Manufacturer: Bowman
Set Size: 48 Cards
Card Size: 2-1/16” x 2-1/2”
Set Notes: The 1948 Bowman baseball cards feature players photos printed in black and white. The back of each card includes player bios, card numbers and limited stats. Bowman Gum company released this first issue in 1948.
The 1948 Bowman baseball card set holds significant historical importance in the hobby as Bowman’s first major foray into nationally distributed baseball cards after World War II. It represents a crucial step in the evolution of modern card collecting. Due to the small size of the cards and the rudimentary printing techniques of the era, finding cards in high grades is quite challenging. Centering issues are particularly common. This scarcity in top condition drives up the value of well-preserved examples. The 1948 Bowman set is often compared to the 1948 Leaf set, which also debuted that year and featured color images. While Leaf offers color, Bowman is known for its generally more consistent production quality (though still with issues) and its status as Bowman’s official entry into the baseball card market.
Key Rookies From 1948 Bowman – 3 – Ralph Kiner | 6 – Yogi Berra | 18 – Warren Spahn | 36 – Stan Musial | 38 – Red Schoendienst
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
1948 Bowman Rookie Card Prices
| Rookie | Card # | Raw | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Elliott | 1 | $10 | $10 | $20 | $25 | $30 | $65 | $175 | - | $215 | $2,500 |
| Ewell Blackwell | 2 | $12 | $10 | $12 | $25 | $30 | $65 | $70 | $160 | $250 | $950 |
| Ralph Kiner | 3 | $50 | $50 | $92 | $100 | $180 | $290 | $430 | $745 | $1,260 | $14,760 |
| Yogi Berra | 6 | $430 | - | $515 | $750 | $1,050 | $1,685 | $1,725 | $3,250 | $8,510 | $50,000 |
| Phil Rizzuto | 8 | $125 | $150 | $165 | $225 | $230 | $350 | $585 | $665 | $2,500 | $12,500 |
| Johnny Sain | 12 | $10 | $10 | $15 | $25 | $30 | $55 | $75 | $140 | $250 | $1,170 |
| Allie Reynolds | 14 | $15 | $15 | $20 | $30 | $40 | $70 | $65 | $80 | $275 | $1,150 |
| Warren Spahn | 18 | $150 | $165 | $200 | $275 | $365 | $430 | $775 | $1,425 | $4,400 | $18,800 |
| Ferris Fain | 21 | $10 | $10 | $12 | $16 | $25 | $50 | $55 | $145 | $205 | $950 |
| Joe Page | 29 | $10 | $10 | $20 | $25 | $30 | $41 | $90 | $150 | $200 | $720 |
| Whitey Lockman | 30 | $10 | $10 | $20 | $25 | $36 | $50 | $65 | $80 | $230 | $500 |
| George Stirnweiss | 35 | $10 | $10 | $12 | $15 | $22 | $50 | $95 | $100 | $152 | $600 |
| Stan Musial | 36 | $540 | $575 | $600 | $1,000 | $1,300 | $1,900 | $3,300 | $4,250 | $12,500 | $70,000 |
| Red Schoendienst | 38 | $75 | $80 | $215 | $220 | $350 | $268 | $525 | $820 | $2,225 | $12,000 |
| Marty Marion | 40 | $10 | $10 | $15 | $42 | $55 | $100 | $150 | $300 | $400 | $1,320 |
| Rex Barney | 41 | $10 | $10 | $15 | $20 | $30 | $68 | $85 | $90 | $255 | $825 |
| Hank Sauer | 45 | $20 | $20 | $20 | $25 | $63 | $75 | $175 | $200 | $565 | $950 |
| Bobby Thomson | 47 | $15 | $15 | $55 | $55 | $65 | $90 | $142 | $720 | - | $1,620 |
| Dave Koslo | 48 | $15 | $15 | $15 | $30 | $50 | $155 | $200 | $320 | $344 | $760 |
| Data Updated: February 2026 | |||||||||||
Overview of 1948 Bowman Baseball Cards
Small Set Size: The set consists of just 48 cards, making it relatively small compared to later sets.
Card Dimensions: Cards measure 2 1/16″ by 2 1/2″, which is smaller than today’s standard card size.
Design: Features a simple black-and-white photograph of a player, with no name or team identification on the front. The photos are typically waist-up shots, often tightly cropped. The backs contain the player’s name, position, and biographical information, printed in black ink on a gray back.
Short Prints (SPs): Due to the printing process, 12 cards in the set (from numbers 1-36) were short-printed as they were removed from the 36-card printing sheet to make room for the higher-numbered cards (37-48). This makes these 12 cards relatively scarcer.
Printing Errors: Common printing variations include over-printed, transposed, or blank backs, which can affect condition and value.
Debut Set: As Bowman’s first full baseball card set, it’s considered a landmark release. Many of the players featured, even established stars, have their “rookie” card in this set because widespread card production was halted during the war years.
Key Rookie Cards: The 1948 Bowman set is loaded with highly desirable rookie cards of future Hall of Famers, making it a cornerstone for vintage collectors: Stan Musial (#36), Warren Spahn (#18), Ralph Kiner (#3) and Phil Rizzuto (#8) to name a few.
Historical Significance and Collectability: It marked the return of widespread baseball card production after World War II, providing a new generation of collectors with cards of their heroes. Due to the small size of the cards and the rudimentary printing techniques of the era, finding cards in high grades is quite challenging. Centering issues are particularly common. This scarcity in top condition drives up the value of well-preserved examples. Overall, the 1948 Bowman set is a classic vintage baseball card issue, a must-have for serious collectors, and a window into a pivotal time in both baseball and collecting history.
Key Rookie Cards From 1948 Bowman Baseball
