1909–11 T206 Bill Abstein
Pittsburgh Pirates · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Bill Abstein is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Bill Abstein, a member of the historic Pittsburgh Pirates (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1036 examples have been graded, with only 25 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Bill Abstein
William Henry Abstein (1883-1940), a right-handed first baseman off the St. Louis sandlots, signed with the Houston Wanderers of the Class D South Texas League in 1904 and worked his way up through Shreveport before the Pittsburgh Pirates bought his contract in 1906. After a brief 1906 trial, he took over as Pittsburgh's everyday first baseman in 1909, hitting .260 with 70 RBIs (third on the team), 51 runs, and 16 stolen bases over 135 games as the Pirates won their first modern World Series behind Honus Wagner. That championship, however, ruined Abstein: in the seven-game Series against Detroit he went 6-for-29, set a futility record with nine strikeouts, led both clubs with five errors, and killed a Game Six rally by getting thrown out at home. Pittsburgh papers branded him "Bonehead," and he was sold to the St. Louis Browns, flopping at .149 in 1910. He drifted through the minors until 1916 and later assembled electric motors in St. Louis. Not a Hall of Famer, he is one of the T206 set's more obscure common subjects.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (8)
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 | 652 | 19 | 40 | 97 | 161 | 133 | 121 | 81 |
| SGC | 384 | 6 | 5 | 48 | 62 | 89 | 69 | 105 |
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 | 391 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 63 |
| Sweet Caporal | 45 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 9 |
| Carolina Brights | 7 |
| Tolstoi | 6 |
| Cycle 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Unknown back | 122 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 5 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 5 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 269 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 85 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 8 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Bill Abstein card?
The Bill Abstein 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 Pittsburgh Pirates player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1036 examples of the Bill Abstein have been graded, with only 25 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Bill Abstein come with?
The Bill Abstein is confirmed with 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Bill Abstein 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 Pittsburgh Pirates 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.