1909-11 T206 Arch Persons
1909–11 T206 Arch Persons
Montgomery Climbers · Southern Association · Southern Leaguer print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Arch Persons is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Arch Persons, a member of the historic Montgomery Climbers (Southern Association), and was printed in the Southern Leaguer series, known with 3 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 545 examples have been graded, with only 9 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Arch Persons
Arch Persons (also spelled Pearsons; c. 1885-1959) was a career minor-league outfielder who never reached the major leagues, making his T206 card one of the set's purely bush-league relics. He came out of the University of Wisconsin, where he was the varsity left fielder, and signed his first pro contract with the Oskaloosa Quakers of the Iowa State League in 1905, batting .304. Over the next several years he bounced across the map — Decatur and Nashville (1907), the Montgomery Senators/Climbers of the Southern Association (1908-09), Little Rock, and clubs in California, Texas, Oklahoma, and the Pacific Northwest. His best season came in 1912 with the Bassano Boosters of the Western Canada League, where he hit .379 to capture the batting title, the highest mark of his career; his overall pro average was about .279. He has no verified personal nickname (the "Climbers" was Montgomery's team name). Persons is remembered chiefly as an enigma: Baseball-Reference's 1909 Montgomery roster lists his birthplace as "unknown," and researchers call him "odd" for his sparse, ghostly record. Among collectors his card belongs to the coveted 48-subject "Southern Leaguer" run of T206, and examples with scarce advertising backs (Hindu, Old Mill) command strong prices.
Sources: Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (3)
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 | 314 | 7 | 24 | 38 | 69 | 65 | 49 | 62 |
| SGC | 231 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 33 | 53 | 42 | 80 |
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 | 129 |
| Old Mill | 113 |
| Hindu | 23 |
| Unknown back | 49 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Hindu 1909-11 | 17 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 106 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 108 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Arch Persons card?
The Arch Persons 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 Montgomery Climbers player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 3 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 545 examples of the Arch Persons have been graded, with only 9 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Arch Persons come with?
The Arch Persons is confirmed with 3 tobacco-brand backs: Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Arch Persons 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 Montgomery Climbers 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.