1991 Fleer Ultra Jerry Rice #157 Football Card

This is a 1991 Fleer Ultra football trading card featuring Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers. The card measures 2.5 by 3.5 inches and is printed on a heavy, premium glossy cardstock which was characteristic of the 'Ultra' brand's high-end appeal in the early 1990s. The front design features a full-bleed action photograph of Rice in his home red jersey carrying the ball, set against a silver/gray border at the top and bottom. The 'Fleer Ultra' logo is prominently displayed in the upper-left corner using a stylized white and silver font. The bottom border contains the player's name and position in bold white sans-serif typography. The card appears to be in Excellent-Mint condition, displaying sharp corners and good centering, though there is a minor white speck visible near the player's helmet which may be a printing defect or dust on the protective sleeve. It is currently housed in a clear plastic top-loader for protection and displayed on a small wooden easel. This specific card is part of Fleer's inaugural 'Ultra' football set, marking a shift toward higher production quality in the sports card industry during that era.

I have virtually examined this 1991 Fleer Ultra Jerry Rice #157. This card represents a pivotal moment in the 'Junk Wax' era where manufacturers moved toward 'premium' stocks. The card displays standard glossy sheen and the typical deep red saturation of the San Francisco 49ers jersey. Centering appears slightly shifted towards the bottom-left, but the corners remain sharp, placing this in the Excellent-Mint (7-8) range. Market-wise, this is a high-volume production card. Millions were printed, meaning rarity is extremely low despite the prestige of the 'Ultra' brand at the time. Current sales for raw, ungraded copies typically fall between $2 and $5, while 'Mint' specimens might reach $10. Unless professionally graded as a Gem Mint 10 (which could command upwards of $40-$60), the value remains nominal due to the sheer supply available on the secondary market. While the card appears authentic based on the lithographic patterns and trade dress, a definitive appraisal is limited by the digital format. I cannot verify the weight, surface texture, or potential 'card doctoring' (such as trimmed edges) from a photo. The 'white speck' noted near the helmet requires physical inspection under 10x magnification to distinguish between a surface scratch and a common printing 'fish eye.' For a certified valuation, this card should be submitted to a third-party grader like PSA or BGS to verify physical integrity and provide a tamper-evident seal. Provenance is rarely a factor for this specific card, as it was a mass-distributed retail product.