Investing in the Holy Grail Red Refractor Rookie Cards
One of the most sought-after and valuable baseball rookie cards in today’s market is the Bowman Chrome 1st Bowman Red Refractor Autograph. These cards are parallels to the base set and, with the exception of the Superfractor 1/1s, rank as the rarest 1st Bowman prospect cards available.
A clear indicator of a baseball player’s market popularity is the selling price of their Red Refractor cards. With that said, here’s a list of the top-selling MLB player red refractor 1st Bowman rookie cards. Can you guess who takes the number one spot?
#15. Cody Bellinger
- Set: 2015 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #BCAPCBE
- Serial Number: 1/5
- Grade: BGS 9
- Sold Date: July 2023
- Auction House: PWCC Auctions
- Selling Price: $9,900
➡️ Check Prices of Cody Bellinger’s Red Refractor on eBay
Baseball-Reference: Cody Bellinger
#14. Pete Alonso
- Set: 2016 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #CDAPA
- Serial Number: 2/5
- Grade: BGS 9.5
- Sold Date: October 2022
- Auction House: PWCC Auctions
- Selling Price: $14,400
➡️ Check Prices of Pete Alonso’s Red Refractor on eBay
Baseball-Reference: Pete Alonso
#13. Marcelo Mayer
- Set: 2021 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #CDAMM
- Serial Number: 2/5
- Grade: PSA 9
- Sold Date: November 2022
- Auction House: PWCC Auctions
- Selling Price: $20,400
➡️ Check Prices of Marcelo Mayer’s Red Refractor on eBay
Baseball-Reference: Marcelo Mayer
#12. Elly De La Cruz
- Set: 2022 Bowman Chrome Prospects
- Card Number: #CPAED
- Serial Number: 4/5
- Grade: PSA 10
- Sold Date: June 2023
- Auction House: Goldin Auctions
- Selling Price: $31,200
➡️ Check Prices of Elly De La Cruz’s Red Refractor on eBay
Baseball-Reference: Elly De La Cruz
#11. Bobby Witt Jr.
- Set: 2020 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #CPABWJ
- Serial Number: 3/5
- Grade: BGS 9
- Sold Date: August 2023
- Auction House: Goldin Auctions
- Selling Price: $33,600
➡️ Check Prices of Bobby Witt Jr’s Red Refractor on eBay
Baseball-Reference: Bobby Witt Jr.
#10. Nolan Arenado
- Set: 2010 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #BCP91
- Serial Number: 4/5
- Grade: PSA 9
- Sold Date: April 2023
- Auction House: PWCC Auctions
- Selling Price: $35,400
➡️ Check Prices of Nolan Arenado’s Red Refractor on eBay
Baseball-Reference: Nolan Arenado
#9. Jackson Holliday
- Set: 2022 Bowman Chrome Draft
- Card Number: #CDAJH
- Serial Number: 5/5
- Grade: BGS 9.5
- Sold Date: March 2023
- Auction House: Goldin Auctions
- Selling Price: $49,800
➡️ Check Prices of Jackson Holliday Red Refractor on eBay
Read More: Top 10 Jackson Holliday Rookie Cards
Baseball-Reference: Jackson Holliday
#8. Mookie Betts
- Set: 2014 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #BCAPMB
- Serial Number: 1/5
- Grade: BGS 9.5
- Sold Date: March 2023
- Auction House: Goldin Auction
- Selling Price: $61,200
➡️ Check Prices of Mookie Betts Red Refractor on eBay
Read More: Top 15 Mookie Betts Rookie Cards
Baseball-Reference: Mookie Betts
#7. Wander Franco
- Set: 2019 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #CPAWF
- Serial Number: 5/5
- Grade: BGS 9.5
- Sold Date: April 2023
- Auction House: Goldin Auctions
- Selling Price: $79,200
➡️ Check Prices of Wander Franco Red Refractor on eBay
Baseball-Reference: Wander Franco
#6. Ronald Acuna Jr.
- Set: 2017 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #CPARA
- Serial Number: 5/5
- Grade: BGS 9.5
- Sold Date: March 2023
- Auction House: Goldin Auction
- Selling Price: $92,400
➡️ Check Prices of Ronald Acuna Jr. Red Refractor on eBay
Read More: Top 15 Ronald Acuna Rookie Cards
Baseball-Reference: Ronald Acuna Jr.
#5. Jasson Dominguez
- Set: 2020 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #CPAJDO
- Serial Number: 5/5
- Grade: BGS 10
- Sold Date: April 2023
- Auction House: Goldin Auctions
- Selling Price: $100,800
➡️ Check Prices of Ronald Acuna Jr. Red Refractor on eBay
Baseball-Reference: Jasson Dominguez
#4. Julio Rodriguez
- Set: 2019 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #CPAJRO
- Serial Number: 4/5
- Grade: BGS 9.5
- Sold Date: March 2023
- Auction House: Goldin Auctions
- Selling Price: $108,000
➡️ Check Prices of Julio Rodriguez Red Refractor on eBay
Baseball-Reference: Julio Rodriguez
#3. Aaron Judge
- Set: 2013 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #AJ
- Serial Number: 4/5
- Grade: BGS 9.5
- Sold Date: September 2022
- Auction House: Goldin Auction
- Selling Price: $180,000
➡️ Check Prices of Aaron Judge Red Refractor on eBay
Read More: Top 15 Aaron Judge Rookie Cards
Baseball-Reference: Aaron Judge
#2. Shohei Ohtani
- Set: 2018 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #BCRASO
- Serial Number: 3/5
- Grade: BGS 9.5
- Sold Date: March 2023
- Auction House: Goldin Auction
- Selling Price: $184,800
➡️ Check Prices of Shohei Ohtani’s Red Refractor on eBay
Read More: Top 15 Shohei Ohtani Rookie Cards
Baseball-Reference: Shohei Ohtani
#1. Mike Trout
- Set: 2009 Bowman Chrome
- Card Number: #BDPP89
- Serial Number: 5/5
- Grade: BGS 9.5
- Sold Date: October 2022
- Auction House: PWCC Auction
- Selling Price: $1,080,000
➡️ Check Prices of Mike Trout’s Red Refractor on eBay
Read More: Top 15 Mike Trout Rookie Cards
Baseball-Reference: Mike Trout
Conclusion
When examining this list, it’s essential to understand the allure and perceived value driven by the rarity of the Red refractor. Given that there are only five of each, their scarcity compared to other parallels can induce a sense of urgency (FOMO) among collectors and investors, prompting higher bids.
This scarcity might sometimes lead to inflated values in the long run. Always keep an eye on the player’s performance before investing substantial sums. It’s crucial to set a budget and adhere to it. Avoid overextending your finances in sports card investments. Remember, this is a hobby first and an investment second. Collect what resonates with you and purchase cards of players you genuinely appreciate. Happy collecting!
From a young age, Matt dove deep into sports card valuation, turning to esteemed price guides like Beckett and Tuff Stuff. Eventually he extended to Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, and Yu-Gi-Oh!. With a vision to sustain and nurture the hobby he loved, Matt established the ‘Graded Card Investor’ YouTube channel and website. He aims to foster a healthy community and offer invaluable insights to those entering the world of sports cards and TCGs. His depth of understanding, from the card market’s 2020 pinnacle to its 1990s valleys, is consistently fortified by meticulous research.
