1909-11 T206 Al Bridwell (Portrait - With Cap)
1909–11 T206 Al Bridwell
New York Giants · National League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Al Bridwell (“Portrait - With Cap” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Al Bridwell, a member of the historic New York Giants (National League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 844 examples have been graded, with only 18 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Al Bridwell
Al Bridwell was a left-handed-hitting shortstop and one of the finest defensive infielders of the Deadball Era. A shoe-factory worker from Portsmouth, Ohio, he broke into pro ball with the Columbus Senators around 1903 and reached the majors with Cincinnati on April 16, 1905. He moved to the Boston Beaneaters/Doves, then to John McGraw's New York Giants (1908-1911), his prime years, before later stops with the Boston Rustlers, Chicago Cubs, and the Federal League's St. Louis Terriers, where he finished in 1915. Over 11 big-league seasons Bridwell hit .255 with 1,064 hits in 1,252 games, peaking at .294 (fifth in the NL) with a career-high 32 stolen bases in 1909. He is best remembered for the September 23, 1908 "Merkle's Boner" game, when his apparent game-winning single was nullified after Fred Merkle failed to touch second. Contemporaries ranked his range and arm alongside Honus Wagner and Joe Tinker.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (11)
Chip colour marks each back's rarity tier. See the full T206 back rarity ranking →
Population (PSA · SGC)
| Grader | Total | NM 7+ | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 & Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 530 | 16 | 40 | 100 | 134 | 93 | 76 | 71 |
| SGC | 314 | 2 | 6 | 40 | 59 | 79 | 38 | 90 |
NM 7+ bundles grades 7–10; 1 & Auth bundles grade 1, 1.5 & Authentic. Totals are subject-level (summed across all backs). Population as of 2026-06.
PSA by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Piedmont 1911 | 177 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 85 |
| Sweet Caporal | 65 |
| Polar Bear | 24 |
| Old Mill | 21 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 14 |
| El Principe de Gales | 11 |
| Tolstoi | 7 |
| Lenox | 6 |
| Cycle 1911 | 5 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 2 |
| Uzit | 1 |
| Unknown back | 112 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 1 |
| Cycle 1911 | 3 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 6 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 1 |
| Lenox 1909-11 | 3 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 12 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 134 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 21 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 20 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 102 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 10 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Al Bridwell card?
The Al Bridwell (Portrait - With Cap) is one of 524 subjects in the T206 "White Border" tobacco set issued 1909-1911, the hobby's most iconic vintage set (nicknamed "The Monster"). It pictures the New York Giants player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 844 examples of the Al Bridwell have been graded, with only 18 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Al Bridwell come with?
The Al Bridwell is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Lenox, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi, Uzit. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Al Bridwell valuable?
Value depends heavily on the back brand and the card's grade: common backs in low grade trade modestly, while scarce backs and high grades command strong premiums. Check the current T206 Cards listings and eBay options above for live pricing.
Other poses of Al Bridwell
More New York Giants cards
Sources: t206resource.com, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and Inside T206 by Scot Reader. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.