Collecting roger clemens cards

I recall watching Roger Clemens pitch for the University of Texas back in the early 80’s and thinking that some day he would make a good major league pitcher. Even then the powerful right-hander commanded the attention of anyone who watched him pitch. Yet even the best scout in the majors would have been hard press to predict the sensational career that Clemens has had. The winner of seven Cy Young awards and a league MVP, the Texas grad’s achievements put him at the pinnacle of the pitching profession. Add to that lifetime totals in wins and strikeouts that compare favorably with fellow Texas legend Nolan Ryan, and it’s easy to see why Roger is a favorite of card collectors every where. The fact that his career had stops in both Boston and New York has done little to hurt his massive appeal.

Since Roger’s career has spanned more than two decades, the amount of baseball cards available to collectors numbers in the hundreds. When he came into the league there were three major card companies producing a set per year, and anyone working on putting together a collection of his favorite player had an easy time finding what cards were available. Since then there has been a steady increase in the amounts of sets, subsets, and insert cards that are produced each year. Since very few collectors have the resources to collect every single card produced, I have listed my top choices for cards that should be included in any serious collection of Roger Clemens cards.

This card is listed as Roger Clemen’s only extended rookie card. The card once in line with other notable players in the set, is now responsible for two-thirds of the set’s value. This card shows a nice clean shot of Roger Clemens in his Red Sox uniform. It currently books for $225, but beware of counterfeits when trying to add this card to your collection since there have been numerous reports of falsified issues.

1985 Fleer, Card #155:

There were three main rookie cards of Roger Clemens produced in 1985. These cards were issued by Topps, Donruss and Fleer. Out of the three, the ones issued by Donruss and Fleer are of equal value. They each book for $40. The Fleer card though was not issued in a factory set and thus presents a slightly harder challenge for collectors. Fleer also offers a crisp and clean close up picture of the pitching star, making me tip the scales in favor of this card.

1985 Topps Tiffany, Card #181:

While the 1985 Topps’ Rookie Card of Roger Clemens was widely produced, the Tiffany version was limited in production. Only 5,000 factory sets were produced by Topps, making the Roger Clemens issue a highly sought after card. The card currently books for $150.

1993 Finest Refractor, Card #104:

In 1993 the Topps Company released its revolutionary “Finest” set. The set ushered in the era of the “super premium” cards. Twelve years have passed since its initial release and the set’s refractor subset is still holding its value. The Roger Clemens Finest refractor is priced at $200, making it one of the most valuable within the subset.

2001 Donruss Rookie Reprint, Card #RR7:

There are various certified autograph cards of Roger Clemens available to collectors, but none like the 2001 Donruss Rookie Reprint issue. This card is a reproduction of Roger’s 1985 Rookie Card. The card is limited in production to 85 (in honor of his rookie card year), and it’s priced at $120.

2005 Diamond Kings Materials Framed Green Bat-Jsy, Card #278:

While most of the cards mentioned so far feature Roger in a Boston uniform, this card has him in Yankee pin strips. Limited in production to 25, the card comes with both a piece of a game used bat and a pinstriped jersey. Though newly released, this card can be found selling for $40.

2005 Leaf Century Material Fabric Position Jsy, Card #/250:

Still, those wishing to add a card to their collection with Roger’s current address and uniform, can pick up this relatively inexpensive new issue from Leaf. The card features Clemens with a swatch of his Houston Astro’s jersey. Limited to a print run of 250, the card can be found for about $15.

These are just a few of the many great Roger Clemens cards that have been produced over the years. While it is harder to get a great deal on cards of current hot stars, bargains can still be found. If a collector is willing to have patience and spend a little time looking, he can find most of these cards selling between 40-60% of their listed values. Places like flea markets, on-line card auctions, and card shows are more likely to offers these cards at reduced prices. It also never hurts to ask how low a seller is willing to go in order to sell you the card you seek. Aside from these higher priced issues, a great deal of more common Roger Clemens card can be found in the $1-$4 range. Remember that the important thing is to enjoy the hobby.