Unplanned Fukudome Cards Sneak Into Bowman Chrome

Chicago Cubs import sensation Kosuke Fukudome has a legitimate 2008 rookie card in recently released Bowman Chrome Baseball. Sharp-eyed collectors may also have spotted a Fukudome autographed rookie card from the same set floating around - except it isn't autographed.

Confused? Topps helped shed some light on the situation earlier this week when it announced that 1900 copies of the latter card were mistakenly inserted into packs of Bowman Chrome. Perhaps the company created the cards in the hopes that he could be included among the signed rookies, but Topps never solicited a Fukudome autograph and never intended for such a card to be released.

Though they aren't signed and won't be considered true rookie cards, the relatively low print run of the error cards may very well make them a hot commodity. Those seeking an honest to goodness Bowman Chrome Fukudome rookie will find it as an unnumbered base card, along with seven different levels of Refractor parallels.

• Review: 2008 Bowman Chrome Baseball