1909-11 T206 Bill Burns
1909–11 T206 Bill Burns
Chicago White Sox · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Bill Burns is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Bill Burns, a member of the historic Chicago White Sox (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1027 examples have been graded, with only 17 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Bill Burns
William Thomas "Sleepy Bill" Burns (1880-1953) was a left-handed pitcher who reached the majors after starring for the Pacific Coast League's Los Angeles Angels in 1906-07, which prompted the Washington Senators to draft him. He debuted in 1908 and posted a sparkling 1.70 ERA, sixth-best in the American League, tossing a two-hit shutout of Detroit and holding a young Ty Cobb hitless. Over five seasons (1908-1912) he pitched for the Senators, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Detroit Tigers, but never won more than eight games in a year and finished 30-52. His nickname came from an uncanny ability to doze off anywhere, once famously falling asleep on the bench mid-game. Burns is best remembered off the field: the ex-pitcher-turned-gambler helped arrange the 1919 Black Sox World Series fix, then became the prosecution's star witness at the 1921 criminal trial. This is a "350 Only" series T206 card.
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 | 605 | 13 | 41 | 89 | 151 | 111 | 114 | 86 |
| SGC | 422 | 4 | 11 | 61 | 69 | 83 | 75 | 119 |
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 | 304 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 61 |
| Sweet Caporal | 45 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 24 |
| Old Mill | 14 |
| Cycle 1910 | 11 |
| Carolina Brights | 10 |
| El Principe de Gales | 9 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Tolstoi | 3 |
| Unknown back | 116 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 12 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 21 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 265 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 26 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 86 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Bill Burns card?
The Bill Burns 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 Chicago White Sox player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1027 examples of the Bill Burns have been graded, with only 17 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Bill Burns come with?
The Bill Burns is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Bill Burns 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 Chicago White Sox 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.