Bryce Harper was dubbed the most exciting prodigy since LeBron James when he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2009, and he was the clear-cut choice as the No. 1 pick in the following summer’s MLB draft. The Washington Nationals fast-tracked him to the big leagues, and he has been a fixture in the majors ever since, winning Rookie of the Year honors and two MVPs, and making eight All-Star teams. Harper had several Team USA cards on the market before debuting professionally, but collectors were hungry to chase the first cards to feature Harper with the Nationals. That was especially the case for his Bowman Chrome Rookie Autos. The desire for marquee Harper rookies, especially serial-numbered parallels of those Bowman Chrome Rookie Autos, remains. This example of his Orange Refractor, stamped 21/25, features three 9.5 subgrades and a sharp 10-grade, on-card signature. Only the Red /5 and 1/1 Superfractor have lower print runs. With Harper still a difference-maker more than 15 years after that Sports Illustrated cover appearance, the hard-charging Phillies early autos will continue to be some of the most popular Bowman Chrome productions of the 21st century.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 05/08/2025.
