AI Appraisal Estimate

This is a standard 2.5 by 3.5 inch trading card featuring Tim Krumrie, the nose tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals. The card is part of the 1988 Topps football set, characterized by its distinctive white border and a double-line black frame enclosing the player photograph. The image depicts Krumrie in full uniform, wearing his number 69 black jersey and tiger-striped helmet, with white taped hands and white pants. The red 'Topps' logo is positioned in the upper left corner. At the bottom, a stylish orange and white 'Bengals' logo sits above a brown nameplate displaying 'NT' for his position and 'TIM KRUMRIE' in a bold, sans-serif font. The card appears to be in excellent condition, housed within a clear protective plastic sleeve. The centering looks relatively balanced from left to right and top to bottom. The corners appear sharp with no visible rounding or fraying. There is no evidence of surface scratching, creasing, or staining on the front of the card. The printing is crisp with vibrant colors, reflecting the typical cardboard stock manufacturing of the late 1980s. This specific card captures Krumrie during the heart of his career, just before the Bengals' 1988 Super Bowl appearance.

I have virtually examined this 1988 Topps Tim Krumrie #266 card. The specimen appears to be in Near Mint-Mint (NM-MT) condition. Visually, the centering is excellent, approximately 50/50, which is a common hurdle for Topps production from this era. The corners are sharp, shows no whitening on the edges, and the registration of the 'Bengals' logo remains crisp with vibrant saturation. This card captures Krumrie just before his historic 1988 season and subsequent injury in Super Bowl XXIII. From a market perspective, this card is part of the 'Junk Wax' era, characterized by massive production volumes. While Krumrie is a Bengals legend, this is not a rookie card (his rookie is 1987 Topps), which limits its ceiling. Current market data for raw copies in similar condition typically fall in the $2 to $10 range. If professionally graded by PSA or SGC and achieving a 'Gem Mint 10' status, the value could elevate to $50 or more; however, the cost of grading currently exceeds the raw market value. Limitations: This appraisal is based solely on high-resolution imagery. I cannot verify the physical 'tooth' of the cardboard or detect subtle surface indentations that appear under a raking light. To confirm authenticity and a definitive grade, a physical inspection is required to check for 'trimming' (re-cutting edges to improve sharpness) and to verify microscopic print patterns under 10x magnification. No provenance was provided, though it is not strictly necessary for a card of this era. A professional third-party grading service is recommended if seeking a definitive verification of authenticity.