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2003 Bowman’s Best Baseball is an ambitious set that features player autographs and relics. The design is simple but showcases some aesthetics signature to Bowman’s Best. Intricate etching, holo-foil finish, and a bold oval area for the player autograph complements the overall theme of these cards. The set features classic player poses and action shots. Three versions exist for each card in the set. Shown here from left to right are each of the three: Base, Blue, and Red. Not all players in the set have multiple cards. Some just have base cards, others have only signed cards. Some have signed cards and relic cards. The following information pertains to the signed cards in the set:
- Base AU: One per pack.
- Blue AU: 1:32, carry an unstated print run of 50, and hold a multiplier of 2.5x the Base AU value.
- Red AU: 1:63, carry an unstated print run of 25, and hold a multiplier of 10x the Base AU value.
I took notice of Josh Willingham when he recorded a pair of Grand Slams on 7/27/09 against the Milwaukee Brewers. I grabbed a few copies of the base AU that summer then picked up the red and blue AUs along the way to finish the run. I love the look of these cards together.
Can you remember who was hot in the 2003 Bowman’s Best Baseball set when it was first released?
To see what’s currently on eBay from 2003 Bowman’s Best, click here.
Set Information:
| Important Date(s) | |
|---|---|
| September 2003 | Release Date |
2003 Bowman’s Best is a 130-card set issued in 5-card packs with an SRP of $15.00 and came 10 packs per box and 10 boxes per case. Bryan Bullington signed some boxes of 2003 Bowman’s Best. Signed boxes were issued 1:106. The base set includes one each of the opened and sealed signed boxes, which is what brings the set to 132 total items.
| Set | Total Cards | Print Run(s) | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 132 | – | 5:1 |
| Blue | 130 | Base /100 Bat /50 AU /50 | Base: 1:28 Bat: 1:22 Box-Loader Packs AU: 1:32 |
| Red | 130 | Base /50 Bat /25 AU /25 | Base: 1:55 Bat: 1:44 Box-Loader Packs AU: 1:63 |
| Double Play Autographs | 8 | – | 1:55 |
| Triple Play Autographs | 2 | – | 1:219 |
| Bryan Bullington Signed Box | – | – | 1:106 Boxes |
Base Set Checklist:
The checklist was designed alphabetically instead of numerically. Autographed first-year cards have the lettering FY AU RC after their names in the checklist. Some base set cards include parallels with bat chunks in them. These parallels were issued one per box-loader pack.
To see what’s currently on eBay from 2003 Bowman’s Best, click here.
| Card # | Player(s) | Card # | Player(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BB-AB | Andrew Brown FY AU RC | BB-JRG | Jeremy Griffiths FY AU RC |
| BB-AK | Austin Kearns | BB-JT | Jim Thome |
| BB-AM | Aneudis Mateo FY AU RC | BB-JV | Joe Valentine FY AU RC |
| BB-AP | Albert Pujols | BB-JW | Josh Willingham FY AU RC |
| BB-AR | Alex Rodriguez | BB-KG | Ken Griffey Jr. |
| BB-AS | Alfonso Soriano | BB-KJ | Kade Johnson FY AU RC |
| BB-AW | Aron Weston FY AU RC | BB-KS | Kelly Shoppach FY AU RC |
| BB-BB | Bryan Bullington FY AU RC | BB-KY | Kevin Youkilis FY AU RC |
| BB-BC | Bernie Castro FY RC | BB-KYE | Kevin Youkilis FY Bat |
| BB-BFL | Branden Florence FY AU RC | BB-LB | Lance Berkman |
| BB-BFR | Ben Francisco FY AU RC | BB-LF | Lew Ford FY AU RC |
| BB-BH | Brendan Harris FY AU RC | BB-LFJ | Lew Ford FY Bat |
| BB-BJH | Bo Hart FY RC | BB-LW | Larry Walker |
| BB-BK | Beau Kemp FY AU RC | BB-MB | Matt Bruback FY RC |
| BB-BLB | Barry Bonds | BB-MD | Matt Diaz FY RC |
| BB-BM | Brian McCann FY AU RC | BB-MDA | Matt Diaz FY AU |
| BB-BSG | Brian Giles | BB-MDH | Matt Hensley FY AU RC |
| BB-BWB | Bobby Basham FY AU RC | BB-MDM | Mark Malaska FY AU RC |
| BB-BZ | Barry Zito | BB-MH | Michael Hernandez FY AU RC |
| BB-CAD | Carlos Duran FY AU RC | BB-MHI | Michael Hinckley FY AU RC |
| BB-CDC | Chris De La Cruz FY AU RC | BB-MJP | Mike Piazza |
| BB-CJ | Chipper Jones | BB-MK | Matt Kata FY AU RC |
| BB-CJW | C.J. Wilson FY AU | BB-MNH | Matt Hagen FY AU RC |
| BB-CM | Charlie Manning FY AU RC | BB-MO | Mike O’Keefe FY RC |
| BB-CMS | Curt Schilling | BB-MOR | Magglio Ordonez |
| BB-CS | Cory Stewart FY AU RC | BB-MP | Mark Prior |
| BB-CSS | Corey Shafer FY AU RC | BB-MR | Manny Ramirez |
| BB-CW | Chien-Ming Wang FY RC | BB-MS | Mike Sweeney |
| BB-CWA | Chien-Ming Wang FY AU | BB-MT | Miguel Tejada |
| BB-DAM | Dustin Moseley FY AU RC | BB-NG | Nomar Garciaparra |
| BB-DC | David Cash FY AU RC | BB-NL | Nook Logan FY AU RC |
| BB-DH | Dan Haren FY AU RC | BB-OC | Ozzie Chavez FY AU RC |
| BB-DJ | Derek Jeter | BB-PB | Pat Burrell |
| BB-DM | David Martinez FY AU RC | BB-PL | Pete LaForest FY AU RC |
| BB-DMM | Dustin McGowan FY AU RC | BB-PM | Pedro Martinez |
| BB-DR | Darrell Rasner FY AU RC | BB-PR | Prentice Redman FY AU RC |
| BB-DW | Doug Waechter FY AU RC | BB-RC | Ryan Cameron FY AU RC |
| BB-DY | Dustin Yount FY RC | BB-RD | Rajai Davis FY AU RC |
| BB-ERA | Elizardo Ramirez FY AU RC | BB-RLD | Rajai Davis FY Bat |
| BB-ERI | Eric Riggs FY AU RC | BB-RH | Ryan Howard FY AU RC |
| BB-ET | Eider Torres FY AU RC | BB-RHJ | Ryan Howard FY Bat |
| BB-FP | Felix Pie FY AU RC | BB-RJ | Randy Johnson |
| BB-FS | Felix Sanchez FY AU RC | BB-RLD | Rajai Davis FY Bat |
| BB-FT | Ferdin Tejeda FY AU RC | BB-RM | Ramon Nivar-Martinez FY RC |
| BB-GA | Greg Aquino FY AU RC | BB-RS | Ryan Shealy FY AU RC |
| BB-GB | Gregor Blanco FY AU RC | BB-RSB | Ryan Shealy FY Bat |
| BB-GJA | Garret Anderson | BB-RWH | Robbie Hammock FY AU RC |
| BB-GM | Greg Maddux | BB-SG | Shawn Green |
| BB-GS | Gary Schneidmiller FY AU RC | BB-SS | Sammy Sosa |
| BB-HR | Hanley Ramirez FY AU RC | BB-ST | Scott Tyler FY AU RC |
| BB-HRB | Hanley Ramirez FY Bat | BB-SV | Shane Victorino FY RC |
| BB-HT | Haj Turay FY RC | BB-TA | Tyler Adamczyk FY AU RC |
| BB-IS | Ichiro Suzuki | BB-TH | Todd Helton |
| BB-JB | Jeremy Bonderman FY RC | BB-TI | Travis Ishikawa FY AU RC |
| BB-JC | Jose Contreras FY RC | BB-TJ | Tyler Johnson FY AU RC |
| BB-JDD | J.D. Durbin FY AU RC | BB-TJB | T.J. Bohn FY RC |
| BB-JFK | Jeff Kent | BB-TKH | Torii Hunter |
| BB-JG | Joey Gomes FY AU RC | BB-TO | Tim Olson FY AU RC |
| BB-JGB | Joey Gomes FY Bat | BB-TS | T.Story-Harden FY AU RC |
| BB-JGG | Jason Giambi | BB-TSB | T.Story-Harden FY Bat |
| BB-JK | Jason Kubel FY AU RC | BB-TT | Terry Tiffee FY RC |
| BB-JKB | Jason Kubel FY Bat | BB-VG | Vladimir Guerrero |
| BB-JLB | Jaime Bubela FY AU RC | BB-WE | Willie Eyre FY AU RC |
| BB-JM | Jose Morales FY AU RC | BB-WL | Wil Ledezma FY AU RC |
| BB-JMS | Jon-Mark Sprowl FY RC | BB-WRC | Roger Clemens |
Double Play Autographs:
Inserted into packs at a rate of 1:55, this set features autographs of two prospects.
To see what’s currently on eBay from 2003 Bowman’s Best Double Play Autographs, click here.
| Card # | Player(s) | Card # | Player(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DP-EB | E.Ramirez/B.Bullington | DP-RS | P.Redman/G.Schneidmiller |
| DP-GK | J.Gomes/J.Kubel | DP-SB | C.Shafer/G.Blanco |
| DP-HV | D.Haren/J.Valentine | DP-SR | F.Sanchez/D.Rasner |
| DP-LL | N.Logan/W.Ledezma | DP-YS | K.Youkilis/K.Shoppach |
Triple Play Autographs:
Inserted into packs at a rate of 1:219, this set features autographs of three prospects.
To see what’s currently on eBay from 2003 Bowman’s Best Triple Play Autographs, click here.
| Card # | Player(s) |
|---|---|
| TP-BCS | A.Brown/D.Cash/C.Stewart |
| TP-DRS | R.Davis/H.Ramirez/R.Shealy |
