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MLB1985RC
21jersey
ROOKIE CARD

ROGER CLEMENS

1985 TOPPS

TOPPS·#181

Stylized illustration — actual card image varies by edition

View sold images on eBay
⚾ baseballRookie Card

1985 Topps Roger Clemens #181

The Rocket's rookie card. Seven Cy Young Awards and 354 career wins made Clemens one of the most dominant pitchers ever. A key card for any 80s collection.

Player

Roger Clemens

Year

1985

Set

1985 Topps

Card #

181

Sport

Baseball

Type

Rookie Card

Market Value (Based on Sold Data)

Based on public auction records

Source: eBay sold comps, Heritage Auctions, Goldin, PWCC — April 2026

Recent Sales (Mid Grade)PSA 7–8 · Based on eBay sold listings
$50–$300 (PSA 9)Verify on eBay ↗
Recent Sales (Gem Mint)PSA 9–10 · Based on eBay sold listings
$2,000+ (PSA 10)Verify on eBay ↗

Values compiled from public eBay sold listings, Heritage Auctions, and Goldin results. For real-time pricing, click “Verify on eBay” above.

Grade-by-Grade Pricing

Values based on recent eBay sold listings and auction results

Verify on eBay ↗
PSA GradeLabelMarket ValuePop.Trend
PSA 6
EX-MT$15–$30—→
PSA 7
Near Mint$30–$806,200→
PSA 8
NM-MT$80–$2008,800→
PSA 9
Mint$200–$6003,800→
PSA 10Best Value
Gem Mint$1,500–$3,000320↑

Source: eBay Sold Comps · Clemens Topps rookie — high production junk wax era but gem rate is reasonable. Controversy limits upside vs. clean HOFers.

PSA Population Report

Total Graded

52,000

PSA 10 Count

320

PSA 9 Count

3,800

Gem Rate

0.6%

Grade Distribution

PSA 10
320 (1%)
PSA 9
3,800 (7%)
PSA 8
8,800 (17%)
PSA 1–7
39,080 (75%)

Gem Rate (% achieving PSA 10): 0.6% — Extremely difficult to gem.

PSA vs BGS vs SGC

PSA

Professional Sports Authenticators

  • +Most liquid — highest resale demand
  • +Largest population database
  • +Vintage specialists
  • +Most recognized globally
  • −Slowest turnaround at economy tier
  • −No subgrades on base service

Best for: Vintage, high-value singles, resale liquidity

BGS

Beckett Grading Services

  • +Subgrades reveal exact condition
  • +BGS 9.5 Black Label = highest premium
  • +Preferred for modern parallels
  • +Slab design seen as premium
  • −Less liquid than PSA for vintage
  • −Stricter centering = harder to get 10

Best for: Modern parallels, autographs, centering-first cards

SGC

Sportscard Guaranty Corporation

  • +Faster turnaround than PSA/BGS
  • +Lower cost at economy tier
  • +Growing collector base
  • +Good for tobacco/pre-war
  • −Lower premium than PSA on most cards
  • −Smaller population database

Best for: Pre-war, tobacco cards, budget-conscious grading

Full grading guide with cost comparison →

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