1909–11 T206 Billy Gilbert
St Louis Cardinals · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Billy Gilbert is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Billy Gilbert, a member of the historic St Louis Cardinals (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 807 examples have been graded, with only 19 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Billy Gilbert
William Oliver Gilbert (1876-1927) broke into professional baseball in 1897 with the Fall River club of the New England League and reached the majors in 1901 with the Milwaukee Brewers. A tiny (5-foot-4), light-hitting but slick-fielding second baseman, he was acquired by John McGraw for the Baltimore Orioles in 1902, then followed McGraw to the New York Giants, where he was the everyday second baseman from 1903 to 1906. Gilbert was a National League regular for a decade, closing his career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1908-09 — the club shown on his T206 card. A career .247 hitter known for his speed, sacrifices, and steady glove rather than his bat, his defining moment came in the 1905 World Series, when the Giants beat the Philadelphia Athletics and the diminutive Gilbert was among the team's batting leaders in the Series. After his playing days he became a longtime minor-league manager. He is not a Hall of Famer; on the T206 checklist he is one of the set's more common, obscure commons rather than a marquee subject.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 491 | 18 | 28 | 65 | 119 | 95 | 92 | 74 |
| SGC | 316 | 1 | 4 | 34 | 53 | 74 | 68 | 82 |
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 1909 | 98 |
| Piedmont | 97 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 70 |
| Sweet Caporal | 62 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 20 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 19 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 19 |
| El Principe de Gales | 11 |
| Old Mill | 7 |
| Hindu | 4 |
| Unknown back | 84 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 9 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 6 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 8 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 125 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 34 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 9 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 96 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 29 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Billy Gilbert card?
The Billy Gilbert 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 St Louis Cardinals player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 807 examples of the Billy Gilbert have been graded, with only 19 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Billy Gilbert come with?
The Billy Gilbert is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Billy Gilbert 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 St Louis Cardinals 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.