Best Clemente card

[MCoxon]

With all the Mantle threads, I thought I'd see collectors' favorite Clementes. Obviously the rookie card is super-popular right now.

For looks, I'd say my two favorites are 1956 Topps and 1970 Kellogg's.

Others' favorites?

[stlcardsfan]

64 Giant is ultra cool. Sorry no scan.

[jchcollins]

I'm partial to '64 Topps regular (because I own it) and '56 Topps. '56 Topps is like card porn. Robby making that catch against the Esquire Boot Polish sign in Ebbets Field? I don't know if it gets better than that...


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[KCRfan1]

The "71 Topps is gorgeous.

[bozzio37]

As a goofy 5 year old kid ripping 1972 Topps packs, I immediately got a kick out of Roberto tossing the ball to himself on his regular issue 1972 card. One that always takes me back to those days...

[brian1961]

I'm drawn to Bob's 1971 Kellogg's 3-D, a superior card in every way. Ditto his 1967 Coca-Cola premium, as produced by, but by no means distributed by, the company chosen by the Coca-Cola company to print this piece--Dexter Press.

I only own the Kellogg's, but have cherished it since I pulled the card from a cereal box the summer of '71. That was a real prize!

---Brian Powell

[Neal]

1972KelloggsClementePSA8.jpg

Not sure what it is, but not a big fan of any of his cards from the 50s and 60s. His Kellogg cards are nice, as are the 70-73 Topps

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by bozzio37

As a goofy 5 year old kid ripping 1972 Topps packs, I immediately got a kick out of Roberto tossing the ball to himself on his regular issue 1972 card. One that always takes me back those days...

Ditto!!! And add to that his 'In Action' card, too, where he seems to be smiling in derision at the umpire's strike call.

[CW]

Clemente has a lot of cool looking cards.

I'm not the biggest fan of portrait cards, but even Roberto's portrait cards are appealing, like the '57, '66, and 67 Topps cards. '69 Topps Super also has an incredible image.

My top 3 would be '56 Topps, '71 Topps, and '72 Topps.

[almostdone]

I like them all so much I put them together in one display.
Drew

[MCoxon]

Originally Posted by Neal

Attachment 237099

Not sure what it is, but not a big fan of any of his cards from the 50s and 60s. His Kellogg cards are nice, as are the 70-73 Topps

I like his 3 Kellogg's as well and the 1970-73 Topps

I wonder if his '72 In-Action card pose is meant to show the neck roll that he often did between pitches. His biography, "Clemente," by David Maraniss, describes how Clemente would roll his neck between pitches because of tightness in his neck, after he had injured it years earlier.

One other I really love, speaking of 1967 Dexter Press, is his 1968 Dexter Press card (the same image later showed up on his '77 Sertoma Stars card as well).

[MCoxon]

His 1968 Dexter Press postcard

[the 'stache]

I would say that the '58 Topps Clemente is probably my favorite. I don't know what it is, but it's just fantastic. Just Roberto in his batting stance.

This is from a PSA 9 I found on the web. It doesn't get much better than this.



And while I love both the '55 and '56 Topps, I'd say my second and third favorite are the two I own, the '71 and '73 Topps.

First Clemente I ever bought. Probably just a PSA 7, but I love it. Looks much better in person that it does in a scan.



The '73 I bought should grade quite well. It's really a striking card to look at. There's something solemn about the picture used, and I always get this sense of melancholy looking at it. There's the celebration that Robby got his 3,000th hit, yet that's coupled with the knowledge that this great man lost his life not long after the double off of Jon Matlack.



One of the things I plan on doing after I start collecting again is to really work on my Clemente (and Yount) player collections. The '58 Clemente and PSA 9 '77 Yount are really high on my want list.

[Exhibitman]

1956 and 1969 Topps.

[frankbmd]

Yes

[Harliduck]

I was scanning through this thread waiting to see my favorite, I guess I am going to be first with this selection. I own all the Topps and Fleer, and by far mine would be his 1963 Topps. Just love the colors and how it pops (this is not my card) -

[KCRfan1]

Originally Posted by almostdone

I like them all so much I put them together in one display.
Drew

Nice display Drew!!!

[stargell1]

The 68 Dexter press is his most attractive card in my opinion.

Another personal favorite is the 64 Kahn's.

Also love the 71 Bazooka.

[clydepepper]

Bill explained exactly why the '73 card is my favorite:

I'm always thankful that he made it to the World Series a second time so everyone could see what a special player he was.

1973 Topps ROBERTO CLEMENTE PSA 8.jpg

[ALR-bishop]

[Mark70Z]

To me the most aesthetically pleasing to my eye is the 1972 Topps #309; love the '72 design as well as just a cool looking picture of Roberto.

Now, you gotta love the Topps test disc and the '68 3D! Doesn't get much better than those...

[Johnny630]

All of these cards are great !! Mine would have to be the 56 Topps and 64. Love the colors on the 64.

[tjenkins]

I don't know why but I always liked the '63 Fleer Clemente. He looks bigger than life despite the simple design. I have always been drawn to this card?

[JustinD]

68 3d is my favorite hands down, but my dream card would be the catch on the 56t done in 53' Bowman color style so it would show like the Peewee Reese.

That would be awesome.

[MCoxon]

Originally Posted by JustinD

68 3d is my favorite hands down, but my dream card would be the catch on the 56t done in 53' Bowman color style so it would show like the Peewee Reese.

That would be awesome.

I agree that the Clemente 68 3D is a holy grail card as a Clemente collector. I'm probably only 2-3 cards away from having all the ones I want (a few kahn's and the'68 3D). Unfortunately the '68 3D is one I may never own given its scarcity

[MCoxon]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Al, I've seen your '68 3D every once in a while in threads here and it still gets me drooling every time.

[Laxcat]

I few from my Clemente PC that you don't see everyday. As much as I like Topps, I feel other companies/products did just as good of a job capturing Roberto perfectly.

[ALR-bishop]

Mike-- we have a member here that has the prototype autographed 67 Pin Up poster. Only one I have seen. The 67 Stand Up seems scarcer than the 3D. There are two photo versions of the 67 Punch Out captain card. I am still looking for the second one.

The 68 Action strips in full 3 piece panels are getting harder and harder to find too. And are hard to scan. I had to buy a large art portfolio album for those and the 69 Team posters sets

[bnorth]

This missing yellow error card is the favorite Clemente card I own.

[uniship]

1957

[bobsbbcards]

Unfortunately, no '58. Sigh.

[MCoxon]

Love the kahn's and the scarce 1967/1968 issues!

Originally Posted by bobsbbcards

Unfortunately, no '58. Sigh.

[ALR-bishop]

Absolutely not. Way too much yellow, even in the letters sometimes

[the 'stache]

Todd, the '63 Fleer is another of my favorites. I almost fished a picture of it off the web, but I'd posted three pics already.

You nailed it. The design is simplicity incarnate; it allows for all the focus on "The Great One" himself.

As far as fantasy cards go, put me down as one that wished Clemente had a '53 Bowman. I can only imagine how gorgeous that card would have been. Why didn't he start baseball just a little earlier?

Originally Posted by tjenkins

I don't know why but I always liked the '63 Fleer Clemente. He looks bigger than life despite the simple design. I have always been drawn to this card?

[rats60]

Originally Posted by MCoxon

I agree that the Clemente 68 3D is a holy grail card as a Clemente collector. I'm probably only 2-3 cards away from having all the ones I want (a few kahn's and the'68 3D). Unfortunately the '68 3D is one I may never own given its scarcity

The 1967 Topps Standup is the Holy Grail of Clemente cards. It is the only card weighted a "10" on the PSA registry. The next highest weight is 7, including the 68 3D and 62 Sugardale cards.

[MCoxon]

For sure, the 1967 Standup is more scarce. PSA Pop 2, vs. PSA Pop 49 for the 1968 3D

I think the 1968 3D is a beautiful card, one of the most beautiful ever made in the hobby, mainstream or not. I don't think the 1967 Standup is as aesthetically pleasing, but for scarcity it is certainly at the top of the grail cards.

Originally Posted by rats60

The 1967 Topps Standup is the Holy Grail of Clemente cards. It is the only card weighted a "10" on the PSA registry. The next highest weight is 7, including the 68 3D and 62 Sugardale cards.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by MCoxon

For sure, the 1967 Standup is more scarce. PSA Pop 2, vs. PSA Pop 49 for the 1968 3D

I think the 1968 3D is a beautiful card, one of the most beautiful ever made in the hobby, mainstream or not. I don't think the 1967 Standup is as aesthetically pleasing, but for scarcity it is certainly at the top of the grail cards.

To each his own. I have always thought the 3D was ugly. I prefer the stand up, sugar dale, kahns, etc.

[ALR-bishop]

I like them all, except that yellow one Bob likes

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by rats60

To each his own.

Yep. A good example for me is the Topps Venezuelan cards from the 1950's and 60's. I know they carry high value because they are so much rarer and are much harder to find in any type of condition, but I've always thought they were ugly as hell. Especially the ones into the later 60's where what is white paper on normal Topps USA cards is downright brown on the Venezuelan cards.


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[irv]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Yes

Yep, love the 56 as well. Of course I wish I owned a 55 also but being late to the show, I doubt that will ever happen.

[begsu1013]

.

[bobsbbcards]

Bob,

That '72 is a shoe-in for best Clemente.

Ouch.

[begsu1013]

.

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by bobsbbcards

Bob,

That '72 is a shoe-in for best Clemente.

Ouch.

If ya ask me, I think the card stinks now-- I know, I know--don't put your foot in yer mouth when it comes to a Roberto Clemente gem. --Brian Powell

[DBesse27]

I was gonna call the 56 Topps "card porn," but somebody beat me to it. Also echo others in loving the photo on his 72T.

[Robs70sCards]

If you would have asked 10-11yo Rob70sCards who is favorite player of all time was, he probably would have said Roberto Clemente.

I had the 72 Kellogg card as a kid. I don't remember how I got it, but was cracked up really bad, with some of the reflector coming off the card, but I loved it! Stared at it for hours it seems, my only real Clemente! It's one of those cards that takes you right back to being a 10yo kid.

Love the 72 Topps. I just got that a couple months ago myself. That 1963 Fleer is really nice too. I had no idea about that set.

Something Different

[mrmantlecollector]

[71buc]

I'm breaking the rules here but its a risk I will take. Although its not a baseball card, nonetheless, this Clemente type I PRE-MLB Debut 1955 Spring Training photo is cool and a bit more fun and more rare than any of his cards.

[MetsBaseball1973]

I think his 1956 Topps is his best looking card. If I had to have only one of his cards in a collection I want to see the 1956.