Opinions on this 1990 NNOF Frank Thomas PSA DNA

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swish54
swish54 Posts: 751 ✭✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum


This card came in a collection I purchased. Curious if it's a real NNOF or a reprint? I have my doubts because it's a generic "trading card" call out and the person didn't pay extra for the card being authenticated which would be a big difference in sale price. I also don't believe a real NNOF would have the black border around the blue name box? Just doing my due-diligence before deciding what I want to do with it.

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  • craig44
    craig44 Posts: 13,171 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    this is not an authentic NNOF. at all. it is also not a reprint. a reprint would be labeled as such. it is a counterfeit. it has the same copyright data on the back as an original. in my opinion it is a poor attempt to fool an unsuspecting buyer.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • RonSportscards
    RonSportscards Posts: 1,226 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    My understanding is, a real NNOF would not have the Topps logo above the blue bar.

  • craig44
    craig44 Posts: 13,171 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 11, 2026 5:21AM
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    @RonSportscards said:
    My understanding is, a real NNOF would not have the Topps logo above the blue bar.

    there are a number of tells. there will be just a little bit of the logo visible. some of the left border, lower border are missing. part of his elbow are discolored and a little bit of his heel is discolored.

    there will also be a tiny little bit of his name visible, just like the size of a small comma or period.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • swish54
    swish54 Posts: 751 ✭✭✭✭
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    @RonSportscards said:
    My understanding is, a real NNOF would not have the Topps logo above the blue bar.

    I noticed that as well.

  • junkwaxgems
    junkwaxgems Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
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    Its been a very long time since I saw one of these early counterfeits. These were around in the late 90s and early 2000s. Before the majority of the hobby knew how the missing name happened. The entity who made these didn't understand that it was due to obstruction and that means there is nit a clean black border around the name box and left and right borders.

    fka jacksoncoupage, comc.com: junkwaxgems, ebay: junkwaxgems
  • RonSportscards
    RonSportscards Posts: 1,226 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Somebody recently posted on reddit asking if these were real.
    NNOF with wrong backs


  • burghman
    burghman Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭✭
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    Yeah, it’s a fake - the missing black extends to multiple borders as circled in a legit one below

    Jim

  • swish54
    swish54 Posts: 751 ✭✭✭✭
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    Thank you all for reinforcing my suspicions! Much appreciated.

  • craig44
    craig44 Posts: 13,171 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    you can see the discoloration in Franks right elbow in that last picture. also the tiny part of the bottom of the F in franks name in the name box.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • junkwaxgems
    junkwaxgems Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
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    @RonSportscards said:
    Somebody recently posted on reddit asking if these were real.
    NNOF with wrong backs


    do you have a link to the thread?

    fka jacksoncoupage, comc.com: junkwaxgems, ebay: junkwaxgems
  • West22
    West22 Posts: 303 ✭✭✭
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    This is the oldest scam in the book when it comes to these cards and I get so sick of seeing these slabs around. PSA continues to do collectors a disservice by authenticating these scams. I hate how they do not clearly mark the cards as "counterfeit" or "reprint" in the flip itself as the slab gives the card a veneer of authenticity. This only perpetuates because PSA actively enables it at the expense of novice collectors. The seller books their profits, PSA books the grading fees, and then at some point a few months or years down the line, some moron buyer is left holding the bag and maybe just exits the hobby because these people are everywhere.

    If PSA/Collector's Universe had any sense of obligation to protecting the hobby's legitimacy rather than maximizing profits and grading fees, they would put an end to these scams by labeling the card a 'reprint' rather than a trading card. It's really that simple. But they don't, so here we are.

  • SoxPatsFan
    SoxPatsFan Posts: 264 ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 13, 2026 10:39AM
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    I fully agree. If a "card" is violating a copyright - I'll assume Topps didn't OK these - is it still a "trading card"? Labeling it as such is a disservice. Should at least add "reprint" to the description.

    I understand that PSA won't authenticate the card (or confirm it's not authentic) if that service isn't paid for by the submitter, but having fake cards in PSA slabs is a terrible look.

    PSA should have a policy against slabbing anything that violates a copyright.

  • West22
    West22 Posts: 303 ✭✭✭
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    I hadn't thought of that angle. It does make sense they don't weigh in on a card's authenticity unless the service is paid for. Thank you for bringing that up. There's got to be a middle ground somewhere that accounts for the extreme difference in value between real/fake card vs. the value of the autograph they are authenticating. I also agree with you about copyright. They should either address the card's counterfeit nature or not slab the auto at all.

  • junkwaxgems
    junkwaxgems Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
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    Still cannot locate the reddit thread where these came from.

    This is the first time I have seen this older fake on a wrong back.

    fka jacksoncoupage, comc.com: junkwaxgems, ebay: junkwaxgems
  • RonSportscards
    RonSportscards Posts: 1,226 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @junkwaxgems said:
    Still cannot locate the reddit thread where these came from.

    This is the first time I have seen this older fake on a wrong back.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/baseballcards/comments/1vttvj5/are_these_real_are_they_worth_anything/

  • junkwaxgems
    junkwaxgems Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
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    @RonSportscards said:

    @junkwaxgems said:
    Still cannot locate the reddit thread where these came from.

    This is the first time I have seen this older fake on a wrong back.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/baseballcards/comments/1vttvj5/are_these_real_are_they_worth_anything/

    Thank you, much appreciated!

    fka jacksoncoupage, comc.com: junkwaxgems, ebay: junkwaxgems

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