Roberto Clemente Rookie Card: Which One It Is and How to Identify It

• 1955 Topps #164 (Topps): Like Sandy Koufax, Roberto Clemente's lone rookie card is in 1955 Topps Baseball. However, the Roberto Clemente card checks higher than Koufax.

• Card is a horizontal layout showing a profile/batting-stance shot with the Pirates logo: the card uses a horizontal layout featuring a profile shot of Clemente.
• Centering is a widely known condition issue for this card: centering issues are a major problem for this card.

• His autograph is frequently forged because authentic examples from before his 1972 death are scarce: his signature is regularly forged.

This is Clemente's only recognized rookie card; mint-condition professionally graded copies are described as extremely rare due to centering problems.

• Card number and set on the back must match the listing above; "rookie card" is a specific card, not any early card of the player.
• Print quality: genuine cards have crisp text and a regular dot pattern under magnification; reprints and fakes blur, especially in small type.
• Stock and size: compare thickness, gloss and corners against a common card from the same set.
• Chrome and Prizm parallels carry a foil, color or serial-number mark that the base card lacks; the base card is the reference rookie unless the source says otherwise.
• Grading is a separate step; a slab authenticates and grades, and the grading guide explains what the number means.

Shoot the front flat, straight on, in daylight, with all four corners in frame, then the back so the card number and copyright line are readable. For chrome or foil cards, take a second front shot tilted under the light to show the finish. The app reads the player, set and number; the checks above confirm the version.