1909-11 T206 Art Fromme
1909–11 T206 Art Fromme
Cincinnati Reds · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Art Fromme is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Art Fromme, a member of the historic Cincinnati Reds (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 940 examples have been graded, with only 15 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Art Fromme
Arthur Henry Fromme (1883-1956) was a right-handed pitcher born in Quincy, Illinois, who worked as a cabinetmaker before starring for local semipro teams and signing with the Springfield Senators of the Class B Three-I League in 1905. Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, he debuted on September 14, 1906, and pitched for the cellar-dwelling Cardinals through 1908, where injury and illness repeatedly derailed him. Traded to the Cincinnati Reds, he enjoyed his finest season in 1909, going 19-13 with a sterling 1.90 ERA (sixth-best in the National League). A crafty hurler who threw overhand, sidearm and submarine, he tossed four one-hitters and four two-hitters between 1907 and 1914 and, on August 19, 1911, snapped Christy Mathewson's long winning streak against Cincinnati. Dealt to the New York Giants in May 1913, he went 11-6 and was on their pennant-winning club, though he did not appear in the 1913 World Series. He finished with an 80-90 record, 2.90 ERA and 638 strikeouts over ten big-league seasons, then became a Pacific Coast League standout (a league-leading 1.92 ERA in 1916, Vernon pennants in 1919-20). He is a common-tier subject in the T206 set and is not in the Hall of Fame.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (10)
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 | 580 | 13 | 26 | 85 | 143 | 110 | 116 | 87 |
| SGC | 360 | 2 | 7 | 35 | 54 | 97 | 53 | 112 |
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 | 242 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 81 |
| Sweet Caporal | 59 |
| Polar Bear | 30 |
| Old Mill | 26 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 19 |
| El Principe de Gales | 12 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Unknown back | 98 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Cycle 1910 | 5 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 10 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 21 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 184 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 29 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 17 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 86 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Art Fromme card?
The Art Fromme 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 Cincinnati Reds player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 940 examples of the Art Fromme have been graded, with only 15 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Art Fromme come with?
The Art Fromme is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Art Fromme 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 Cincinnati Reds 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.