1909–11 T206 Bill Sweeney
Boston Doves · National League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Bill Sweeney is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Bill Sweeney, a member of the historic Boston Doves (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 794 examples have been graded, with only 13 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Bill Sweeney
William John Sweeney (born March 6, 1886, in Covington, Kentucky) came up through Norwood, Ohio's Saturday League before turning pro with Toledo of the American Association in 1904 and Rock Island of the Three-I League. He reached the majors in 1907, splitting that year between the Chicago Cubs and Boston, and settled in as a versatile infielder — shortstop, third base, and eventually second base — for the Boston Doves/Braves through 1913, closing his career with the Cubs in 1914. A quiet, deeply religious captain known for an unusual sidearm throw, Sweeney had his finest year in 1912, batting .344 (third in the National League behind Heinie Zimmerman and Chief Meyers) with 99 RBIs while the Braves lost 100-plus games; he set an NL putout record for second basemen that stood 21 years, led the league in assists and double plays, and finished sixth in MVP voting. In 1911 he ran off a 26-game hitting streak. Over eight seasons he hit .272 with 1,004 hits and 172 stolen bases. Traded to the Cubs before 1914, he missed Boston's "Miracle Braves" pennant and World Series title. He retired in 1915 to enter the insurance business and died May 26, 1948, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (11)
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 | 440 | 7 | 35 | 53 | 90 | 80 | 104 | 71 |
| SGC | 354 | 6 | 7 | 38 | 62 | 86 | 63 | 92 |
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 | 137 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 80 |
| Sweet Caporal | 53 |
| Old Mill | 34 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 12 |
| Carolina Brights | 8 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| El Principe de Gales | 6 |
| Tolstoi | 2 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 93 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 9 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 5 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 11 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 25 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 186 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 12 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 96 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Bill Sweeney card?
The Bill Sweeney 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 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 794 examples of the Bill Sweeney have been graded, with only 13 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Bill Sweeney come with?
The Bill Sweeney is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, 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 Sweeney 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.