1986 Topps #161 Jerry Rice ROOKIE PSA GEM MINT 10
1986 Topps #161 Jerry Rice PSA 10 – The Greatest Receiver of All Time
The 1986 Topps #161 Jerry Rice rookie card stands as one of the defining modern football issues — a cardboard monument to excellence, endurance, and perfection. Released during a bold era of design and color, this instantly recognizable card captures Jerry Rice at the beginning of what would become an unmatched career. Drafted out of Mississippi Valley State, few could have imagined that this young wideout would go on to rewrite the record books, redefining the standard of greatness for generations to come.
This PSA 10 Gem Mint example is flawless in every respect — the gold standard for one of the hobby’s most coveted modern rookies. The centering is perfect, the color vibrant and explosive, and the edges and corners remain untouched, appearing as if freshly pulled from a wax pack. The surface gloss gleams with mirror-like brilliance, and the image clarity is exceptional, with Rice frozen in mid-stride in the iconic red-and-gold of the San Francisco 49ers. It’s a pristine, investment-grade example of one of football’s most famous rookie cards, with a presence and symmetry rarely achieved in this notoriously condition-sensitive issue.
The 1986 Topps football design, with its vivid green borders and dynamic player photography, perfectly reflects the energy of the era — but it’s Jerry Rice’s rookie that elevates the set to immortality. His 1,549 receptions, 22,895 yards, and 197 touchdowns remain untouchable, cementing him as the undisputed GOAT of wide receivers and one of the greatest athletes in any sport. A PSA 10 Gem Mint specimen of this magnitude represents perfection — the ultimate tribute to a career defined by it. An icon of modern football cardboard and a crown jewel for any world-class collection.