ROGER CLEMENS
Baseball • 1985 Topps Baseball
Sport & Year
Baseball • 1985
Brand & Set
Topps - 1985 Topps Baseball
Card Number
#181
Card Type
Rookie Card
Rarity
Base
Parallel Variant & Language
Base • English
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Grade
Very Good-Excellent (VG-EX 4)
Estimated Market Value
Raw: $5 - $15; Graded (PSA 4): $10 - $20; Graded (PSA 10): $1,000+
Recent Sales
Raw copies typically sell for $10-$20 on eBay. PSA 8 copies sell for around $40-$60, while PSA 10 gem mint copies command significant premiums due to the difficulty of finding high-grade 1985 Topps stock.
Condition Details
Visual inspection shows significant top-to-bottom centering issues (heavy on the bottom/left side in rotation). Corners appear slightly rounded, and there is visible edge wear/chipping on the white borders. The card is currently being stored in a plastic binder sleeve which may hide minor surface scratches.
Grading Recommendation
Not recommended for grading unless sentimental. The centering and edge wear visible suggest a mid-grade (4-6) at best. The cost of grading often exceeds the value of a Roger Clemens rookie in this condition.
Card Description
Boston Red Sox, Pitcher. The card features a classic vertical action shot of Clemens in mid-delivery. He is wearing the Red Sox home white uniform with the 1984 50th Anniversary of Fenway Park patch visible on the sleeve. The design features a name banner in the upper left and the team name in large block letters at the bottom.
Notable Features
This is the most iconic rookie card of 7-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens. It features the 'Topps' logo in the upper right. Note that 1985 Topps stock is notoriously sensitive to edge chipping and centering issues.
Authentication Notes
The card appears authentic based on the correct font types for 'Red Sox' and 'Roger Clemens', the specific coloring of the 1985 Topps border, and the age-appropriate card stock texture visible.
Scanned: 2026-05-27T20:06:05.590834