2004 Upper Deck Sean Taylor Rookie Card #221

This is a standard-sized trading card (2.5" x 3.5") featuring Sean Taylor of the Washington Redskins during his rookie year. The card is produced by Upper Deck and features a full-bleed action photograph of Taylor in his white away jersey and burgundy pants (number 36) making a tackle against a Denver Broncos player. The layout includes a burgundy textured footer bar across the bottom containing the player's name in bold white serif font, with 'REDSKINS' printed beneath in smaller gold lettering. The Upper Deck logo is located in the upper right corner. Physical construction consists of high-gloss cardstock with silver foil accents. Upon inspection from the provided image, the card appears to be housed in a clear plastic poly-bag or soft sleeve. The corners appear sharp at this resolution, though the bottom-right corner shows slight white edging typical of paper stock from this era. Centering appears slightly shifted towards the right margin. There are no visible surface creases or heavy scratches through the protective sleeve. This specific card captures Taylor in his debut season, which ended tragically early in his career, making it a highly sought-after piece for football memorabilia collectors.

I have examined the digital representation of the 2004 Upper Deck Sean Taylor Rookie Card #221. Visually, the card appears to be an authentic specimen from Upper Deck’s 2004 production run. The cardstock gloss and silver foil stamping are consistent with the era’s manufacturing standards. My assessment of the physical condition reveals a common issue with this specific set: slight white chipping on the bottom-right corner and a centering bias favoring the right border (approx. 60/40). However, the surface remains free of major kinking or creasing, placing it in a 'Near Mint' (NM 7) category pending a physical surface inspection. Market demand for Sean Taylor memorabilia remains exceptionally high due to his tragic legacy and status as a legendary figure for the Washington franchise. This specific 'Star Rookie' base card is a cornerstone for Taylor collectors. Current market comparables for raw, uncertified copies of this card fluctuate between $30 and $75 depending on the crispness of the edges and centering. Critically, a definitive determination of authenticity and grade cannot be made through images alone. To finalize this appraisal, a physical examination under 10x magnification is required to verify the 'dot matrix' printing pattern and foil application to ensure it is not a high-quality electronic reprint. Furthermore, checking for surface impressions or micro-scratches that are currently obscured by the poly-bag is necessary. Given the volatility of the card market, formal third-party grading (PSA or BGS) would be the most significant factor in increasing this item's value, as a 'Gem Mint' 10 specimen would command a significant premium over the raw price cited here.