"1990 Topps #78 Mike Flanagan Blue Jays Cy Young Award Winner MINT NM-MT"

"Description

You're looking at a pristine piece of baseball excellence - a 1990 Topps Mike Flanagan #78 in spectacular Near Mint to Mint condition! This gem features a true pitching legend and Cy Young Award winner.

This stunning example stands out dramatically from the typically well-worn specimens from this era. The notoriously condition-sensitive blue borders remain vibrant and chip-free - a true rarity for cards from this distinctive Topps design!

What makes this card particularly special is that it showcases a genuine Cy Young Award winner during his tenure with the Blue Jays after his illustrious career with the Orioles. The card back specifically highlights his 1979 Cy Young season - a prestigious achievement that only the elite pitchers in baseball history can claim!

The action shot perfectly captures Flanagan's left-handed pitching form that carried him to 167 career wins, a World Series championship, and the highest individual honor a pitcher can achieve. This card represents a significant piece of baseball pitching history!

Perfect for Blue Jays team collectors, Cy Young Award winner collections, or anyone seeking pristine examples of baseball's pitching elite. The distinctive blue borders of the Blue Jays cards from this set create a striking visual appeal that stands out dramatically in any collection!

Condition

This card is in remarkable Near Mint to Excellent condition - truly outstanding preservation from the junk wax era! The notorious blue borders, which typically show significant edge chipping, remain impressively intact.

The corners are razor sharp with absolutely no rounding or wear - a condition virtually never seen in cards from this set after 30+ years. Most examples found today show significant corner damage.

The surfaces remain pristine with no creases, folds, bends, or handling marks. The glossy finish on the front maintains its original luster with no scratches or scuffing.

Centering is exceptional and well within the coveted 55/45 or better ratio that serious collectors demand. Finding well-centered examples from the 1990 Topps set continues to become more challenging with each passing year.

Color retention is superb with vibrant blues and oranges that remain as bright as the day this card was printed. Most surviving examples show significant fading or color degradation after decades of storage.

The card back is equally pristine with sharp printing, no staining, and excellent overall eye appeal. The yellow background remains bright with no fading or yellowing often seen on cards from this era.

Card Details

• Player: Mike Flanagan - 1979 Cy Young Award Winner

• Team: Toronto Blue Jays (after his celebrated career with the Baltimore Orioles)

• Card Number: #78

• Year: 1990 Topps

• Career Highlights: 1979 Cy Young Award, 1983 World Series Champion, 167 career wins

• Special Note: Card specifically documents his acquisition from Baltimore on August 31, 1987

• Career Span: 1975-1992 (this card captures him near the end of his distinguished career)

• Statistical Interest: Complete year-by-year pitching statistics for his entire career through 1989

• Personal Details: Born in Manchester, New Hampshire on December 16, 1951

• Design Elements: Distinctive blue borders with orange team name - specific to Blue Jays team design

Rarity

While 1990 Topps cards were produced in significant quantities, finding examples of award-winning players in this exceptional condition is becoming increasingly difficult with each passing year.

High-grade examples like this are becoming more challenging to locate as collectors become more condition-conscious and the best examples are permanently sealed in graded slabs for long-term collections.

The distinctive blue borders of the Blue Jays design are notoriously susceptible to chipping and wear, making well-preserved examples increasingly uncommon as time passes. The vast majority of survivors show significant border damage.

Cards featuring Cy Young Award winners hold special appeal for serious baseball collectors, as these represent the absolute pinnacle of pitching excellence. Only a select few players in baseball history have achieved this honor!

As modern analytics reshape our understanding of pitching greatness, cards of accomplished left-handed pitchers like Flanagan are receiving newfound appreciation for their consistency and mastery during an era dominated by powerful offenses.

Collector's Note

The market for high-grade cards of award-winning players has experienced remarkable growth in recent years as collectors focus more on career achievements rather than just star power. What was once overlooked is now increasingly appreciated.

Savvy collectors understand that while millions of these cards were printed, the vast majority were poorly handled, stored in detrimental conditions, or simply discarded. True gem specimens of Cy Young winners represent a tiny fraction of the original print run.

This is potentially your BEST CHANCE to acquire a high-grade example of this Cy Young Award winner's card before prices for pristine examples of achievement-based collections continue their upward trajectory! The market is increasingly recognizing the historical significance of award winners.

The investment potential for cards of Cy Young Award winners continues to show strong growth as collectors develop more sophisticated approaches to documenting baseball's pitching excellence. These elite players represent the true pinnacle of baseball achievement.

This card represents a perfect centerpiece for any high-grade 1990 Topps set build, Blue Jays team collection, Cy Young winners showcase, or display of championship-caliber pitchers. The condition quality speaks for itself!

Buy multiple cards and pay only ONE low shipping cost!

Don't Wait - Act Now!

The window of opportunity to acquire premium condition examples of Cy Young Award winners continues to narrow as more collectors focus on building achievement-based collections featuring baseball's most elite players.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a genuine piece of baseball pitching history featuring one of the game's most accomplished left-handed hurlers in exceptional condition before it disappears into another collection for decades!"

 _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.