1909–11 T206 Beals Becker
Boston Doves · National League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Beals Becker is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Beals Becker, a member of the historic Boston Doves (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 7 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 977 examples have been graded, with only 19 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Beals Becker
David Beals Becker (1886–1943) was a hard-hitting, left-handed outfielder of the deadball era. Schooled at Wentworth Military Academy in Missouri, he reached the majors on April 19, 1908 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and spent eight seasons in the National League with the Pirates, Boston Doves (1908–09), New York Giants (1910–12), Cincinnati Reds (1913), and Philadelphia Phillies (1913–15). Chiefly a left fielder, he batted .276 with 763 hits, 45 home runs, 296 RBIs, and 129 stolen bases over 876 games. A power source in a low-scoring age, he finished among the NL's top ten in home runs four times, peaking in 1914 when he hit .325 (second in the league) for the Phillies. Becker was the first player to hit two pinch-hit home runs in a season (1910) and once tied a 20th-century record with two inside-the-park homers in one game (June 9, 1913). He appeared in three World Series—with the Giants in 1911 and 1912 and the Phillies in 1915—though all three ended in defeat. As a "350 Only" subject, his card is a more available common in the landmark T206 set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (7)
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 | 578 | 18 | 38 | 100 | 137 | 114 | 87 | 84 |
| SGC | 399 | 1 | 6 | 50 | 80 | 96 | 67 | 99 |
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 | 333 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 64 |
| Sweet Caporal | 43 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 123 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Cycle 1910 | 11 |
| Drum 1910 | 2 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 296 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 79 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Beals Becker card?
The Beals Becker 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 7 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 977 examples of the Beals Becker have been graded, with only 19 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Beals Becker come with?
The Beals Becker is confirmed with 7 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Beals Becker 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.