1956 Topps #33 Roberto Clemente
1956 Topps #33 Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente's second-year card, a premier key to the set.
About Roberto Clemente
Born August 18, 1934, in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 and was assigned to their Triple-A Montreal Royals before the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the Rule 5 Draft that November. He debuted with Pittsburgh on April 17, 1955, and spent his entire 18-season career (1955-1972) as the Pirates' right fielder, wearing No. 21 because his full name held that many letters. A 15-time All-Star, Clemente won the 1966 National League MVP, captured four batting titles (1961, 1964, 1965, 1967), and earned 12 consecutive Gold Gloves for his legendary arm. He batted .317 with exactly 3,000 hits, 240 home runs, and 1,305 RBI, and led the Pirates to World Series titles in 1960 and 1971, winning Series MVP in 1971 after hitting .414. Nicknamed "The Great One" by broadcaster Bob Prince, Clemente died on December 31, 1972, in a plane crash while delivering earthquake relief to Nicaragua, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973 with the customary five-year waiting period waived. This is his second-year Topps card, a premier key to the 1956 set, found with both the common white back and scarcer gray back stock.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 1 & 2 (cards 1-180)
Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
- White Back: Printed on white/cream card stock. The standard/common look on cards 1-100; the SCARCE, premium variation on cards 101-180.
- Gray Back: Printed on gray card stock. The scarcer variation on cards 1-100 (modest premium); the common look on cards 101-180; the ONLY back on cards 181-340.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 9,058 | 1 | 27 | 432 | 929 | 1,421 | 1,627 | 4,533 | 88 |
| SGC | 3,841 | 0 | 6 | 43 | 167 | 257 | 594 | 2,596 | 178 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 2,825 · White Back 6,233
SGC by variation: Gray Back 1,754 · White Back 2,087
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-30. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8); totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Roberto Clemente card?
It is card #33 of 340 in the 1956 Topps set - Topps' first set after buying out rival Bowman, and one of the most attractive issues in the hobby. It pictures the Pittsburgh Pirates player.
Does the 1956 Topps Roberto Clemente have back variations?
Yes. Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
Is the 1956 Topps Roberto Clemente valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back or front variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, BaseballCardPedia, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data, images & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.