1909-11 T206 Bud Sharpe
1909–11 T206 Bud Sharpe
Newark Indians · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Bud Sharpe is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Bud Sharpe, a member of the historic Newark Indians (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 9 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1023 examples have been graded, with only 22 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Bud Sharpe
Bayard Heston "Bud" Sharpe (1881-1916) was a first baseman out of West Chester, Pennsylvania, who earned his nickname as an infant when his mother called him "my little rosebud." After starring for the semipro Brandywine club, he signed with Boston in October 1904 and debuted with the NL Boston Nationals (Beaneaters) in 1905. He resurfaced in the majors in 1910 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Doves, but hit just .222 over 165 big-league games across those two seasons. Sharpe's real success came in the minors, where he batted .264 over 761 games and repeatedly led his league in fielding at first base, including three seasons (1907-1909) with the Newark club of the Eastern League — the team pictured on his T206 card. In 1912 he managed and played for the Oakland Oaks, hitting .300 and leading them to their first Pacific Coast League pennant (120-83). He died of tuberculosis in Georgia at just 34. A famous T206 quirk: the photo on the Sharpe card is actually Harry Hinchman, and the caption is misspelled "SHAPPE."
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (9)
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 | 597 | 17 | 43 | 88 | 136 | 114 | 108 | 91 |
| SGC | 426 | 5 | 10 | 52 | 83 | 101 | 70 | 105 |
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 | 293 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 73 |
| Sweet Caporal | 47 |
| Polar Bear | 33 |
| El Principe de Gales | 15 |
| Cycle 1910 | 10 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 10 |
| Carolina Brights | 10 |
| Tolstoi | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Unknown back | 97 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 9 |
| Cycle 1910 | 13 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 14 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 274 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 22 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 81 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Bud Sharpe card?
The Bud Sharpe 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 Newark Indians player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 9 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1023 examples of the Bud Sharpe have been graded, with only 22 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Bud Sharpe come with?
The Bud Sharpe is confirmed with 9 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Bud Sharpe 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 Newark Indians 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.