Frank Thomas Rookie Cards: The Ultimate Collector’s Guide

1990 Bowman #320

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $45

Estimated Tiffany PSA 10 Value: $400

What a great looking card..I've always loved the classic look and feel of the Bowman cards of the late 80s and early 90s.

Bowman may have used a boring kneeling pose instead of a nice action shot but the blue sky, photo quality and bright smile on Thomas's face make this card stand out. 

Keep in mind there are two versions of this card: the regular Bowman issue and the Bowman Tiffany.

The Tiffany versions were printed on higher quality, glossier card stock and were only available in limited factory set distribution.

Those factors give it quite a boost in value of its regular Bowman counterpart.

1990 Classic Series III #93

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $20

Classic produced sports cards from the late 80's to the early 90's and usually their designs are instantly recognizable due to their unique look and feel.

This one is no exception as those yellow borders with blue stripes scream "Classic" all the way.

The card itself isn't one of his more popular rookies but it's still a must-have for any Thomas fan or collector.

With that look, the "Big Hurt" definitely doesn't look like someone any pitcher would be excited to face off against.

1990 Fleer Update #87

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $20

Because Thomas didn't make his Major League debut until August 2, 1990, he was not included in Fleer's 1990 base set.

They did include them in their "Update" series that year, a late season series much like Topps' "Traded" for players traded or called up from the Minors mid-season.

Fleer's design that year was kind of plain but I've always enjoyed the large close-up image they chose for Thomas's card in this case.

It's not that hard to find these in high grade as Fleer's quality control was decent in 1990.

1990 Leaf #300

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $125

This was one of those cards that everyone was chasing in the early 90s.

The 1990 Leaf set itself marked the company's reintroduction to the hobby and they made an instant impression because of their above average quality.

The cards featured color photos on both the front and back while centering was very sharp.

Thomas's Leaf rookie boasts a fantastic action shot of the slugger taking a big rip at the ball.

Because of their higher quality, they were more expensive to obtain back then and that premium holds true today as well.

1990 O-Pee-Chee #414

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $150

These O-Pee-Chee Thomas rookies are pretty much the exact same as the regular Topps issues except for two things:

• they were printed and distributed in Canada
• print quality is not as high as Topps

Those two things make finding these in high grade much more difficult compared to his regular Topps rookie.

And that added scarcity makes them nearly three times as expensive in PSA 10 condition as a result.

Growing up as a kid during that era, I don't remember seeing any of these around the neighborhood.

It would be years later as an adult that I'd finally see these in person.

1990 Score #663

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $25

Many collectors despise the Score cards of the late 80s and early 90s but for me they will always be special.

I always liked their straightforward design and they were fairly cheap to acquire back in those days.

I especially always liked the way they put the "1st Round Pick" logo on rookie cards in this set.

That made them stand out design-wise but without being too over-the-top.

This one is a great-looking card overall...much like the Bowman issue earlier, all it really takes is Thomas's huge smile and a bright blue sky to make a great card.

1990 Score Traded #86T

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $20

Score also included Thomas in their "Traded" series in 1990 with this card showing the Big Hurt playing first base.

It may not be the best action shot in the world but it still makes for a great card.

The orange borders may seem weird to some but I think it gives the card some great pop overall.

These aren't that hard to find in top grade so they're on the cheaper side when it comes to his rookie cards.

1990 Topps #414

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $45

Estimated Tiffany PSA 10 Value: $450

Many collectors hate the 1990 Topps design but I absolutely love it.

So much so that this is probably my favorite of all of the Frank Thomas rookie cards.

They were printed in far higher numbers than their O-Pee-Chee counterparts so you won't pay as much for one in top grade.

But, if you're talking the Tiffany version, that is a different story.

Those were higher quality cards limited to factory sets so finding them in PSA 10 condition is tougher, hence the large price premium.

And, if you're looking at one of these with the infamous "No Name On Front" errors then you are looking at a huge price premium...

1990 Topps #414 (No Name On Front)

Estimated PSA 10 Value: $30,000

Here it is: the mother of all Frank Thomas rookies.

Mysteriously, a small quantity of these were printed without Thomas's name on the bottom name plate.

Some theorize that the printing dies used for the sheet of oranged-bordered cards were somehow blocked therefore preventing Thomas's name from being inked.

Whatever the reason, these error cards are incredibly rare.

And that makes this card one of the most elusive and valuable of all sports cards from the 1990s.

Who says "junk era" cards can't be extremely valuable?