Crazy thought here, but maybe, just maybe, they put him in his Warchief armor because that was the aesthetic they wanted for the bill? That particular piece of artwork worked best in this situation?

I mean, it is entirely possible that not every single decision about what happens to which character is a serious political statement on behalf of Blizzard as a whole on which of the two factions that they made up is somehow "favored." Some times decisions like this are made because it looks good, or because they're trying to tell a particular story, or just because the designer who was responsible for that particular bill came to the picture of Thrall in his armor first, and decided to run with that.

Daed: perhaps I was unclear (it happens..not often, but it does).

I don't think putting Thrall on the $500 was a dumb move because it showed horde favoritism (I don't think it matters one way or the other, myself..... but then, I've never been one for faction nonsense one way or another. My main being a Tauren Druid, the closest you can get to 'neutral good' alignment in WoW ....), I think it was a dumb move because it is almost guaranteed to inspire the sort of freaking out we're seeing here, and more than likely on the "official" boards as well (I haven't been there yet today, so I don't know for sure).

Regardless, the results are amusing to watch.