecting the set. If you're wondering why I made that previous Taveras comment, wait no longer:
 |
| Mojo!!!!!11 |
Internationals land 1:8, so I was due two more.
I received one American (sort of):
 |
| Mexican-American. |
And an Aussie!
 |
| Crikey! |
A more-or-less guaranteed parallel in every 24th pack of 2012 Bowman is a silver ice parallel. I like these fine and all, but there's just a terrible separating in quantities between the commons (Silver, 1:24) and the rare (Red /25; Purple /10). Here was my guaranteed silver:
 |
| Nick Maronde |
Ugh. Sick of Nick Maronde already. I've seen him pitch once in Cactus League action this Spring, and he got pummeled. Oh well, can't win them all.
Finally, someone who I've seen too damn much of this year already, Adam Jones:
 |
| Blue, /500 |
Bazinga.
On to the review: Parallels (Weighted 25%).
Bowman is a parallel-lovers dream of late. It was in the past, too, but it seems like they're more common, with more cards per pack and higher quality than they were in the past.
The blues are beautiful, and the Silver Ice are fantastic in the right light. As for the Internationals - as someone who loves the varying backgrounds as much as I do, as well as a closet flag-nerd, these may be the best yet, with honorable mentioned going to 1998 Bowman Flagship and Chrome and a Bowman's Best set that I cannot remember the year of.
Overall, 5/5. Bowman nailed the parallels in 2012. well done, chaps.
Pretty sweet box so far. I'd be interested in that Nick Castellanos, well, I guess that is if you have a double, since you're working on the set.
ReplyDeleteFlip that Taveras!
I might be able to send you the Castellanos...not sure how I want to tackle this set. For prospects I was thinking paper/chrome/International, and I've already got the most expensive one out of the way.
Delete