What is the origin of Frank Thomas NNOF?

[West]

I forgot to mention, there is a user named Gigfy on CU and freedomcardboard that has a few of the blackless including the Biggio and the Thomas. All ungraded so not in a pop report. Guy pulled them out of packs in NY in 1990 sometime. Biggio total pop is probably around 6. 3 on PSA, 2 on Beckett, 1, maybe 2 raw copies. I know Ross sent his copies of the blackless in and PSA screwed up and labeled them normal '90 Topps, not sure if he ever got it corrected, so it wouldn't show up in the pop report.

Definitely less out there of the Fisk. Pop 1 on PSA, 1 on BGS, and that's all I know of.

The blackless cards are of more interest to me than the Thomas. The Thomas is out there, it's a known quantity (A BGS 8 ended tonight for $4500). In 1990-1991, Thomas became a star in short order. Because his cards were popular early on, and the NNOF being an obvious oddity and hobby sensation by 1993, meant that probably at least 50% of the total NNOF print run were saved from the trash heap or the attic. I don't think you can say that for the other 13 errors. It makes total sense that they would be so rare. Because so many of those cards from that era are worthless, they get thrown away all the time. That's why I find them so interesting, because probably only 10% of the original print run of those cards is out there. And probably more get thrown away every year.

I would guess the original print run of the NNOF and related errors was 600 sheets. 600 cards of each error. I base that population on the existing pop reports of PSA, BGS and SGC graded NNOFs (around 290 combined), subtracting 10% for crack/resubmits. I figure another 200 NNOFs never saw the light of day - either thrown out by moms, lost by kids, destroyed by water damage, fire or accident, or just stuffed in a box and forgotten about by someone who didn't read Beckett. I'd guess the remaining 150 NNOFs are out there in raw form. I see about 2-3 per year pop up on EBay.

People often estimate the total NNOF population at around 200-300, but the population reports already show that many, and I don't think there are that many crack and resubmits on the NNOF. It's just too coveted a card (I don't think everyone is comfortable cracking open a holder) and I feel like the crack/resubmit game is more for vintage cards. I also feel that people always underestimate the massive size of the 1990 Topps print run.

Chances that there is still a NNOF out there lurking in a wax pack? I'd put them at less than 50%.