1909–11 T206 Al Mattern
Boston Doves · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Al Mattern is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Al Mattern, a member of the historic Boston Doves (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 877 examples have been graded, with only 27 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Al Mattern
Alonzo Albert "Al" Mattern, born in West Rush, New York, was a right-handed pitcher discovered in 1905 while working as a station agent on the New York Central Railroad's "Peanut Line"; Rochester manager Al Buckenberger sent a scout to sign him off the depot platform. He reached the majors with the Boston Doves in September 1908 and pitched five deadball-era seasons (1908-1912) for the same National League club as it was renamed the Doves, Rustlers, and Braves, finishing 36-58 with an ERA around 3.20-3.37. Mattern's signature year was 1909: pitching for a last-place team, he went 15-21 with a 2.85 ERA over 316-1/3 innings and won roughly one-third of Boston's 45 victories, a feat honored with a photo in the Baseball Hall of Fame's gallery of notable records. In 1910 he led the National League with 51 appearances and 6 shutouts (16-19, 2.98). Known as "Dutch" in his semipro days, he later ran a Buick auto agency near his hometown, where in 1955 more than 100 ballplayers gathered to mark the 50th anniversary of his pro debut. Mattern is a common, non-star T206 subject.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (6)
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 | 532 | 25 | 41 | 84 | 123 | 86 | 101 | 72 |
| SGC | 345 | 2 | 8 | 43 | 69 | 81 | 51 | 91 |
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 1910 | 259 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 54 |
| Sweet Caporal | 44 |
| Polar Bear | 38 |
| El Principe de Gales | 19 |
| Tolstoi | 10 |
| Carolina Brights | 5 |
| Unknown back | 103 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 1 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 15 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 230 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 31 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 57 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 11 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Al Mattern card?
The Al Mattern 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 Boston Doves player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 877 examples of the Al Mattern have been graded, with only 27 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Al Mattern come with?
The Al Mattern is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: Carolina Brights, El Principe de Gales, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Al Mattern 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.
More Boston Doves 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 2026-08-28.