Topps' lineup of Bowman products is among the most popular in the hobby.
But there are key differences between the flagship releases that can be confusing to even veteran collectors, and those are important to understand before ripping into any boxes.
Whether you’re new to baseball, Bowman or the hobby in general, here’s a beginner’s guide to understanding the key Bowman products.
What is the difference between Topps and Bowman?
Prior to Topps owning the Bowman brand, the two were head-to-head competitors in the early 1950s.
The Bowman Gum Company delivered its first trading cards in the 1930s and eventually expanded to include baseball and other sports. The company’s 1948 baseball set was a critical release post-World War II, and the two brands battled for collector interest in the 1950s.
Topps Chewing Gum eventually acquired Bowman in 1956 and ceased production of the brand indefinitely. Topps resurrected Bowman in 1989 and later reshaped it to be a prospect-heavy product.
Since then, Topps has expanded the Bowman brand to include flagship releases of Bowman Baseball, Bowman Draft and Bowman Chrome.
What types of cards are in Bowman releases?
The three major Bowman releases — Bowman, Bowman Chrome and Bowman Draft — are most associated with baseball’s top prospects. Though some releases do contain veterans, collectors typically hunt the first key cards for what they hope will be MLB’s next stars.
Collectors searching for the top prospects are also looking for 1st Bowman cards, which are spotted by the “1st Bowman” stamp. The 1st Bowman designation was first introduced by Topps in 1996 and later became a regular part of the chase in 2003.
The 1st Bowman autographs, refractors and other parallels are among the most coveted cards from these releases.
What makes Bowman Draft important to collectors?
Launched for the first time in 2000, Bowman Draft is the last of the three major Bowman releases during a calendar year, and features many of the top prospects from the most recent MLB Draft.
Despite Bowman Draft’s later release, many of the top prospectors consider it the start of a cycle and the most important of the Bowman sets. To these collectors, Bowman Draft, which features players before their professional debut, has the deepest checklist with the most potential to score big on future stars.
Though Bowman Draft focuses heavily on recent draft picks, several of the top players are often held out to make their debut in Bowman Baseball. The 2024 Bowman Draft set, for example, featured eight of the top 10 picks.
Bowman Draft features both paper and chromium cardstock.
What makes Bowman Baseball important to collectors?
The first of the three sets released each year, Bowman Baseball is the most popular of the Bowman releases among casual collectors.
Bowman Baseball features the rest of the top draft picks who weren’t included in Bowman Draft, as well as other prospects who have emerged as key players.
Unlike Bowman Draft, however, Bowman Baseball features veterans who have played at the MLB level. One of the most popular chases for 2025 Bowman Baseball is the Anime set, which features current stars, retired legends and top rookies, including Shohei Ohtani, Ichiro Suzuki and James Wood.
At a high level, Bowman Baseball is often considered more approachable for casual collectors, while Bowman Draft is targeted more toward experts and the hobby’s savviest prospectors.
Like Bowman Draft, the Bowman Baseball release features cards on both paper and chromium cardstock.
What makes Bowman Chrome important to collectors?
The second release in the Bowman calendar, Bowman Chrome features exclusively chromium cardstock and a checklist of international prospects as well as veterans.
Though Bowman Chrome is still a popular product, many collectors view it as the least popular in the Bowman hierarchy for several reasons.
A heavy focus on international prospects can be daunting for casual collectors, and many of the most experienced prospectors prefer Bowman Draft over Bowman Chrome.
Are Bowman Baseball sets and Bowman University related?
Though the Bowman brand is scattered throughout the Topps portfolio of cards, it’s important to know the sets aren’t all created equal and might be less related than you think.
Largely associated with prospects, rookies and other young players, the Bowman brand branches off to feature basketball and football with the Bowman University series.
These cards are similar in spirit to Bowman’s baseball as they focus on younger, rising stars, but it’s important to note baseball prospecting has had a long, rich history that hasn’t been matched by other sports.
Traditionally, collegiate and amateur sets have been far less popular than their professional counterparts. That sentiment has shifted some in recent years, though still lags far behind the extreme interest seen with baseball prospecting.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the Collectibles Editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.