45 Vintage Sports Cards That May Have Tripled Their Value Over Time

#24: Roberto Clemente – 1955 Topps

Roberto Clemente was the stellar Rightfielder who played all 18 years with the Pittsburg Pirates. He was a 12-time Golden Glove winner, had four Batting Titles, made 15 All-Star appearances, two World Series championships, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. “The Great One” was tragically killed in a plane crash right after his 3,000th hit on his way to Nicaragua to aid with earthquake relief.

Roger Angell said of Clemente, “He played a kind of baseball that none of us had seen before.” The tragic loss of Clemente caused a surge in desire for his memorabilia, including this 1955 Topps rookie card. In 2016, a grade 9 card sold for $478,800.