What is the origin of Frank Thomas NNOF?

[insidethewrapper]

Does anyone know when the 1990 Topps Thomas NO Name was first reported ? By chance I'm looking at a Oct, 1991 Beckett Monthly featuring Frank Thomas cards and there is no mention of it in the article or in the price guide.
If it was in packs etc. early in the production run it should have been reported in late 1989 or early 1990 in the hobby publications and later listed in price guides. I'll continue to check my publications.

[West]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

By the way, welcome aboard Mr West. Tell us what you know

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

Does anyone know when the 1990 Topps Thomas NO Name was first reported ? By chance I'm looking at a Oct, 1991 Beckett Monthly featuring Frank Thomas cards and there is no mention of it in the article or in the price guide.
If it was in packs etc. early in the production run it should have been reported in late 1989 or early 1990 in the hobby publications and later listed in price guides. I'll continue to check my publications.

I've been following this card as well as the other 13 blackless errors for quite a few years now. A common refrain heard in discussion of this error is that it is an "early print run error that was corrected quickly". I agree about the corrected quickly part, but I've yet to see concrete evidence that it was an early print run. The nearest evidence you would be able to find 27 years later would be anecdotal - a first hand account of a pack pulled Thomas NNOF shortly after the 1990 Topps release date. I've yet to see anyone come forward with such an account.

The rumors of an east coast distribution are very accurate as it seems 95% came from there, though I have seen a report of someone pulling the Thomas in Las Vegas.

I'll also say that the other 13 errors seem to be exceedingly rare as every year goes by and none of them surface. One would think that the Biggio and Carlton Fisk especially will gain quite a bit of value to registry collectors of those particular players as they are both a pop 3 or less on PSA. I know that the person - Joe (RookieWax on CU) - that pulled the 5 NNOFs in the Collector's Universe thread has at least 1 each of the blackless Biggio and Fisk that are BGS graded. I'm also aware of one other person, in 2014/2015, that got a Thomas NNOF, Biggio, Fisk, Hart, Morris and Russell out of 10 wax cases (that's 200 boxes for those counting). Those are the ONLY NNOF/blackless errors pack pulled out of all the 1990 Topps since 2009, that I'm aware of. "Rare" does not even begin to cover the odds. "Saucywombat" on CU has several of the blackless errors and Ross, the creator of the thread, has the Biggio at least.

I've been trying to find these cards either through buying unopened or hunting them down on any online marketplace. Buying unopened is probably the worst way to go about it, and has resulted in a massive amount of kindling for my woodstove.

[ALR-bishop]

Great info. Thank you Mr West

[jp1216]

From the CU board:

[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%.

[HasselhoffsCheeseburger]

I feel like grandpa Biff Tanner saying this, but, one day, someone's going to be offering 1990 Topps unopened that they themselves have pulled Thomas NNOF cards from. It's going to look like a solid opportunity and they may even have a decent reputation. Stay away. The collation of 1990 Topps is like a Swiss watch. If you know the sequence, you can pull a Thomas rookie 6 or 7 cards out. Meaning, even if you're actually opening legit blackless packs, your odds of getting a Thomas are very low. Got it, buttheads?

Arthur

[swarmee]

Well, lowpopper sent me 5 unopened packs of these when I only asked for the Friendly insert card, so I really appreciate it. I got two packs of Randy Johnson and three commons. Now I have to figure out something I think he will like as a return piece of the trade... it will be mailed tomorrow. Thanks!

[Extra Innings]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

Does anyone know when the 1990 Topps Thomas NO Name was first reported ? By chance I'm looking at a Oct, 1991 Beckett Monthly featuring Frank Thomas cards and there is no mention of it in the article or in the price guide.
If it was in packs etc. early in the production run it should have been reported in late 1989 or early 1990 in the hobby publications and later listed in price guides. I'll continue to check my publications.

I've been looking through the '90/'91 Beckett's I have too and so far I'm unable to find anything in the price guide about 414A NNOF.

Although, a google search led to this article concerning the card including a price from the Jan. 1994 issue. Maybe that was the first time Beckett priced it..?

https://junkwaxgems.wordpress.com/ta...k-thomas-nnof/

[HalfNipponese]

Originally Posted by Extra Innings

I've been looking through the '90/'91 Beckett's I have too and so far I'm unable to find anything in the price guide about 414A NNOF.

Although, a google search led to this article concerning the card including a price from the Jan. 1994 issue. Maybe that was the first time Beckett priced it..?

https://junkwaxgems.wordpress.com/ta...k-thomas-nnof/

I have Beckett from 1993 and it lists the NNOF at a value of $15. I don't have the issue with me but it's the one with Jim Abbott in his Yankees uniform. I thought I remember them start to surface in late 1991 but it may just be my memory. I know they were discovered before I graduated high school in 1992 but I believe it had little additional value and was considered a printing error. Collecting took a pause for me between 1993 and 1999 so I could invest more time in the fairer sex.

[Hatorade]

Originally Posted by Extra Innings

I've been looking through the '90/'91 Beckett's I have too and so far I'm unable to find anything in the price guide about 414A NNOF.
Although, a google search led to this article concerning the card including a price from the Jan. 1994 issue. Maybe that was the first time Beckett priced it..?
https://junkwaxgems.wordpress.com/ta...k-thomas-nnof/

I was texting with a friend a couple months back after his dad just dropped off some of his childhood belongings, which included some old Beckett price guides. I asked him about any of the issues containing the prices of the NNOF within them. The earliest issue he had with 414A is from March 1993 and the price was $6 and the price bounced up to $25 in the October 1993 issue he had.

[HalfNipponese]

Originally Posted by Hatorade

I was texting with a friend a couple months back after his dad just dropped off some of his childhood belongings, which included some old Beckett price guides. I asked him about any of the issues containing the prices of the NNOF within them. The earliest issue he had with 414A is from March 1993 and the price was $6 and the price bounced up to $25 in the October 1993 issue he had.

That's kind of what I remember. I thought the regular card was something like $2 and the NNOF was $4 or $5 but again I'm not sure if my memory is accurate.

[Extra Innings]

Originally Posted by Hatorade

I was texting with a friend a couple months back after his dad just dropped off some of his childhood belongings, which included some old Beckett price guides. I asked him about any of the issues containing the prices of the NNOF within them. The earliest issue he had with 414A is from March 1993 and the price was $6 and the price bounced up to $25 in the October 1993 issue he had.

Cool. Thanks for the information. I'll post again if I see something earlier than March of '93.