1909–11 T206 Bill Malarkey
Buffalo Bisons · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Bill Malarkey is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Bill Malarkey, a member of the historic Buffalo Bisons (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 698 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 Malarkey
William John Malarkey, born November 26, 1878, in Port Byron, Illinois, was a right-handed pitcher whose T206 card captures him as a minor leaguer with the Buffalo Bisons of the Eastern League. His lone taste of the majors came in 1908, when the 29-year-old rookie appeared in 15 games (mostly relief) for John McGraw's New York Giants, going 0-2 with a sharp 2.57 ERA over 35 innings, striking out 12 and recording two saves between his April 16 debut and final outing that August. Sent back to the minors, he pitched for Buffalo from 1909 through 1911 -- going 13-11 in 1909 and 10-6 in 1910 -- before finding his best form on the West Coast. With the Pacific Coast League's Oakland Oaks he went 20-12 in 1912 (a team-leading 2.14 ERA) and won a career-high 25 games (25-16) in 1913. He pitched in the minors through 1915, finishing with roughly a 107-97 record, and later managed in the low minors. Malarkey died December 12, 1956, in Phoenix, Arizona. As a Buffalo minor leaguer, he is one of the T206 set's more obscure subjects.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (6)
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 | 416 | 15 | 21 | 63 | 112 | 81 | 68 | 56 |
| SGC | 282 | 2 | 7 | 33 | 44 | 72 | 59 | 65 |
NM 7+ bundles grades 7–10; 1 & Auth bundles grade 1, 1.5 & Authentic. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are subject-level (summed across all backs). Population as of 2026-06.
PSA by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Piedmont 1910 | 226 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 36 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 34 |
| Sweet Caporal | 32 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 11 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Unknown back | 66 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 2 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 174 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 39 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 57 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Bill Malarkey card?
The Bill Malarkey 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 Buffalo Bisons player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 698 examples of the Bill Malarkey 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 Malarkey come with?
The Bill Malarkey is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Bill Malarkey 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 Buffalo Bisons 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 2026-10-05.