1909–11 T206 Al Burch
Brooklyn Superbas · National League · 350-460 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Al Burch (“Fielding” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Al Burch, a member of the historic Brooklyn Superbas (National League), and was printed in the 350-460 series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 898 examples have been graded, with only 17 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Al Burch
Albert William Burch (October 7, 1883 – October 5, 1926) was a deadball-era outfielder who broke into the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals, debuting on June 19, 1906, and batting .266 over 91 games as a rookie. A left-handed hitter who threw right-handed, he was sold to the Brooklyn Superbas on July 5, 1907, and spent the rest of his career in Brooklyn. Fast and versatile, he manned all three outfield spots (and even first and second base) for the National League club. His finest full season came in 1909, when he hit .271 for a Superbas team that batted just .229 and led the club with 38 stolen bases. Over six seasons (1906–1911) he compiled a .254 average with 554 hits in 611 games, 254 runs, and 96 steals. Not a Hall of Famer, Burch is one of the T206 set's more common everyday-player subjects. He died in Brooklyn in 1926, two days shy of his 43rd birthday.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (12)
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 | 551 | 12 | 40 | 76 | 143 | 89 | 105 | 86 |
| SGC | 347 | 5 | 8 | 52 | 58 | 65 | 71 | 88 |
NM 7+ bundles grades 7–10; 1 & Auth bundles grade 1, 1.5 & Authentic. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are subject-level (summed across all backs). Population as of 2026-06.
PSA by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 72 |
| Piedmont | 70 |
| Sweet Caporal | 68 |
| Polar Bear | 50 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 41 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 31 |
| Old Mill | 23 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 21 |
| Tolstoi | 15 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 13 |
| El Principe de Gales | 11 |
| American Beauty | 10 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 5 |
| Cycle 1911 | 4 |
| Drum | 3 |
| Uzit | 2 |
| Lenox | 2 |
| Unknown back | 102 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 15 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 9 |
| Drum 1910 | 2 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 16 |
| Lenox 1909-11 | 1 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 12 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 85 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 45 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 29 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 19 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 79 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 25 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 9 |
| Uzit 1909-11 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Al Burch card?
The Al Burch (Fielding) 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 Brooklyn Superbas player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 898 examples of the Al Burch have been graded, with only 17 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Al Burch come with?
The Al Burch is confirmed with 12 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, Drum, 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 Burch 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 Burch
More Brooklyn Superbas 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 2026-10-05.