With so many different base cards, subsets, parallels, reminder cards, and autographs, it can be overwhelming to build a collection for a single player.
Fortunately, the 10 Card Instant PC series of items helps.
There are more than 4,000 Will Clark cards in existence, according to the Beckett database.
Where do you start putting together a Will Clark PC?
These 10 cards are a great representation of his career as a player and his hobby footprint, which makes them a great place to start.
1st 1986 Topps Traded # 24T Will Clark XRC
There was a time window in the 1980s when cards in traded and updated sets were not considered true rookie cards as they were only given out in the form of factory sets. The XRC distinction was removed after the 1988 product release, but Clark made his debut during that time and he has three XRC cards in the 1986 Donruss Rookies, Fleer Update and Topps Traded sets. All three are worth grabbing, however it’s the Topps Traded card that turns out to be the must-have of the group.
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2. 1987 Donruss # 66 Will Clark RC
Clark, who was number 2 overall in the 1985 draft, made his debut the following year and achieved .287 / .343 / .444 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI in 111 games to win the NL Rookie of the Year to occupy fifth place. Having exhausted his rookie eligibility in the ’87 season, he did not receive a Rated Rookie award, but he is still one of the top rookies in a legendary set.
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3. 1987 Fleer # 269 Will Clark RC
The Fleer set from 1987 has retained its value thanks to its sharp design and a strong rookie card harvest from 1987, as has any series set from the Junk Wax era. Alongside Barry Bonds, Bo Jackson and Barry Larkin, the Clark rookie is one of the headliners on the set.
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4. 1987 Topps # 420 Will Clark RC
Who doesn’t love the wood grain of the 1987 Topps set? Being one of the most over-produced sets of all time, this Clark rookie is available for the equivalent of loose pocket money, but rounding off your three big rookie cards is still a breeze.
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5. 1992 Donruss Elite # 11 Will Clark
The 1991 Donruss release was largely planned as a memorable set, but it gave collectors one of the first major insert sets to be pursued. The supplements in the “Elite Series” were an integral part of Donruss’ flagship products from 1991 to 1998. Each series of cards was numbered 10,000. Clark was part of the ’92 set, and if there is a ’90s must have to add to your pc, this is it.
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6. 1992 Topps Dairy Queen Team USA # 2 Will Clark
The 1985 Topps set is best known for the Mark McGwire Rookie Card, which featured him as a member of Team USA from the 1984 Olympics. Little do not know that Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Clark also played on that team, but since they still had one year of college eligibility they were not allowed to be included in the set under NCAA rules. This 1992 Topps Dairy Queen card serves as a replacement for what could have been 1985.
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7. 1994 Topps Traded # 115T Will Clark
After eight seasons with the Giants, Clark retired from the free agency before the 1994 season and signed a five-year $ 30 million deal with the Rangers. During a shortened strike debut in Texas, he hit .329 / .431 / .501 with 13 home runs and 80 RBI and recorded 124 OPS + and 15.1 WAR over the term of this contract. His first Topps card in a Rangers uniform came in the ’94 Traded set.
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8. 1996 Leaf Signature Autographs Will Clark
The groundbreaking Leaf Signature set from 1996 was the first to include a signed card in each pack, and Clark is one of several players whose first signed card was included in that set. It’s not a Giants card, but it’s an affordable first car for the PC, priced at $ 15-20 on eBay with lots of options.
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9. 2000 Topps Traded # T129 Will Clark
Many fans may not even realize that Clark was fit for the Cardinals at the end of his career. After Mark McGwire was out with a knee injury, Clark was acquired at close of trading in 2000 to fill a void on the first base, and he found the fountain of youth in St. Louis. In 51 games, he hit .345 / .426 / .655 with 12 home runs to help the Cardinals win 95 games and reach the NLCS. Despite this stellar production, he called it an end-of-season career.
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10. 2015 Panini Contenders Collegiate Connections # 1 Rafael Palmeiro / Will Clark
Palmeiro and Clark, known as “Thunder and Lightning” during their time as teammates in the state of Mississippi, were a long way from friends off the field, but they were extremely productive. At the beginning of the 2021 season, Palmeiro is still the career leader in home runs (67), while Clark (61) is just in second place and the career leader in batting average (.391) and number of strokes (.811).
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