The first 2011 Topps Heritage Minor League Bryce Harper Autograph has landed on eBay and the card looks to be as advertised based on all of the sell sheet photos. The seller claims the card is numbered to 154 on the back of the card, and based on the image provided in the auction, it appears these cards feature bold, rich, autographs – compared to some of the duller versions in his earlier 2011 Bowman releases.

Here is the final checklist for the 2011 Bowman Baseball release slated for May 18, 2011.

Base Set

Topps of the Class

Bowman Prospects

Bowman Chrome Prospects

Finest Futures

Topps 100

Bowman’s Brightest

Bowman’s Best

Bowman Chrome Autographed Rookie Cards

Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs

Bowman Prospect Autos

USA Baseball Retro Patch Relic

USA BB Logo Patch Relic

Bowman Future’s Game Triple Relic

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Our monthly Hot List is back, and for the 2011 Premiere of the list there are plenty of new names on the list from our previous years. One of the games greatest young stars headlines this months Hot List. Bryce Harper has been tearing the cover off the ball in the minors and many collectors are taking notice as his prices are quickly heating up. Here is the list for May 2011:

1. 2010 Bowman AFLAC Bryce Harper AU
2. 2010 Bowman Chrome USA Bryce Harper XRC
3. 2006 Bowman Chrome Jose Bautista AU
4. 2009 Bowman Chrome Mike Trout RC AU
5. 2005 Bowman Chrome Jared Waver RC AU
6. 2006 Bowman Chrome Alex Gordon RC AU
7. 2010 Bowman Chrome Manny Machado RC AU
8. 2005 Bowman Chrome Ryan Braun RC AU
9. 2009 Bowman Chrome Michael Pineda RC
10. 1997 Bowman Chrome Roy Halladay RC
11. 2010 Bowman Chrome Starlin Castro AU
12. 1997 Bowman Chrome Lance Berkman RC
13. 1999 Topps Traded Alfonso Soriano RC AU
14. 2008 Bowman Chrome Zach Britton RC
15. 2009 Bowman Chrome Starlin Castro RC
16. 2007 Bowman Chrome Tim Lincecum RC Auto
17. 2007 Donruss EEE Zach Britton RC AU
18. 2010 Topps Chrome Starlin Castro RC AU
19. 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects David Price Auto
20. 2002 Bowman Chrome Josh Johnson RC
21. 2002 Bowman Chrome Jose Bautista RC
22. 2010 Donruss EEE Paul Goldschmidt RC AU
23. 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Buster Posey RC Auto
24. 2010 Bowman Chrome Jameson Taillon RC AU
25. 2007 Bowman Chrome Joe Savery RC AU

Happy collecting!

The very first 2010 Bowman Chrome Bryce Harper USA Buyback Auto has landed on eBay. The seller has it online with a BIN of $3,000. As you can see from the gallery, the buyback autos feature an on-card auto on the front and are machine numbered to 100 on the back. These cards are only available through the wrapper redemption from Topps.

Topps recently announced that the 2010 No. 1 draft pick of the Washington Nationals will be part of a sneak preview of the company’s 2011 Diamond Anniversary autographs in Sterling. The first one to hit eBay should fetch a pretty penny.

Harper, who is signed to Topps exclusively for autographs and memorabilia, signed a total of 60 cards with three inscriptions – “Happy 60th Topps”, “Happy 60th” and “Happy Birthday Topps.”

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For over 60 years, Bowman has been the go-to brand for collectors who follow the game’s top Rookies and Prospects. Bowman’s home field advantage continues in 2011 as 30 Bowman Rookies and 110 Prospects take the field led by #1 Draft Pick Bryce Harper!.

DETAILS:

• Release Date: May 9th, 2011
• 24-Packs Per Hobby Box/12-Packs Per Jumbo Box (32-cards per pack)
• Bowman Prospects (2 Per Hobby and 8 Per Jumbo Packs)
• Bowman Chrome Prospects (2 Per Hobby and 6 Per Jumbo Packs)
• Bowman Chrome On-Card Autograph Cards (1 Per Hobby Box and 3 Per Jumbo Box)
• Bryce Harper Autographed Prospect Cards
• Bowman 1948-‘49 Buyback Cut Signature Cards
• Bowman International Parallel Cards
• Bowman’s Best Insert Cards
• USA Baseball Patch Relic Cards
• Anniversary Autograph Cards

BOWMAN BUYBACK CUT SIGNATURE CARDS HOBBY & JUMBO EXCLUSIVE!

An original 1948 or ’49 Bowman Baseball card is embedded into a book card along with a cut signature from the legendary player depicted.

TOPPS 60th ANNIVERSARY AUTOGRAPH CARDS HOBBY & JUMBO EXCLUSIVE!

Sixty players past and present have signed these cards along with an additional inscription wishing Topps a “Happy 60th!” All autographs and inscriptions are signed directly on each numbered to 60 card. Three players’ cards will be inserted into each baseball product throughout 2011.

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One of the most anticipated Baseball product releases each year is without-a-doubt the Bowman Draft Picks & Prospect series from Topps. This year Topps did not disappoint, as the product is loaded. It features 32 different Chrome Auto cards of players taken, many first round choices, in last years MLB Draft. Along with the Prospect Autos, it is full of more Chrome USA Autos, as well as, AFLAC Autogrpahs – which are again machine numbered.

One of the most sought after cards from the product is Topps first certified autograph of Bryce Harper. His AFLAC Auto has been fetching over $600 on the secondary market with reports of nearing $1000 at release. The card is machine numbered out of 230, so be cautious when looking to buy.

The USA Auto sets features some of the youngest talent on the USA team. The 16 and under players are highlighted in the set and compliment the autographs inserted in the 2010 Bowman Chrome release.

Over all, the product has a very strong autograph checklist, with all of the first round signees, the potential is very high on a number of the cards too. The 3rd overall selection in the 2010 MLB Draft, Manny Machado, has been one of the best sellers in the product, with base autographs averaging a sale price of $53 and refractors averaging prices of $72. A Red Refractor Auto of Machado also ended at $1,538.00. Bulk breakers have gone pretty crazy with this product as some of them have been breaking 20, 30, and even 50 cases to list on eBay. It is certainly a buyers market now with the flood of product hitting the secondary market.

Here is a detailed list of the first week’s sale averages on eBay of the 2010 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects Chrome Autograph inserts:

Stay tuned, we will be doing a Part 2 and 3 of this breaking down the sales of the AFLAC and USA Autos in the Draft release.

On the heels of announcing that Topps had signed an exclusive agreement with 2010 Number 1 Draft Pick, Bryce Harper, Topps announced today their plans for including Harper in some of their upcoming products.

2011 Bowman

Harper will make his first appearance as a Washington National in 2011 Bowman. In addition, Harper will sign autographs for this release.

2010 Bowman Chrome

Harper will be added to the recently-announced Autographed 2010 Bowman Chrome USA BUYBACK program. Cards will be sequentially numbered with foil stamping to 100 and will also include James Taillon, Yasmani Grandal, Drew Pomeranz, Michael Choice, Christian Colon, Manny Machado and Bryce Brentz. These on-card autographs will be available via redemption.

2010 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects

Harper’s 2009 AFLAC Autographed cards will be inserted into packs of 2010 Bowman DP&P. Each of Harper’s on-card autographs from the 2009 AFLAC All-American Game will be sequentially numbered with foil stamping.

According to Bryce Harper’s Facebook profile, he may forgo his #1 Draft pick status and return to the College of Southern Nevada to pursue a Junior College National Championship.

On Tuesday, July 27, 2010, Harper posted:

“Probably going back to CSN to try to win a National Championship!!! :)”

I admire his passion to win a National Championship, but I think at this point he has nothing left to prove at the JuCo level and is only risking injury, or worse case scenario, a career by returning to CSN.

What ever you choose Bryce, good luck with your decision.

Without a doubt, the only person to receive more hype in their young career than Stephen Strasburg is Bryce Harper. Fresh off consensus 2010 Golden Spikes award, given out to the years best amateur player, and his Number 1 overall selection by the Washington Nationals in this year’s MLB Draft, this 17-year-old phenom has caught the eyes of the media and made believers out of many baseball fans.

When Topps announced the addition of the USA set in their 2010 Bowman release, collectors began to speculate about the possibilities of Haper being included in the set – and the possibilities of the Harper Superfractor.

Harper has had previously released USA themed cards released by Upper Deck in 2008 and 2009, along with a promotional 2009 Bowman AFLAC card handed out at the 2008 AFLAC All-American game. Not until now, has anyone released a real “chase” card like the Superfractor.

The 2010 Bowman Chrome USA Bryce Harper Superfractor is currently (back) on eBay. Much like it’s much publicized Strasburg counterpart, it’s original listings were all ended due to improper and false bidding. The current auction, at $4,600 with the reserve not met, is just a fraction of what the Strasburg superfractor sold for. Red refractor version of Harper, which are numbered to 5, have been selling anywhere from $2,200 (ungraded) to $13,000 (BGS Pristine).

This card certainly has the potential of reaching near-Strasburgian heights in regards to price, however, I am not sure how well the price will maintain once Harper is included in a Draft version of Bowman, presumably at the end of this year. Hopefully, as an autographed version.