1909-11 T206 Bull Durham
1909–11 T206 Bull Durham
New York Giants · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Bull Durham is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Bull Durham, a member of the historic New York Giants (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 919 examples have been graded, with only 20 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Bull Durham
Born Louis Raphael Staub in New Oxford, Pennsylvania, in 1877, Bull Durham was a right-handed pitcher who broke into pro ball out of the semipro and minor-league ranks around the turn of the century after a brief stint at Georgetown University. He reached the majors for only nine games spread over three clubs: the Brooklyn Superbas (1904), the Washington Senators (1907), and John McGraw's New York Giants (1908-09), the team he wears on this T206. He went just 2-0 with a 5.28 ERA and six strikeouts in the big leagues, though he was a strong minor-leaguer, going 19-6 for Indianapolis of the American Association in 1908 while famously sweeping five consecutive doubleheaders. His name was borrowed from the Bull Durham smoking tobacco brand, which he adopted early in his career; family lore credited his fondness for the tobacco. After baseball he became a silent-film actor and later a Kansas geologist. A fringe major-leaguer, he is one of the set's more obscure subjects, prized by collectors for a name that echoes the very tobacco trade that produced these cards.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (5)
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 | 556 | 17 | 29 | 49 | 111 | 107 | 119 | 124 |
| SGC | 363 | 3 | 10 | 29 | 62 | 76 | 66 | 117 |
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 1909 | 127 |
| Piedmont | 121 |
| Sweet Caporal | 65 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 62 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 34 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 31 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 17 |
| El Principe de Gales | 14 |
| Old Mill | 8 |
| Unknown back | 77 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 11 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 4 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 169 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 39 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 17 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 84 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 39 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Bull Durham card?
The Bull Durham 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 New York Giants player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 919 examples of the Bull Durham have been graded, with only 20 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Bull Durham come with?
The Bull Durham is confirmed with 5 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Bull Durham 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 New York Giants 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.