98-99 Bowman's Best Basketball box break with 1 big HIT

[ronaldkosh]

Picked up a box of this product for $80 with free S&H. I've seen a surprisingly high number of the boxes, given that the product is almost 15 years old, floating around on the Internet.

I'm working on two somewhat difficult sets from this product.

Best Performers Refractors - #ed to 200 - 1:628 packs
Mirror Image Double Sided Refractors - #ed to 100 - also 1:628 packs

Coming into this break, I had 5/10 Best Performers, and 6/20 Mirror Image Refractors. I was really hoping to pull one, or better yet, an atomic version (1:2,504 packs).

There are a couple other inserts available. Autographs are inserted at around 1 in 11 boxes. Refractors come 1:25 packs (about 1 per box) and atomic refractors 1:100 packs (1 in 4 boxes).

I find the base cards rather ugly.



The more common inserts are decent looking. I got a little rush each time I saw one, as the difference between the base and refractor versions is rather subtle in my dimly lit apartment.





Now, for the big pulls...





I snagged two refractors #ed/400 -- Chauncey Billups and Tim Hardaway.

But the crown jewel of the break was the Tim Duncan Best Performers refractor, #ed 073/200. When I complete this set, I'll post a pic of all 10. These cards are beautiful!

I'm still looking for Dikembe Mutombo, Paul Pierce, Jason Williams, and Mike Bibby. If you have these, or ANY atomic refractors or Mirror Image refractors from this product, please PM me! I'll even pay a finder's fee for the higher end ones.

[Heafy83]

I love the Bowmans from the 90s. I think the 97/98 & 99/00 series were the best. I have a heap of base and inserts at home of these so if you are interested hit me up with what you need.

Great bust btw!

[ronaldkosh]

Originally Posted by Heafy83

I love the Bowmans from the 90s. I think the 97/98 & 99/00 series were the best. I have a heap of base and inserts at home of these so if you are interested hit me up with what you need.

Great bust btw!

Thanks for the offer! For some reason, I dislike the Bowman's Best base sets. The color scheme is a bit too dim.

Is there anywhere I could donate my unwanted base cards? I live in downtown Chicago. I open boxes all the time and I'm usually only after the inserts & a select few star base cards. I'd prefer to give them to a hobby shop over Goodwill/Salvation Army/etc (where I feel the place won't understand what to do with the cards). I want a younger collector to have access to some cool older cards that have some real value. It sucks when the only packs in the 25 cent bin are 1990 Topps.

Alternatively, I could mail the cards to someone. I don't have the proper supplies to ship a bunch of commons on the cheap, though. Could someone please PM some suggestions -- both in how to mail them safely and how to reach poorer collectors in need.

[wadedaniel84]

Jim & Steve's in Waukegan will give you 5 bucks per 5000 base (damaged or not) if you wanted to donate at the shop he gives the donations to the local Boy Scouts. Might be a haul as its way north of you but the shop is cool and he has everything under the sun.

[mtadams2]

Very cool MJ

[Heafy83]

Originally Posted by ronaldkosh

Thanks for the offer! For some reason, I dislike the Bowman's Best base sets. The color scheme is a bit too dim.

Is there anywhere I could donate my unwanted base cards? I live in downtown Chicago. I open boxes all the time and I'm usually only after the inserts & a select few star base cards. I'd prefer to give them to a hobby shop over Goodwill/Salvation Army/etc (where I feel the place won't understand what to do with the cards). I want a younger collector to have access to some cool older cards that have some real value. It sucks when the only packs in the 25 cent bin are 1990 Topps.

Alternatively, I could mail the cards to someone. I don't have the proper supplies to ship a bunch of commons on the cheap, though. Could someone please PM some suggestions -- both in how to mail them safely and how to reach poorer collectors in need.

What I do is donate them to the local Women's and Childrens hospital. They love them here in Australia. Kids get a real kick out of them.

[whalechaser]

There's a charity organization called Cards 2 Kids. They do exactly what you are talking about, and even better you can drop off your cards at this location that partners with them. However they only take cards from 2007-2013

Elite Sportscards, Comics & Gaming Cards
2028 W. Montrose
Chicago, IL 60618
elitesportscards.net

Donate your used baseball cards - Cards2Kids

[PackAttack419]

good stuff

i am personally still lookin for a dirk nowitzki atomic refractor, was hoping you pulled one! haha

[blastman]

I work downtown and regularly donate my commons and such to my LCS for kids.

If you want I could take whatever you want to get rid of and pass them along.

[ronaldkosh]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Will look into these options, as I have a lot of cards that might not be worth much to me, but would make a younger collector's eyes light up.

[ronaldkosh]

Thought I'd share the progress on one of the two sets.





Will share the scans of the Mirror Image refractor set when some of the cards come back from BGS next month.

[bigcwd2000]

Those are nice looking refractors. Cool to see some 90's Bowmans Best.

[Doublexthebeast]

I busted a sealed case a few months ago and they are super fun to break. Nice pull on the Duncan, I have a Grant Hill just like it.

[Beavers98]

Nice Break. I liked Bow. Best...

GL on the donations and the set