Topps complete base set

I am including the remainder of my Clemente base set in one long post. I am not including the years I have already shown in previous posts (1955, 1956, 1958, 1961 & 1962). I will include other Topps cards that were in the base sets (in action, postseason, group photos, etc.) in a future post. I can then show the Topps cards that were included in the insert sets, then the league leader cards, team cards, O-Pee-Chee, then who knows what I will show next.

1957 Topps #76 - This card features a great portrait of a young Clemente. It must be noted that this is actually the first photo of him used on a card. The 1955 and 1956 cards were not actually photos. They were artist renditions. Even the 1956 Pirates team card is an artist rendition. Imagine all of the starving artists that Topps created by changing their format. Also, this card makes the first in a long stretch of using the name "Bob" on his cards. The next time they use "Roberto" is in 1970. This card is in decent shape for the age, but there is a crease (not really visible in my photo) from his left ear to the edge of the card. Like most of my older cards, the corners have some wear. I think this card is on the darker side, with not a lot of good contrast with the background, similar to 1962, but a lot of cards in this set are like that.

 1959 Topps #478 - Another close-up of Roberto's face in the unique circular frame. This card has several creases, although they are also not overly visible with the light background. It is one of the earlier cards in my Clemente collection, another gift from my maternal benefactor. I am actively looking for an upgrade though.

1960 Topps #326 - Two great images of Clemente, both holding a bat. The horizontal format is always cool. I'm guessing Topps was trying to bring back the magic of the 1955 and 1956 sets after a three year hiatus of using portrait rather than landscape. This card has a corner crease in the upper left corner. It is also off-center from top to bottom. I can live with this card though.

1963 Topps #540 - In my previous blog on the 1962 Clemente, I commented about how he had finally made an impression since his card numbers were ending with zero. Well, from that point on, he continued to have a superstar number. It took me quite a while to find one of these cards in decent condition and at a reasonable price. The reason? This card is in the high number series. For those new to collecting, this means that it wasn't until the end of the season that cards were made available for purchase, and there just wasn't as many that made it to circulation, so they are more rare. Roberto's rookie card also was a high number, which adds to the reason they are so expensive. I think I got a decent price on this card because it was graded by an unpopular grading company. Not even sure they are still in business. The bottom edge does have some wear, it is off-center, and one of the corners has a crease, but otherwise, it is a fine example.

1964 Topps #440 - I was never a big fan of this card. It's a posed photo of Clemente swinging. He appears to be coming out of the frame slightly with his hat. The back is a bad color choice in my opinion. It also looks like there used to be a scratch off game to guess the trivia question. This card has a little stain in the upper left corner on the front. The corners are dinged and it is off-center from left to right. That is fairly par for the course.

1965 Topps #160 - One of Clemente's most popular and iconic cards. It features a great close-up portrait. He had just won his second batting crown. Another factoid on the back states that he tied a major league record by hitting three triples in one game. I doubt that has been beaten yet. Another interesting story about this issue: For years I had thought I had a copy of this card in my collection. It was badly trimmed and in need of an upgrade, but I had a filler copy. Well, up until even seven or eight years ago, I had not realized that what I actually had was the Dover reprint. It was given to me by my maternal benefactor again, but I just hope she didn't pay much for it. I did finally upgrade with this card and even upgraded the reprint card this past year. Needless to say, I am not a great fan of reprints, unless there is something on the card that distinguishes it from the original. The Dover reprints do have distinguishable language on the back of the card that says it is a reprint, and the back is also black and white, but unless you have knowledge about how the original card should look like, they can sometimes fool the best of us.

1966 Topps #300 - It's one thing to have your card number end in a zero, but another for it to end with two zeros. A higher echelon, with the likes of Mantle and Mays and Aaron. Never mind that #400 was Zoilo Versalles. A good player and MVP from the year before, but not quite Hall of Fame caliber in the end. Clemente was not MVP until the end of this year, although he had several votes up until now. He had just won his third batting title. Another great portrait of Clemente used for this card. The card itself is in decent shape with dinged corners. 

1967 Topps #400 - Another number in the hundreds. Clemente had just won the MVP award even though he didn't win the batting title. He was fifth in batting, far behind his teammate Matty Alou. I doubt there was much animosity between the two though. This card features another great portrait and facsimile autograph where Roberto just signed "Bob". Note on the back of the card that there is no mention of him winning the MVP award. Lots of great things are said about him but not that. A veritable mystery. Also, note that he had passed the 2000 hit mark late in the last season. He only had six more complete seasons to reach 3000 on the nose. The card is in decent shape, but it looks like a victim of rubber bands. There is indentations on each side. The corners are also dinged. 

 1968 Topps #150 - Not much to really say about this card. Most of my cards after this year are in better shape. Clemente just won his fourth batting title. Next stop....Cooperstown.

 1969 Topps #50 - Clemente was injured more the past season than usual. It was a very uncommon year for him. He didn't reach .300 either. This card always seemed like if you put on some 3-D glasses, Clemente would pop off the card. I'm also noticing that I should clean off the back of the card protector.

 1970 Topps #350 - Clemente was back in full stride the past year. The factoid on the back states that Pete Rose beat Clemente from his fifth batting title by a mere 3 points. It was decided on the last game of the season for each as they came into the last game tied. It was Rose's highest ever batting average for a season and he only won a total of three batting titles versus Clemente's four. This is also the first card since 1956 where Topps used his full name again. They would continue to do so, and except for reprints, I believe they have respected that on every card they have made since.

1971 Topps #630 - There is so much to like about this card. The posed swing is great. The facsimile signature is awesome. While the facsimile is good, a vintage autograph really shows his Latino roots. It is very distinct. This card also marks the change in Pirates uniforms and they had opened Three Rivers Stadium. I'm sure if Clemente hadn't perished in that plane crash, the turf at that stadium would have eventually did him in. The black borders on the 1971 set make it difficult to get a mint condition. This card is in fairly good condition, and I don't think the edges were colored black to match, which is apparently a common fix with this set. This card is also in the semi- high number series, so that raises the premium. I love the portraits they placed on the backs of these cards. The stats are severely lacking though. Some of the backs of the O-Pee-Chee variety are even more awesome. I don't have the Clemente 1971 OPC yet, but the only difference is that instead of a green color, it is yellow. It is very rare, especially due to the higher card number.

1972 Topps #309 - You all must be wondering why Clemente only received a mediocre number like 309. Well, in this set, there are several players with "In Action" cards as well as their base cards. Sometimes the base card ends up with a zero and sometimes the "In Action" card ended up with a zero. In Clemente's case, it was the latter. I'm not a huge fan of the photo on this card. It's a little depressing actually, because we know of his fate and he seems very alone. He had just won the World Series MVP. 3000 hits was a sure thing along with Cooperstown. His stats now hog up the entire back of the card. 

 1973 Topps #50 - The last Topps base card for Clemente and the first hero number in the first series of the 1973 set. Everyone's heart had sank from the events of New Year's Eve. The back mentions his final hit, his 3000th....a huge accomplishment. No mention of his death. It's as if Topps is trying to resurrect him. A noble effort, but impossible. The image on the front is very serene. It's almost as if you are watching Clemente in action without sound, in his afterlife. It is the most non-descript image of all of his base cards throughout his career, yet there is no question it is him at bat. At ease, in control, where he excelled. 

O'Connell & Son Ink and one oddball

I think the O'Connell & Son Ink sets are great and of course Clemente was well represented in their sets. I would be very interested in hearing more about the inside stories about starting a baseball card company. Was there any pressure from the big card companies? The MLB? The drawings are pretty good, although not perfect, and that to me is what gives them a cult status. They may be considered oddballs, unique for sure, but they are a part of baseball card history now and during a time when there wasn't a lot of diversity in the card market.

These first three are just slightly larger than standard card size (2-5/8" x 3-5/8") and are stretching a plastic sleeve and a standard 9-card page protector to the maximum. My favorite is the #129 and looks to be based on the image used in the 1980 TCMA Baseball Immortals set. It's a great portrait that rivals the 1968 Topps 3-d portrait. The drawing seems to have his left eye a little misplaced, and his lips and nose are slightly out of proportion, but it's probably better than I could draw myself, in ink no less.

 The card above is oversized at 4-11/16" x 6-3/16", but the design is great. The portrait is good and the drawing is a good likeness. I like the vintage 1959 design. I have several pieces that are oversized, so it fits nicely in my collection.

This is a mystery card. I snagged it in a "Buy It Now" auction, probably $5 more than I would have optimally liked to have bought it for, but I have never seen one before. I could tell it was using the O'Connell & Son Ink format, and a previous image drawn by them as well. I have been scoping out eBay for years, almost daily and certainly weekly. I've checked out the entire selection of Clemente cards on comc.com, in addition to other sources and I have never seen this card. The card itself is oversized at 3-5/8" x 5", and the stock is thinner than the other oversized card but the same as the regular size cards. I've searched for other potential cards that could be in this set and came up empty. If anyone has any information, I would be very grateful to hear from you.

Kellogg's and other Lenticular issues

 I wanted to continue on the theme of cereal issued cards, but while I delve into the Kellogg's cards, I thought I would add the few other lenticular cards since they are related.

First off, no this is not my card. It is my Holy Grail, my great white whale. I doubt I will ever own one. It goes for about 10 grand. It is from the 1968 Topps 3-d test issue. Very rare, and even more rare in good condition. The portrait is amazing. I'm very surprised that the image was never used since. It only adds to the card's mystique. It is the first lenticular that I am aware of. I'm sure in person, the portrait even pops out better with the 3d effect. They should have used his real name "Roberto", but otherwise, an awesome card all-around. I would take a good reprint any day.

This is my best condition 1970 Kellogg's card. These cards are basically my bane of existence. They are almost like concrete in that the only thing you can guarantee is that they will crack. I do love the image though and it is the best Kellogg's card to get a somewhat 3-d effect. I have another copy which I will gladly sell or trade as it has a scuff mark on the image. I originally thought I could overlook the scuff, but I was wrong. This card has some short cracks on the upper part of the card. They aren't going all the way across and they don't affect the image. I will be on the lookout for an upgrade, but I will not bow my head in shame for this card.

I recently purchased a much better upgrade to this card and I'm expecting it to arrive any day now. I will add the photo of that card as soon as I receive it. This is such a rare card to get in good condition and not break my bank. While I like every card I have of Clemente to a degree, this has to be the biggest bust of a design versus the rarity and condition. I mean did this image lend itself to a 3-d format? It's not even real. It's like they pasted a good photo of Roberto in front of an image of a generic baseball stadium upper deck that you can barely even see. I don't think it is possible to get that angle for a true photo.

This is the 1972 Kellogg's card. The card itself has defied all lenticular logic. No cracks. I'm sure it's not mint, but I'll take what I can get when it comes to these cards. Great image, more
3-d effect and more realistic background, although it looks identical to the 1971 generic upper deck. Best autograph placement and seems like an updated autograph more in line with how he was signing at the time. It's his last Kellogg's issue, as he would be tragically dead by the end of the year.

In 1986, Sportflics came out with a lenticular set. I think they had players of the day as well as old-timers. Some of the old-timer cards featured three different players on the same card. I'm glad they decided to put Clemente on his own card. It is fairly difficult to adjust the positioning of the card to get a solid image of just one of his poses, and with multiple players, it just seems like a downgrade if you only get one good pose of the player you like. The portrait is really good. Not as good as the 1968 Topps 3-d, but good nonetheless. The stats and information on the back does a good job in detailing just how much Clemente had basically dominated the entire 60's decade. This card is very cheap and yet a good all-around card. They also must've figured out the formula to avoid cracking. 

This is the last lenticular issue with Clemente, the 2012 Topps Archives 3-d . While I appreciate that Topps broke out the idea of remaking a 3-d issue, this image is overused, and it doesn't make very good use of 3-d. Actually, none of the other cards in the set really make use of a 3-d effect either. They did use his given name "Roberto", as I'm guessing that is a requirement that his family has placed on anyone who wishes to pay to use his image on a card nowadays. The back of the card is pretty much blank, and it is not short-printed, so it loses much of it's original lustre from the 1968 version. If you are looking for some great 3-d card designs, Topps, look at these and take notes. http://baseballcardbreakdown.blogspot.com/2014/09/roberto-clemente-is-alive.html
All props to defgav and his blog.

The Cereal Issues

 The following are the original cards issued by Post, Wheaties, Nabisco Team Flakes and one by Jello. I will follow this with cards by Kellogg's.

 These are the 1961 Post cards, the bottom card was cut out of a box and the top card is the perforated version punched out of an advertising page. Both are vintage and in great condition. The box versions rarely ever have all of the border visible. PSA will only grade cards that have the entire border, otherwise the card will only garner an "authentic" grade. I'm not sure about how PSA decides how to grade the perforated version, but either way, you rarely see high grades on these kinds of cards. I personally do not care about an actual grade but I do try to get the highest quality I can at an affordable cost. These are a very nice design, packing a nice portrait with some stats and even a good story and biographical information all on one side of the card. Note that they used his shortened nickname "Bob" on these cards.

 This is the 1962 Post Canadian. Very similar design as the 1961 Post. The same image is used, obviously a cost-savings measure. The unique thing about the Canadian issue is that it has a version of his biographical information in French. His name has also changed back to "Roberto". Not sure if the fact that he was the National League batting leader for 1961 allowed him to gain the proper respect or if there is some other reason. I like foreign languages on his cards. Not only is it unique, but it would be something I think Roberto would very much appreciate. He also played in Montreal for the Dodgers minor league team prior to being traded to the Pirates. This card is actually graded, but SGC has a reputation for being more lenient than PSA on it's standards. I would say they grade similarly though. This card does have all the border showing.

 I wanted to show a picture of the back of this card. I have a feeling this is the reason it was only graded Very Good. I do not have a problem with something that was caused by the original manufacturing process. This glue is all part of the original box. I have a duplicate of this card, ungraded, that was glued by a previous owner into the album. It is no doubt the reason why I got it on the cheap. The Canadian version is fairly rare though, so I can overlook issues with the back. There isn't any information on the backs of these cards anyway. As long as any deformation doesn't translate to the front of these cards, I do not have a problem with it.

 This is the 1962 Post (red line version). Similar to the Canadian version but different coloring and only in English. These cards are very common actually and can be had for less than $20 if you don't mind if the entire border is visible. One item of note is the story on the card. He hit safely in all seven games of the 1960 World Series. He would do the same in the 1971 W.S. (14 games total). I do not think that feat has ever been matched. He was a very competitive player and shined when it mattered the most.

This is the 1962 Post (blue line version). Everything is the same except the lines surrounding the stats are blue in color. The portrait also tends to become more of a sepia tone. These are very rare and almost impossible to find in good shape and reasonably priced. I have one other that I will be trading or selling that is in worse condition than this one. I actually found this card online through a larger card store and I think they didn't notice the blue lines as there is a label on the back of the sleeve that says it should be red lines. The price was also only $20. Needless to say I took advantage of their error as soon as I saw it. Always be vigilant of the good deal ;-) I still need the 1962 Jello card version to add to my collection. I am thinking it is at least as rare as this blue line version.

The top card is the 1963 Jello card. The bottom card is the 1963 Post card. The portrait was upgraded from the previous two years and it is a nice change. The only difference between the two 1963 versions is that the length of the Jello card is a significant amount shorter than the Post. I assume that was done to ensure the card fit on the back of a Jello box. I occasionally see an auction listing with the entire Jello box intact, but never with Roberto on it. I imagine one exists in some super collector's collection or possibly in the back of some grandparents' pantry to be lost forever. Either way, if one ever came up for auction, I doubt I could afford it.  Note the last sentence of the biographical story. It is slightly deceptive in that he had played in 6 All-Star games prior to 1963. It was not for 6 straight years, at least not by 1963. There were two All-Star games each year in 1960, 61 and 62. It is actually surprising that he was picked to play in both of the 1960 games, since he was just emerging onto the superstar scene and was still somewhat undervalued and unknown.

This is the 1964 Wheaties Stamp. The image is the same as the 1961 Topps. Undoubtedly, Topps benefited from this photo selection. It is a great portrait as I described in a previous blog. This stamp also features a very realistic facsimile autograph. The back is clean and it was not adhered to the album that you could get by mailing the order form on the box and 50 cents to Wheaties. I see a decent amount of these for sale in good condition, but they aren't as common as the Post standard issues as I'm sure most of these were stuck in the albums or other locations and then tossed out with the trash eventually.

This is the 1968 Nabisco Team Flakes card. It is cut out from the cereal box. The image is the same that was used on the Sports Illustrated posters that were available around the same time. It is a great image. The logo of the Pirates is taken off his helmet, which leads me to believe that Nabisco circumvented the MLB as a cost-savings measure. The condition of this card is not great, but the image is completely intact, I paid less than $10, and this issue is extremely rare. You have to lessen standards somewhat when all of those factors are taken into account. The back is clean. Also, I have noticed there are wide and narrow border versions. I'm not sure what caused the variation, but I assume it has to do with the source of where the actual card was cut from. This is the narrow border version. I will always be on the lookout for an upgrade on condition as well as the wide border version, if the price is right.

1956 Topps #33 White and Gray back

 This is a beautiful card and Clemente's second year card. It features the same portrait that was used for his rookie card, but a much better action image (making a spectacular leaping catch at the wall). Ballparks today generally do not have the kind of unique character as depicted on this card, with Wrigley and Fenway being the exception, as they have lasted through the age of destroying our history for the sake of larger profits. Another thing to note is that Topps used his full name "Roberto" and it fits nicely with the horizontal format. The white back is more off center than I generally like, with just a sliver of a border at the bottom, but beggars can't be choosers and I got a great price for that card. The corners are good and there are no creases, so I think it is a great deal. It also makes it more authentic to me, as there is a lot of reprints out there to watch out for, and reprints aren't made off center usually.

On the backs, most collectors probably just get one version and figure they have finished. The white back is more typical for the lower numbers of the 1956 set. For some reason, Topps ran out of the white stock and had to use a cheaper gray stock. I finally got both versions. The fact that it is #33 shows that Clemente had not quite proven his baseball talents. The cartoon on the back does a good job of telling the story of how Roberto ended up on the Pirates team, a team he would be with for his entire career. The other thing that makes these cards unique if you happen to get one for your own collection is the size. They are larger than the cards from all of the later years of any card company. The standard became 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" after this year. It makes it more interesting in getting the odd sized holders. I couldn't find any of the magnetic variety which are easier to handle in my opinion and even of higher quality. Oh well, I did find some holders and they do protect cards better than a hard plastic sleeve. Even the hard and soft plastic sleeves barely allow these larger cards to fit. I'm happy to have found these two cards though and they fit nicely in my collection.