THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 3, 1994 TAG: 9407030242
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN L. BIGELOW, SPECIAL TO THE VP/LS
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
The popularity of a player, and his cards, is determined by a variety of factors. Some athletes enjoy a year or two of outstanding production in their sport, and demand for their card increases.
Other players are ``nice guys,'' and good role models in terms of attitude and personality; these players, also, tend to be favored by collectors.
Still others are seen as having enormous potential for future success, and their cards are viewed as favorable investment purchases.
In baseball, Frank Thomas displays all of these qualities, and his cards are among the most avidly collected of any individual player.
Thomas has captivated baseball followers by posting dazzling statistics for the White Sox: at age 26, he should be capable of many more years of the type of slugging production that delights fans and collectors. There's plenty of material available to satisfy demand - each card company produced a debut card of Thomas in 1990 or 1991, and he has been featured in nearly every subsequent regular and ``special'' set. Additionally, he has been the subject of several subsets of his own. (A single-player subset is the highest accolade, and display of confidence, that a card manufacturer can bestow. The zeal with which the sets have been absorbed into the hobby has shown that the companies have made a good choice.)
There's no end in sight for the boom in Frank Thomas trading cards. Leaf, Inc. has recently issued cards incorporating a photo slide, as well as a near-life-size stand-up collectible, and other creativity and gimmickry is certain to follow. Even Thomas' ``ordinary'' cards, from regular-issue sets, sell for 30 times a common card's price.
Thomas seems a ``best-bet'' player to collect for the future. Though his cards seem expensive now, they may turn out to be bargains at current levels. Frank, as a genuine superstar, could be the player who establishes price ceilings for cards of a player with his all-around positive qualities.
Thomas' rookie cards and values:
1990 Leaf No. 300: $60-$65
1990 Score No. 663: $6
1990 Bowman No. 320: $3
1991 Donruss No. 477: $1.50
1990 Topps No. 414: $2.50-$3.50
1991 Upper Deck No. 246: $4
SIMPSON UPDATE: Cards of Al Cowlings (O.J.'s boyhood friend who accompanied him during ``the chase'') have become novelty collectibles in the wake of recent publicity. The Cowling cards, 1973 Topps No. 316 and 1974 Topps No. 501, are worth 25(CT) to 50(CT) each, but have been seen offered for sale in Los Angeles at $15 to $20. MEMO: Brian L. Bigelow is store manager and appraiser for Candl Coins &
Stamps, located on Independence Blvd. and North (Lynnhaven) Mall Drive
in Va. Beach. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Frank Thomas' athletic ability and ``nice guy'' personality have
made his cards hot items.
Al Cowlings' notorious connection to O.J. Simpson has increased the
price of his cards.
by CNB