2001 Baseball Card Appraisal

Ichiro Suzuki 2001 Upper Deck Victory Baseball Card

This item is a 2001 Upper Deck Victory baseball card featuring Ichiro Suzuki, a prominent outfielder, likely in his rookie season or early career years, given the 'ROOKIE' designation visible at the bottom right. The card's primary image depicts Ichiro, wearing a dark blue Seattle Mariners uniform with a matching cap and sunglasses, in an athletic fielding pose with his arm extended, suggesting he is either throwing or preparing to catch. The background is a vibrant green baseball field. The card has a distinctive dark green border with a thin gold inner pinstripe and a thicker gold outer pinstripe, framing the central image. In the upper left corner, there's a gold-colored rectangular emblem with the text 'UD 10 YEARS', indicating it's a special edition commemorating Upper Deck's tenth anniversary. Below the primary image, 'Ichiro' is printed in a smaller, lighter gold font, with 'SUZUKI' prominently displayed in a larger, bolder gold font. To the left of Ichiro's name, the Seattle Mariners' team logo is present. The card appears to be encased in a clear plastic sleeve or top-loader, which is a common protective measure for collectible cards. The surface of the card shows some visible scratches and smudges, particularly within the clear protective covering, which suggests it has been handled, though the card itself appears to be in reasonably good condition underneath, with no obvious creases or severe corner wear discernible from the image. The card stock is typical of modern trading cards, suggesting a glossy finish. This particular card would be considered a significant collectible for fans of Ichiro Suzuki and baseball card collectors, especially given the rookie year status and the Upper Deck commemorative branding.