Roger Clemens rookie cards fall into the category of old rookie cards.
If you love old cards and have collections from the 80s and 90s, then you might be looking for the best Roger Clemens rookie card for you.
There’s something special about these cards. They bring about memories and nostalgia from the old days.
Not only that, but in a few decades, these cards are going to grow in value and the better you can preserve your card, the more it’s going to cost.
In terms of Roger Clemens rookie cards, you have four or five excellent options, although only one card comes from his official rookie season…
Top Roger Clemens Rookie Card Options
These are the best Roger Clemens rookie cards that you can collect.
1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens RC #U-27
The 1984 Fleer Update card of Roger Clemens is one of the most popular options when it comes to Roger Clemens’ cards.
It’s also the earliest cards to be released for this player.
He made his debut for the Red Sox in 1984, so this card is the only option that comes from the year of his debut in the league. The rest of the cards came in 1985, so if you’re looking for an early rookie card, this would be your option.
The Fleer Update pack came later in the 1984 season. It included the rookies and prospects that made their debut later in the season (including Clemens), as well as players who got traded or changed teams.
If you’re looking for the best possible image on a card of Roger Clemens, then you’re going to love this option.
The image is nice and clear, showing a young Roger Clemens posing in front of the Boston Red Sox stands. It’s a historic image that remains in memories of many Red Sox fans who enjoyed the on-the-field successes of Clemens and his team in the coming years.
1984 Topps Roger Clemens #181
In the 80s, Topps was the king of all card companies, especially when it comes to baseball.
The card brand had a distinct and very long history up to that point. It was the go-to option for most collectors when it comes to rookie cards.
The base card of Topps from 1984 is not the most expensive Roger Clemens rookie card, but it’s certainly the most (or one of the most) popular option.
The card has a pretty basic design. It has some graphical elements on the bottom which depict the team of Roger Clemens and his position. The image itself is also quite decent, although probably not as good as the Fleer Update one.
Now, this is where the money is really at…
It’s the Topps Tiffany card from 1984 featuring Roger Clemens. This is the most valuable and most expensive Roger Clemens rookie card out there.
The top-graded cards of this type can cost thousands of dollars. Even cards with lower grades tend to be more expensive than all other base Roger Clemens rookie cards we’ll feature on this list.
The main reason for this is the higher quality of Tiffany cards.
These cards were meant to be the premium option for those who could afford to spend a bit more on rookie cards.
Another reason why this card is more expensive is its rarity. It is a bit harder to come by than the base Topps card, which will make it a bit more valuable, as well. Consider this card if you’ve got several thousand dollars to spend and if you want the best from the best.
1985 Fleer Roger Clemens RC #155
If you’re looking for something a bit more affordable and easy to get, then the Fleer card of Roger Clemens is going to appeal to you.
The first thing you notice about this card is the menacing look that Roger Clemens is giving – probably to one of the players on the opposing team. When that happened, you just knew Clemens was about to throw an unhittable fastball at you.
The design of this Fleer card is also quite simple.
It has a grey-red border with minimal graphical elements on the top of the card, where you can see the Boston Red Sox logo and Roger Clemens’ name.
It’s a great-looking card that’s also not going to cause you to go bankrupt. In fact, it’s one of the most affordable options that you can go for. It’s not as expensive as the Topps cards or the Fleer Update card, and it cost a few hundred dollars at the very most.
Note that this card has largely the same design as the Fleer Update card, but the image on this card is different. There wasn’t a lot of difference in terms of when the two cards were released, because Fleer Update cards were released close to the end of the 1984 season anyway.
Of course, the highest-graded cards like PSA 10s are still going to be more expensive than the rest.
1985 Donruss Roger Clemens RC #273
Donruss Roger Clemens rookie card is also a great option if you’re looking for a card that shows all of the might of Roger Clemens’ powerful throw.
It’s also a bit more unique than the rest of the cards in terms of design.
The image is still very central and important for the card, which was the case for most cards from the 1980s.
However, the black border and the red stripes near the bottom of the card were typical signs of a Donruss card.
In any case, this card is going to remind you of the 1980s, no doubt. It’s a great card to own if you’re nostalgic about those days and you want to rewind the clock a bit, or if you simply want to have a good card that’s going to age well in the coming decades.
And Donruss was also a reputable card company back then (and still is today), so if you’re looking for a good option that’s not going to cost you too much, then you might want to consider getting this card.
1985 Leaf Roger Clemens RC #99
Notice something familiar about this card?
Yes, the design and the look of this card are almost exactly the same as the previous Donruss card we’ve featured on this list.
So what’s the difference?
Well, the story of this card is that Leaf bought out Donruss’ stake for the Canadian market, so they were allowed to brand these cards as Leaf cards and sell them to Canadian collectors.
This means that in the 1980s, many Leaf cards looked exactly like the Donruss cards, only that they were branded as Leaf cards and sold to Canadian collectors.
The main difference between this card and the Donruss one is that this card is a bit smaller. Also, the Leaf set was shorter than the Donruss set of cards, as it included only shy of 300 cards, while the Donruss set had over 600 cards.
The Leaf card also has French text included, which is, of course, crucial if you’re going to release a card for the Canadian market.
On the whole, this card is still a popular option for collectors today and it will require a moderate investment to get it. It’s not the most expensive Roger Clemens rookie card, but it’s also not the most affordable one.
FAQ
What Is a Roger Clemens Rookie Card Worth?
Roger Clemens rookie cards are going to cost anywhere between a few dozen dollars to a few thousand dollars, as the Topps Tiffany Roger Clemens rookie card is the most expensive option. It’s always good to double-check card values before buying though
The price of the card will depend on a few factors. The most important is the quality of the card. The higher the grade, the more it is going to cost.
In general, Topps, Topps Tiffany, and Fleer Update are the most expensive cards. Fleer Update is the earliest Roger Clemens rookie card, and that is the main reason why it can be a bit more expensive. Most Roger Clemens rookie cards cost a few hundred dollars and potentially more.
What Is the Most Expensive Roger Clemens Card?
The most expensive Roger Clemens card is the 1985 Topps Tiffany Roger Clemens RC #181.
This card is seen as the premium option when it comes to Roger Clemens’ rookie cards. It has superior design and immense build quality, as it is made of high-quality materials. It’s also a bit rarer and tougher to find than the rest of the Roger Clemens rookie cards.
What Roger Clemens Cards Are Worth Money?
Roger Clemens is one of the biggest names in baseball from the 1980s and 1990s, so most of his early cards from 1984 to 1991 are going to be worth money.
Despite the fact that some of these cards featured a high print run, they can be quite valuable. These cards will appeal to both 1980s collectors, Red Sox fans, as well as those who admire Roger Clemens.
