1909-11 T206 Bill Carrigan
1909–11 T206 Bill Carrigan
Boston Red Sox · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Bill Carrigan is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Bill Carrigan, a member of the historic Boston Red Sox (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 950 examples have been graded, with only 16 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Bill Carrigan
William Francis "Rough" Carrigan was a tough, defense-first catcher who spent his entire major-league career with the Boston Red Sox. A native of Lewiston, Maine, he starred at the College of the Holy Cross, where coach Tommy McCarthy converted him to catcher, and was signed by Boston in 1906. Carrigan caught in Boston from 1906 through 1916, batting .257 across 709 games; his best year came in 1909, when he hit .296. Named "Rough" for his rugged, physical playing style, he became player-manager in July 1913 and piloted the Red Sox to back-to-back World Series championships in 1915 and 1916, one of the Deadball Era's most successful skippers. He managed and mentored a young Babe Ruth, who later called him the best manager he ever played for. Carrigan retired after the 1916 title, returned to manage Boston from 1927 to 1929, and later became a bank president in his native Lewiston, where he died in 1969.
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 | 570 | 11 | 54 | 81 | 145 | 99 | 111 | 69 |
| SGC | 380 | 5 | 2 | 38 | 66 | 79 | 87 | 103 |
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 | 305 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 44 |
| Polar Bear | 34 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 28 |
| Sweet Caporal | 28 |
| Cycle 1910 | 9 |
| Tolstoi | 9 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 5 |
| Unknown back | 101 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 234 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 25 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 33 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 59 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 11 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Bill Carrigan card?
The Bill Carrigan 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 Red Sox player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 950 examples of the Bill Carrigan have been graded, with only 16 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Bill Carrigan come with?
The Bill Carrigan is confirmed with 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Bill Carrigan 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 Red 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 2026-07-01.