Vote: Favorite Bowman set 1948-1955

[egri]

I was toying with the idea of splitting this into two polls, one 1948-51, the other 1952-55, but in the end I went with one.

[ALR-bishop]

I just recently finished that run and the listed SCD variations for each set. The 53 Color set was the first one I did, and remains my favorite. But it's cost and poor sales relative to the 53 Topps set forced them to truncate the set and go to B&W late in the year. Doing the latter set was not very exciting, as much for the lack of major players as the B&W.

Not sure if you are counting 53 as one or two sets.


The 53 Bowman Musial, the main reason I decided to do the set, remains one of my favorite cards

[bnorth]

I am working on the 55 set now and am about 80% done. I like them the best because of the cool Color TV look. I just wish it had a Ted Williams card.

[ALR-bishop]

I would like it better if it did not have 5000 umpire cards

Bowman was on the ropes after 52, 53 and 54. I think they made an interesting gamble in 55 with the "color TV" concept, hoping the recent introduction of color TVs into American households would cause the cards to be the ones to have. The fact that the % of householders with color TVs by 1955 was still small may have thwarted the strategy.

[egri]

I like the look of the 1953 set, but the lack of names on the front is a bit of a drawback for me. I can recognize the stars, but the commons need some form of identification. And the backs on that set and Bowman cards in general are kind of boring, especially compared to the Topps sets.

[pokerplyr80]

It looks like I'm actually with the majority on this one, which is a first. I've always loved the 53 set and think the 53 Reese has the coolest image of any vintage card I have seen.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

I would like it better if it did not have 5000 umpire cards

Bowman was on the ropes after 52, 53 and 54. I think they made an interesting gamble in 55 with the "color TV" concept, hoping the recent introduction of color TVs into American households would cause the cards to be the ones to have. The fact that the % of householders with color TVs by 1955 was still small may have thwarted the strategy.

Worse yet, the umpire cards are high numbered cards. Paying top dollar for an umpire card just doesn't seem right.

-Z

[Volod]

Originally Posted by Zach Wheat

Worse yet, the umpire cards are high numbered cards. Paying top dollar for an umpire card just doesn't seem right.

-Z

You have to think that the umpire cards were an unfortunate braincramp late in the press run of Bowman's final year. The high-number series packs cost the same nickel as the low-numbers, but George could not have had any idea that card collectors fifty years on would have to pay a premium for ump cards. Maybe Bowman execs really thought that kids whose parents had splurged on color tv's would be more attracted to Jim Honochick's kisser than Roberto Clemente's rookie card in their competitor's high number series.