Manufacturer: Bowman
Set Size: 252 Cards
Card Size: 2-1/16” x 2-1/2”
Set Notes: The only major baseball card set release in 1950 was this Bowman set. Cards feature color illustrations for players and the backs contain limited stats. Unlike many other sets in this era, 1950 Bowman lacked any big name rookie cards. Lower number cards are a little easier to find than high numbers. Cards 181 to 252 can be found with or without a copyright line at the bottom
Key Rookies From 1950 Bowman – 23 – Don Newcombe | 232 – Al Rosen
Pricing chart includes raw card price & some graded card value estimates.
These values are collated from a variety of resources including recently sold listings, sales averages and a variety of other sports card pricing data sources. Please see full disclaimer on “Terms Page” for more information.
(Rookiecardprices.com only shows values for regular base set cards. No prices are shown for errors, parallels, subsets, misprints or other cards unless noted.)
DISCLAIMER: This data is not intended as financial advice and should not be used as such. Please do your own research before making any investment or selling/buying decisions.
(–) : No Pricing Data Available | ($) USD Price Value | (¢) USD Price Under $1
1950 Bowman Rookie Card Prices
| Rookie | Card # | Raw | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mel Parnell | 1 | $12 | $160 | $320 | $930 | $2,124 | - |
| Gus Zernial | 4 | $5 | $50 | $60 | $65 | $182 | $1,890 |
| Roy Sievers | 16 | $10 | $50 | $58 | $100 | $815 | $1,830 |
| Don Newcombe | 23 | $50 | $215 | $250 | $570 | $916 | $4,555 |
| Del Crandall | 56 | $10 | $50 | $75 | - | $260 | $1,200 |
| John Antonelli | 74 | $9 | $15 | $20 | $60 | $115 | $1,100 |
| Sherman Lollar | 142 | $10 | $45 | - | $100 | $235 | - |
| Mike Garcia | 147 | $6 | $25 | $30 | $50 | $185 | $880 |
| Hank Thompson | 174 | $12 | $50 | - | - | $180 | $1,775 |
| Granny Hamner | 204 | $10 | $20 | $35 | - | $125 | - |
| Hank Bauer | 219 | $16 | $45 | - | $75 | $209 | $1,200 |
| Don Mueller | 221 | $8 | $40 | $45 | $70 | $75 | $610 |
| Jim Konstanty | 226 | $10 | $30 | $50 | $70 | $143 | - |
| Al Rosen | 232 | $20 | $62 | $70 | $135 | $330 | $1,100 |
| Bobby Shantz | 234 | $40 | - | $100 | $180 | - | $730 |
| Walt Dropo | 246 | $8 | $20 | $32 | $80 | $177 | - |
| Sam Jethroe | 248 | $17 | $35 | $60 | $80 | $207 | $800 |
| Billy DeMars | 252 | $7 | $20 | $40 | $65 | $285 | $1,300 |
| Data Updated: February 2026 | |||||||
Overview of 1950 Bowman Baseball Cards
The 1950 Bowman baseball card set holds a unique place in card collecting history, primarily because Bowman had a monopoly on baseball cards that year, meaning there were no other major national issues released.
Set Size and Design: The set consists of 252 cards, an increase from the 240 cards in the 1949 set. Cards maintain the consistent size of Bowman’s earlier sets, measuring 2-1/16″ by 2-1/2″. A significant departure from previous years was the design of the card fronts. Instead of black-and-white photos with colorized elements, Bowman used color art reproductions of photographs. These “hand-painted” images offered vibrant, artistic depictions of players, often featuring close-up portraits or action poses with detailed stadium backgrounds.
The front of the cards typically did not include the player’s name, only the artwork. This is a key distinguishing feature. Card backs are in black ink on vanilla-colored stock and provide standard player information such as name, team, biography, birthplace, birthdate, height, weight, and batting/throwing tendencies. The player’s name in capital letters and the “Bowman 5-Star Picture Card Collectors Club” logo were printed in red ink. This was the only Bowman sports set to feature this club logo.
Series and Scarcity: The set was issued in seven series. Unusually for vintage sets, the low-number cards (#1-72) are generally scarcer and more valuable than the “high-number” cards. This is unlike many other sets where high numbers are typically harder to find. Variations exist for cards #181-252, which can be found with or without a copyright line at the bottom of the card back. The versions without the copyright line are less common and thus more desirable.
Key Rookie Cards: While the 1950 Bowman set features an impressive roster of Hall of Famers, it is notably lacking in major rookie cards compared to some other significant sets of the era (like 1949 Bowman or 1951 Bowman with Mantle/Mays).
Notable Rookie Cards (though not considered “key” in the same vein as those in other sets): Don Newcombe (#23), Hank Bauer (#219) and Al Rosen (#232).
Other Interesting Notes: The 1950 Bowman set was the first modern set to include cards of managers. Cards were sold in five-card nickel packs or one-cent penny packs, both featuring similar red, white, and blue designs. The 1950 Bowman set is generally more affordable than some other iconic 1950s sets due to the absence of “marquee” rookie cards like Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays. The scarcity of the low-numbered cards (1-72) means they command higher prices than commons from later series.
In summary, the 1950 Bowman set is a visually appealing and historically significant collection, showcasing a strong lineup of established stars and representing a year when Bowman had the baseball card market entirely to itself.
Popular Rookies From 1950 Bowman Baseball
