"1978 Topps #59 Steve Mike-Mayer Lions Kicker 54-Yard Record Maryland G-VG"

"Description

You're viewing an increasingly scarce 1978 Topps card featuring Steve Mike-Mayer, a specialist kicker who tied the Detroit Lions club record with his remarkable 54-yard field goal! This vintage treasure captures a critical special teams player in action.

The distinctive pink/magenta borders that frame the Lions cards in the 1978 Topps set are notoriously condition-sensitive, making surviving examples increasingly difficult to locate in today's market. Most have been damaged beyond recognition or discarded over the past 45+ years!

This card showcases a specialist position player that has gained tremendous collector appreciation in recent years as football historians recognize the critical importance of kickers to championship teams. The evolving understanding of special teams value has created fresh collector demand.

What makes this card particularly fascinating is that it documents a player who experienced the journey through three different NFL teams (Bears, 49ers, Lions) early in his career. This multi-team connection creates crossover appeal to collectors of all three historic franchises.

The card specifically highlights Mike-Mayer's spectacular 54-yard field goal against the Rams that tied the Lions club record - a remarkable achievement that gives this card significant historical context beyond just being another player. These statistical milestones have become increasingly valued by serious collectors.

University of Maryland Terrapins collectors will appreciate this alumnus who successfully translated his collegiate success into becoming an NFL specialist. This collegiate connection adds another dimension of collector appeal beyond just NFL team fans.

Condition

This card presents in honest Good to Very Good condition - a genuine survivor that has escaped the typical fate of pink-bordered cards that often suffer extreme damage. Finding pink-bordered cards from this period still intact is becoming increasingly challenging!

The corners show some wear and slight rounding, especially on the right corners, which is typical for cards of this vintage that were actually collected and enjoyed rather than immediately stored away. This natural aging confirms the card's authentic vintage status.

Some edge wear is visible on the pink/magenta border - an extremely common condition issue with the notoriously fragile colored borders of the 1978 Topps cards. Pink borders show damage much more readily than other colors from the set.

The centering appears slightly off-center to the left, which is consistent with production standards of the era and confirms this card's genuine vintage origin. Factory quality control was far less stringent in the 1970s than with modern card productions.

The front surface retains good color saturation with Mike-Mayer clearly visible in his distinctive Lions blue jersey performing his specialty - kicking a football. The action image remains vivid despite being over four decades old.

The card back shows good preservation with all text, statistics and illustrations remaining crisp and easily legible - an important consideration for vintage cards where back damage often renders text unreadable.

Card Details

• Card Number: #59 in the 1978 Topps Football set

• Player: Steve Mike-Mayer - Specialist kicker who played for three NFL teams

• Team: Detroit Lions - Featured after his acquisition from the 49ers

• Position: Kicker (K) - A specialist position with growing collector interest

• Record Note: Tied Lions club record with a 54-yard field goal against the Rams

• College: University of Maryland - Adding crossover appeal to Terrapins collectors

• Multi-Team Connection: Played for Bears, 49ers and Lions in just three seasons

• Statistical Highlight: Impressive 97.3% success rate on PATs (71 of 73)

• Action Image: Shows Mike-Mayer performing his specialist role as a kicker

• Design Elements: Distinctive pink/magenta borders that define the Lions cards in the 1978 Topps set

• Manufacturer: Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. - The premier trading card company of the era

Rarity

While Topps produced significant quantities of their 1978 football cards, the relentless march of time has rendered well-preserved pink-bordered cards increasingly scarce. The vast majority have been lost to time, damage, or poor storage conditions.

Pink/magenta-bordered cards from this era are notoriously condition-sensitive, with the colored edges quickly showing wear, chipping, and fading. Finding specimens without significant border damage becomes more difficult with each passing year.

Specialist position cards were historically overlooked by collectors in favor of star skill position players, making well-preserved examples increasingly difficult to locate. This historical collector bias has created genuine scarcity in today's market.

Cards featuring players with multi-team connections have shown particularly strong demand as team collectors from different franchises compete for the same limited supply. This triple-team appeal with Bears, 49ers, and Lions collectors has created additional market pressure.

The combination of condition-sensitive pink borders, specialist position, record-tying achievement, and multi-team status creates a unique collecting opportunity that transcends multiple collecting categories. This expanded collector base further reduces available supply.

Collector's Note

The market for vintage specialist position cards has seen surprising growth in recent years as sophisticated collectors have begun to fully appreciate the critical importance of special teams to championship success. This fundamental shift in collector understanding has driven prices steadily upward.

Pink-bordered vintage cards have experienced particularly strong price appreciation as condition-conscious collectors recognize their extreme susceptibility to damage. This growing awareness has created tremendous demand for surviving examples that haven't been destroyed.

This is potentially your ONLY CHANCE to acquire this increasingly elusive vintage card before prices for authentic 1978 Topps football cards with pink borders continue their upward trajectory! The vintage colored-border market is experiencing unprecedented growth.

Special teams collectors have become increasingly dedicated to documenting the evolution of the kicking position throughout NFL history. This card represents a must-have addition for any serious specialist position collection showcasing the development of field goal kicking!

This card represents a perfect budget-friendly addition for any Detroit Lions team collection, Bears/49ers historical documentation, Maryland Terrapins alumni showcase, or 1978 Topps set build. Its authentic vintage character makes it a guaranteed conversation starter in any football display!

Buy multiple cards and pay only ONE low shipping cost!

Don't Wait - Act Now!

The window of opportunity to acquire authentic vintage cards with condition-sensitive pink borders at reasonable prices continues to narrow as more sophisticated collectors recognize both their historical significance and increasing scarcity.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a genuine piece of NFL kicking history featuring a record-tying field goal specialist who made his mark with multiple teams! When it's gone, finding another pink-bordered example of this vintage Topps card in comparable condition could take months of searching!"

 _gsrx_vers_1723 (GS 9.9.3 (1723))

Condition: Ungraded

Item specifics

Offered by Gosla Antiques & Collectibles, purveyors of antiquities, curiosities and collectible wares. Dispatched from Pennsylvania, United States, with tracking.