History

Eric Wayne Martin is a former American football wide receiver from Van Vleck, Texas. He played college football at LSU from 1981 to 1984, initially arriving as a running back before moving to wide receiver. He established major LSU receiving records, including 2,625 career receiving yards, and became the first LSU wide receiver to receive All-American honors. The New Orleans Saints selected him in the seventh round of the 1985 NFL Draft with the 179th overall pick. Martin played for the Saints from 1985 through 1993 and the Kansas City Chiefs in 1994. He became one of the most productive receivers in Saints history, was selected to the 1988 Pro Bowl, and was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.[1][2]

First Printed: The card was released in the 1992 Topps Football base set, depicting Martin during his New Orleans Saints career. The supplied identification lists it as card number 257; exact checklist and production documentation were not available in the searched sources.

• Martin was a seventh-round selection in the 1985 NFL Draft and the 27th wide receiver chosen that year.[1][2]
• He made the Pro Bowl in 1988 after catching 85 passes for 1,083 yards and seven touchdowns.[1][2]
• Martin recorded 1,041 receiving yards in 1992, the season represented by this card's issue year.[2]
• He led the Saints in receiving yards for seven consecutive seasons from 1987 through 1993.[2]
• His NFL career totals were 553 receptions, 8,161 receiving yards, and 49 touchdowns.[3][6]

Print Data

Print Run: Very High

Collector's Notes

Condition Tips: Inspect centering, corner sharpness, edge chipping, surface scratches, print dots, wax staining, gum or residue, and any paper loss. The most important grading issues for early-1990s Topps cards are often off-centering, soft corners, edge wear, and surface or printing defects. Confirm that the player, card number 257, set design, and reverse statistics match an authentic 1992 Topps issue.

Storage: Store the card in a penny sleeve inside a rigid holder or semi-rigid grading submission holder. Keep it upright in a cool, dry, stable environment away from direct sunlight, humidity, heat, and PVC materials. Avoid tight holders that can press against corners and avoid handling the card surface.

Authenticity: Compare the card with verified examples for dimensions, cardstock, color balance, registration, typography, photograph quality, back layout, copyright line, and card number. Modern reprints or counterfeit copies may show incorrect gloss, fuzzy text, unusual colors, altered dimensions, or inconsistent paper stock. For valuable graded examples, verify the certification number through the grading company's official database.

Notable Sales

Investment Outlook

The player has meaningful Saints historical importance and strong career statistics, but this is a common early-1990s base card from a heavily produced set with no identified parallel, autograph, memorabilia element, or scarce variation. Low entry cost does not compensate for abundant supply and limited broad collector demand.

Rarity Analysis

• The card is identified as a common base-set issue.
• 1992 mainstream football cards were produced in large quantities and remain widely available.
• No special stamp, language variation, serial numbering, autograph, memorabilia, or confirmed short print was supplied.
• A high-grade copy may be less common than a raw copy because condition-sensitive examples are harder to locate, but the card itself is not scarce.

Comparable: Other 1992 Topps Football base cards from the same set, 1992 Topps Football cards featuring established New Orleans Saints players, Early-1990s base cards of comparable veteran NFL wide receivers

Market Forecast

The card's value is likely anchored by its common status and abundant supply. Martin's Saints legacy, Pro Bowl season, and Hall of Fame recognition support a small collector niche, but those factors are unlikely to overcome the large population of inexpensive base cards.

• New Orleans Saints team-collector demand
• Martin's career recognition and 1988 Pro Bowl season
• Condition and professional grading
• Abundant 1992 Topps Football supply
• Absence of a confirmed scarce variant or premium insert feature

Short-term (3-6mo): Likely stable over the next 3 to 6 months, with minor price differences based mainly on grade, centering, eye appeal, and selling venue.

Long-term (1-3yr): Likely stable to mildly declining in ordinary grades over 1 to 3 years. High-grade copies may retain a small premium among Saints specialists, but substantial appreciation is unlikely without renewed player-focused collecting demand or discovery of a genuine scarce variation.