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1955 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie one of hottest cards on market
One of the hobby’s highest-rising cards over the past three decades has been Roberto Clemente’s iconic 1955 Topps rookie. It features a close-up portrait of the young Pittsburgh Pirates star next to a smaller batting-pose shot. Adding playfulness is a small inset box with a cartoon of a pirate, an early team logo. A facsimile of Clemente’s ornate autograph adds extra flair.
The reverse gives us Clemente’s basic biographical information (he was a wiry 5-11, 175 pounds) and reveals he was originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Along the bottom is a stat line that doesn’t begin to foretell the player who would blossom in the bigs.
In 18 seasons, Clemente rapped 3,000 hits and batted .317, compiling 240 homers, 1,416 runs and 1,305 RBI. He won 12 straight Gold Gloves (1961-72) and led the NL in assists six times.
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Clemente’s rookie card is impossible to find in Gem-Mint condition. PSA’s Population report shows only one PSA 10 Clemente rookie.
Finding a 9 is almost as impossible: PSA has given only 11 Near-Mint 9 grades. The most recent price paid for a PSA 9 was $960,000 in 2023.
As for PSA 8 Clemente rookies, they’re also uncommon, with only 123 showing up in PSA’s Pop Report. In recent years, they’ve been fetching $60,000 to $75,000 at auction.
All of which brings us to a recent eBay listing of a PSA 7 Clemente rookie. In looking around the hobby, we found two different auction houses that sold PSA 7 Clementes in 2024, and they brought prices of $22,750 and $13,150.
How would such an item perform on eBay? The answer is usually in the middle, and that was the case here. In late March, a PSA 7 attracted 49 bids and wound up splitting the difference between the 2024 prices by drawing $17,600.
Two weeks later, an SGC 7 reeled in $16,900. And to illustrate how much a half of a grading point can mean, a PSA 6.5 sold for $9,355 on 43 bids.
Here's a look at our latest Top 10 chart of the top sales on eBay:
TOP 10 CHART
1. $115,100 on 38 bids: 2019-20 Panini National Treasures Ja Morant Emerald, #2/5, auto patch (BGS 9.5, auto 10)
2. $52,816 on 52 bids: 2018-19 Panini Flawless Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, #1/1, auto patch (BGS 8.5)
3. $41,109 on 72 bids: 2005-06 Upper Deck The Cup Alexander Ovechkin, #12/99, auto patch (BGS 8.5, auto 10)
4. $40,534 on 41 bids: 1986-87 Fleer Basketball Stickers complete set (PSA 8 with PSA 10 Michael Jordan)
5. $40,100 on 117 bids: 1984-85 Star Michael Jordan with secondary-market autograph (BGS 8.5, auto 9)
6. $37,000 on 2 bids: 1997-98 Skybox E-X2001 Kobe Bryant Essential Credentials, #72/73 (PSA 6)
7. $32,751 in 49 bids: 2001 Upper Deck SP Authentic Tiger Woods, #56/100, auto (PSA 9)
8. $32,100 on 38 bids: 2023-24 Panini Impeccable Anthony Edwards Jersey Number, #5/5, auto (ungraded)
9. $32,000 on 44 bids: 2023 Topps Dynasty Bobby Witt MLB Logo Patch #1/1 (ungraded)
10. $32,000 on 2 bids: 1955 Topps Baseball complete set (all PSA 6 or higher)
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
The Next 10:
• $31,100 on 48 bids: 1998-99 Skybox Thunder Michael Jordan Noyz Boyz (PSA 10)
• $28,267 on 49 bids: 1984-85 Star Michael Jordan (PSA 6)
• $27,601 on 57 bids: 1985-86 O-Pee-Chee Mario Lemieux (PSA 10)
• $27,477 on 46 bids: 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson (PSA 5.5)
• $26,600 on 105 bids: 1986-87 Fleer Sticker Michael Jordan with secondary-market autograph (BGS 7.5, auto 9)
• $25,675 on 74 bids: 1952 Bowman Mickey Mantle (PSA 8)
• $25,255 on 55 bids: 2002 Topps Tom Brady Super Bowl XXXVI MVP, #150/150, auto, relic (PSA 8.5, auto 10)
• $25,200 on 48 bids: 2024 Panini Absolute Kaboom! Jayden Daniels Vertical Gold, #2/10 (PSA 9)
• $25,100 on 54 bids: 2013-14 Panini Flawless Kobe Bryant, #5/25, auto patch Showcase Legacy Row 0, #122/150 (PSA 9)
• $22,101 on 43 bids: 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Rookie Ticket (BVG 8.5, 10 auto)
