Will Clark was a star first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1986 to 2001 for the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals. As one of the most iconic players of the 1980s and 1990s, Clark has several highly valuable baseball cards that fetch high prices at auction.
One of Clark’s most valuable and desirable rookie cards is his 1986 Fleer baseball card #107. Fleer was one of the “big three” card companies in the 1980s along with Topps and Donruss. Clark’s striking rookie pose and accomplishment of making the Giants’ roster out of spring training as a first-round pick created early hype around this card. In mint condition, graded a PSA 10, Clark’s 1986 Fleer rookie has sold at auction for over $8,000. Even in excellent near-mint to mint condition, but ungraded, this card still brings in several hundred dollars due to its prominence as one of Clark’s earliest cards capturing his rookie status.
Another hugely valuable Clark rookie is his 1986 Topps Traded baseball card #T100. Topps had lost the rights to Clark’s regular 1986 rookie card to Fleer, so they produced this “Traded” card set midway through the 1986 season once he was called up to the big leagues. Like the Fleer rookie, the design and photo on this card really popularised the early image of Clark. High-grade PSA 10 examples of this scarce Topps Traded rookie have reached astronomical prices upwards of $25,000 at auction. Even in raw near-mint to mint condition, examples can sell for $1,000+. This is truly the holy grail for Clark collectors due to its rarity and status as a true rookie card issue.
Clark also had several valuable inserts, parallels and autographed cards produced in the early 1990s at the height of his career as an offensive force with the Giants. His 1991 Fleer Chrome Refractor parallel #78R is one of the rare early refractors that created huge excitement in the hobby. Pristine PSA 10 examples have reached over $5,000. Another coveted card is his 1992 Leaf Best Autographs Diamond Kings card, serially numbered to just 125 copies, which has exceeded $7,500 at auction. Clark’s 1992 Topps Gold parallel #307 also regularly makes over $1,000 in top condition due to the appeal of the aesthetics of the gold-foil treatment during the early insert card boom.
Later in his career with the Rangers, Clark had some notably valuable Texas-focused issue cards. His 1992 Fleer Texas Rangers Team MVP Autograph #TMVP commands massive prices in authenticated/graded condition, with a PSA 9 bringing nearly $4,000. Other Texas-themed autograph and memorabilia cards from the mid-1990s onward are also highly sought after by Clark and Rangers PC collectors, often selling for hundreds to low thousands. One such example is Clark’s 1997 Donruss Victory Texas Rangers Team MVP Memorabilia #TM4, containing a piece of a Rangers jersey, which has reached $2,500 PSA graded.
As one of the most prolific offensive players of the late 1980s and 1990s, Will Clark has amassed an impressive collection of valuable baseball cards that are of great interest to collectors to this day. His coveted 1986 rookie cards, early refractors and autographed inserts remain hugely popular investment pieces for enthusiasts. Later Rangers-focused issues also retain strong demand. In top authenticated condition, most of Clark’s highest valued cards fetch prices ranging from $1,000 to well over $10,000 or more depending on the exact card, year, condition and rare parallel. His rich baseball career and iconic status from that era will ensure continued collector interest in these early Clark card investments for years to come.
