Roger Clemens is regarded as one of the greatest pitchers of all time and his baseball cards have significant value for collectors. Clemens played for 24 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1984 to 2007 for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros. He won a record seven Cy Young Awards and is one of only four pitchers to tally over 4,000 career strikeouts. Clemens’ on-field dominance and longevity in MLB make many of his rookie and vintage cards very desirable for collectors. Let’s take a closer look at some of Clemens’ most valuable baseball cards that can fetch thousands of dollars on the market today.
One of the premier Clemens rookie cards is his 1984 Fleer card. This was Clemens’ first major league card issued after debuting with the Red Sox in 1984 at age 21. In a near-mint to mint condition, graded PSA 8 or higher, these rookie cards can sell for over $1,000. His 1984 Topps rookie card in the similar condition also has value around $1,000. Both the 1984 Fleer and Topps cards are key rookie cards every major Clemens collector wants in their collection. Another noteworthy early Clemens card is his 1986 Topps Traded card, which featured updated photos and stats after his breakout Cy Young season of 1986. Highly graded versions of this scarce traded card sometimes exceed $2,000 in sales.
Moving into the late 1980s, Clemens’ 1987 Topps card is one of the standouts from this period. It features a close-up action photo of “The Rocket” in his signature windup. With strong centering and sharp corners, 1987 Topps Clemens cards grading PSA 8 or higher are valued around $500. His 1988 Donruss card also carries value, with mint condition copies breaking the $200 mark. An even more coveted 1988 Clemens is the Fleer Update card, which included updated photos and stats midway through the 1988 season. Only 150 copies of this scarce fleer Update card were produced, making high grade versions worth $3,000 or more for dedicated collectors.
Entering the 1990s, Clemens was firmly entrenched as one of baseball’s superstar pitchers and his cards from this decade reflect that status. His 1990 Score card displays impressive detail of Clemens unleashing a fastball. Pristine PSA 10 examples have auctioned for around $500. His 1991 Topps card is a classic from one of his dominant seasons. Cards in mint condition fetch $200-300. A real gem is Clemens’ 1992 Upper Deck MVP baseball card. This commemorative card highlighted Clemens winning back-to-back Cy Young and MVP awards in 1990-1991. High grade copies are valued at $800-1,200. The 1992 Upper Deck MVP card remains highly sought after by collectors 30 years later.
Clemens’ move to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 resulted in some new Canadians football-themed cards that are highly collectible. His 1992 Stadium Club Jays card pictured Clemens lined up in a football uniform. Near-mint versions sell for $150-200. An even quirkier Clemens issue from his Toronto tenure is the 1993 Fleer Ultra Action Football Ref card, imagining Clemens as a referee throwing penalty flags. Only 150 of these novelty cards were printed, with PSA 9 copies selling for $800-1,000. Clemens only spent three seasons in Toronto but produced several unique cards that have enduring value for collectors of both baseball and Canadian sports memorabilia.
After rejoining the Boston Red Sox in a 1997 midseason trade, Clemens’ card values spiked as he entered his late 30s pitching career renaissance. His 1997 Leaf Limited Jersey Edition card featured an on-card swatch of his Red Sox uniform jersey. High grade specimens with the jersey material intact exceed $300-400. Another prized Clemens from this period is the 1998 SP Authentic jersey card, bearing two uniform swatches. Near-mint authenticated versions Command $400-600 prices. Clemens’ legacy was further cemented with back-to-back titles leading the New York Yankees pitching staff to World Series wins in 1999 and 2000. This made his Yankees cards very popular. His 2000 Topps Traded base card sees prices upwards of $150 for pristine copies in top holders.
Clemens crossed the 300-win threshold with the Yankees in 2001 and Upper Deck commemorated the rare feat with a special Victory Club parallel card. Only 99 of these parallel Victory Club cards were issued, with a PSA 9 copy recently selling for $2,600. Clemens’ final seasons spent with the Houston Astros from 2004 to 2006 produced additional quality cards as well. His 2005 SP Authentic Legendary Cuts Signature Series card autograph patch serial numbered to /99 is valued around $1,500 in top condition.
As one of the most prolific and accomplished power pitchers in baseball annals, Clemens’ legend and collectible card values will surely stand the test of time. While some of his vintage rookie cards can command five-figure prices, there are still many affordable Clemens cards under $100 that can enhance any baseball collection. With a 24-year MLB career producing signature moments across multiple teams, Clemens ensured he has no shortage of premium cards recognized by collectors as worth considerable money.
