This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2018
It wasn't long ago that MINT examples of Roberto Clemente's rookie card were approaching the half-million dollar mark, making equally graded examples of his 1956 Topps second year card an amazing bargain by comparison. Clemente wasn't exactly turning heads following from his rookie campaign, posting just a .244 batting average and five round-trippers in 474 at-bats, but his 1956 season was more like the Clemente who would one day land in the Hall of Fame, finishing 3rd in the National League batting race with a .311 average. The featured card is one of the finest we've ever seen, and without a white backed example on the books in a GEM MINT holder, is a truly significant addition to any top-ranked collection. Near perfect centering and a wealth of rich, precise pigmentation yield to the ivory-white border and true to form MINT endpoints, with the brilliance of the white reverse just confirming the lofty grade. An incredible specimen of one of baseball's most beloved players.