1990 Frank Thomas No Name On Front RC

[orly57]

This was one of the greatest errors/misprints of my youth. Just reading this thread made me want to buy one...until I saw the prices on them. I then thought, "these must be obscenely rare if a 7.5 is selling for 5k." But a quick look at the pop reports show there are over 190 graded between psa and sgc (I hate finding bvg pop reports). That's not really rare enough to warrant these prices in my opinion. It's a really cool card, and it's "rare" for FOR THE ERA, but it's a bit steep FOR A POP 200+ card from 1990. But hell, if the market places it at 5k, then that's what it's worth. It's a great card of a great player.

[Sierra79]

Originally Posted by orly57

This was one of the greatest errors/misprints of my youth. Just reading this thread made me want to buy one...until I saw the prices on them. I then thought, "these must be obscenely rare if a 7.5 is selling for 5k." But a quick look at the pop reports show there are over 190 graded between psa and sgc (I hate finding bvg pop reports). That's not really rare enough to warrant these prices in my opinion. It's a really cool card, and it's "rare" for FOR THE ERA, but it's a bit steep FOR A POP 200+ card from 1990. But hell, if the market places it at 5k, then that's what it's worth. It's a great card of a great player.

Not to compare it with the 1952 Topps Mantle (please forgive me baseball card gods), but it is far more rare than that if you go by the pop reports. The Thomas NNOF has a cera in mystic to it that I think will transend the all of the other contemporary RC gem mint 10's any day.

Today a print run of 300 sounds like a lot, but that is in large part because of all of the various products that are being made, multiple layers of parralels, brands, and inserts. In an investment sense, I think a lot of collectors would rather go after one of 'THE' key cards of an entire era versus 1,000's of manufactured 1/1's, which are becoming increasingly watered down and worthless (except largely for key rookies in key products).

[ALR-bishop]

I tend to associate the term rare with something like the 61 Dice cards or 67 Stand Ups. The Thomas card to me is scarce but not rare. Still, if you are a Thomas collector or a master set guy, you have to have it. And if you are registry guy you might pay a big premium to get it in higher grade

I am not a print guy but wonder if the card can be easily faked, and if so, how many of those are out there. Have there been any reprints of it and if so are they well marked as such ? The related cards on the sheet ought to show up in similar numbers. Do they ? ( I get that some of them would be harder to spot)

[irv]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

I tend to associate the term rare with something like the 61 Dice cards or 67 Stand Ups. The Thomas card to me is scarce but not rare. Still, if you are a Thomas collector or a master set guy, you have to have it. And if you are registry guy you might pay a big premium to get it in higher grade

I am not a print guy but wonder if the card can be easily faked, and is so, how many of those are out there. Have there been any reprints of it and if so are they well marked as such ? The related cards on the sheet ought to show up in similar numbers. Do they ? ( I get that some of them would be harder to spot)

I found this one yesterday searching around. The seller is selling it as RP as he said it doesn't feel quite right to him.
I looked quickly and seen no RP designation anywhere?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1990-Topps-4...QAAOSw7PJZZrqY

EDIT: What packs/sets/boxes were these NNOF cards from or were they randomly spread about?

[Sierra79]

Originally Posted by irv

I found this one yesterday searching around. The seller is selling it as RP as he said it doesn't feel quite right to him.
I looked quickly and seen no RP designation anywhere?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1990-Topps-4...QAAOSw7PJZZrqY

EDIT: What packs/sets/boxes were these NNOF cards from or were they randomly spread about?

Scarce, rare, or whatever the term, there are very few when compared the print runs of most vintage cards. On top of that, most of the cards of that era sit in factory sealed cases or monster boxes. It doesn't suprise me that it has reached these levels.

As far as the counterfeiting is concerned I've heard of everything from painting over the blue box (which doesn't hide the gaps in the black border lines) to taking blank front Thomas cards and reprinting over them (wich wouldn't hold up under magnification). Bottom line is I would stay away from any raw NNOF Thomas's, unless you don't mind having to open up cases over a fake card.
I know Topps did a reprint or two but those were glossy and had the full black lines if I remember correctly.

[Sierra79]

Originally Posted by irv

I looked quickly and seen no RP designation anywhere?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1990-Topps-4...QAAOSw7PJZZrqY

EDIT: What packs/sets/boxes were these NNOF cards from or were they randomly spread about?

It's an insanely overpriced reprint by Topps. Notice the black lines continue around the card's borders without disruption. The real one is missing portions of the black lines. Topps did that with the reprint to keep people from counterfeiting the card.

[irv]

Originally Posted by Sierra79

It's an insanely overpriced reprint by Topps. Notice the black lines continue around the card's borders without disruption. The real one is missing portions of the black lines. Topps did that with the reprint to keep people from counterfeiting the card.

Thanks Scott. That is good to know.

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by orly57

This was one of the greatest errors/misprints of my youth. Just reading this thread made me want to buy one...until I saw the prices on them. I then thought, "these must be obscenely rare if a 7.5 is selling for 5k." But a quick look at the pop reports show there are over 190 graded between psa and sgc (I hate finding bvg pop reports). That's not really rare enough to warrant these prices in my opinion. It's a really cool card, and it's "rare" for FOR THE ERA, but it's a bit steep FOR A POP 200+ card from 1990. But hell, if the market places it at 5k, then that's what it's worth. It's a great card of a great player.

IMHO, Orly, there were a lot of re-submissions in an attempt to get the highest possible grade and the pop report reflects this. Just my opinion, based on the fact that when it came out, it was devastatingly hard to find an example (I finally did in about 1993, paying $400 for an example that would be ExMt without the crease it bears). And I too adored Frank Thomas--the power to all fields in his 20's, the average, the walks--I never saw anyone go from 0 and 2 to three and two so very, very often. I would have adopted him if I could! I think that if you compare the frequency with which this card is seen to a gem mint 10 McGwire rookie (last time I looked--which is some time ago, admittedly--they were in the hundreds also), the McGwire in "10" is seen far more often than the NNOF Thomas in any grade.

So glad you got through Irma ok,

Larry