| NAME | Craig Biggio |
| TEAM | Houston Astros |
| YEAR | 1994 |
| CARD # | 305 |
| MANUFACTURER | Topps |
| SPECIAL | Future Stars |
Topps baseball card #278 featuring Craig Biggio is part of the 1990 Topps Baseball set, showcasing him early in his career with the Houston Astros.
This card captures Biggio during his transition from catcher to second baseman, a move that defined his long-term success. The 1990 Topps set is known for its colorful borders and straightforward design, and Biggio’s #278 card is considered one of his key early issues, though not his official rookie card (his rookies are in 1988–1989 sets).
| Gem Mint Is the absolutely perfect card, considered higher than Mint. Mint No flaws, the perfect card. Four perfect corners, 55/45 or better centering, smooth edges, original color and gloss, no print spots, color or focus imperfections. A professionally graded mint card receives a large premium in price, often 200% or much more than Near Mint prices quoted in price guides. Near Mint-Mint (Nrmt-Mt) Close, but not a Mint card. Centering must be 60/40 or better. There may be a minor flaw with the card such as a slight ‘touch’ (a light point of wear where the card was bumped or touched), the picture slightly out of focus, or a slight color imperfection. Nrmt-Mt cards also receive a premium in price over a Near Mint card. This premium is not as high as a Mint card. Near Mint (Nrmt) Close, but not a Near Mint-Mint (Nrmt-Mt) card. Its centering can’t be worse than 70/30. One of the following imperfections is allowable: very slight touch to two or three corners, slight wear to the edge, minor print spots or color imperfections. This is the standard grade which cards are measured by in the hobby. Excellent-Mint (ExMt) Card may have visible surface wear or a printing defect which does not detract from its overall appearance. Corners may have slight fraying. The picture may be slightly out of focus. The card may show loss of original gloss or have a minor wax stain on the back. Centering must be 80/20 or better. Excellent (Ex) Centering must be 80/20 or better, with four fuzzy corners. It may also have rough edges, minor discoloration, print spots or focus imperfections. Very Good (Vg) This card shows wear, but still retains some attractiveness. Corners may be somewhat rounded. There may be edge wear, border discoloration, hairline creases. Good (Gd), Fair (Fr), Poor (Pr) The bottom rung of cards. Good is the best and Poor is the worst. A Good card has significant wear, such as severe corner rounding, creasing, fading, staining or other problems. Altered or retouched cards will fall into this category. A Good card still retains some attractiveness. A Poor card has extreme problems, such as a significant part of it is missing, or ink or paint has marred it. The difference between a Fair and a Poor card, is that a fair card has some semblance of appeal while a Poor card is utterly repulsive. |