Actually I believe that is great marketing, more people get sucked in and think they have a chance to steal, er win an item. The lower you can start items and feel comfortable the better off you are

Thanks Joe M., Jeff, & Derek.

Sam is a toughie. I've been tracking the cards since I landed my first copy in 1990 with many of them surfacing over the last 12 years. I'm aware of 60 1886 cabinets split between 13 players and manager Watkins. The rarest player on the list is Big Sam with only two copies. If you discriminate by pose there are some unique cabinets such as the portraits of Dan Brouthers and Deacon White. Out of curiosity, why have you singled out Big Sam Thompson ??

Joe - I'm undertaking the true "monster", the HOF rookie card "set"! I prefer cards/cabinets with individual images, so the Tomlinson would be Thompson's first appearance on a card, to my knowledge. I'd much prefer the Tomlinson Cabinet over the 1886 Lorillard's Detroit Team Cabinet.

Thanks for the insight about the population of this card and the other Tomlinson cabinets. I knew it was scarce, but had no idea that there are only two known.

Ah, I see.

You may already know this, but the Detroit Lorillard is based on the portraits taken at Tomlinson Studio (Lorillard gives credit to Tomlinson in the lower right corner of card). Ads to purchase Tomlinson cabinets began appearing the day after the photos were taken (April 27th 1886 photo shoot) while the team schedule found on back of Lorillard begins in early June. So while the Tomlinson cabinet start of production certainly pre-dates the Lorillard there was certainly some overlap.

PS - Your best bet to obtain a Thompson Tomlinson cabinet will be for a 3rd one to surface. Best of luck!

Joe - thanks for the info. Sounds like the two Thompson's are buried deep in advanced collections. I'm pretty young, so hopefully the heirs of these cards won't want them 10-50 years from now, assuming I can make it that long!!

It reminds me of the story about the two friends who encounter a lion...the one says to the other, you can't outrun it. His "friend" turns to him and says, I don't need to outrun the lion, I just need to outrun you!! :D

So your collecting strategy is to wait for other collectors to die? That's pretty morbid. :(

Damn...I hope that's not going to be how I get my nadja Miller!!!!!

I work for a life insurance company. :(

Honestly, we've had so many threads about fellow members dying and "are you worried about our hobby dying?", "have you talked to your family about what to do with your collection when you meet your maker", the Bruce(s), the Richard Merkin collection, etc. that it's hard not to think about it.

And no, that's not my "strategy". Admittedly, my post didn't correctly relay my attempt at dark humor. If I'm fortunate enough to not have to sell my collection before my death, I'll be sad to miss out on what my collection realizes at auction after death. That'll be a good auction IMO!

Pete, do I need to start worring about a hit man? :D

ha ha...for a baseball card...no worries!!!!!

Pete, I keep hoping that I'll find a Nadja Miller lying on the ground somewhere so that I can trade it to you for one of those E105 Millers!

ha ha...like finding a golden ticket!!!!! That e105 miller is my only hope!!!!!