1909-11 T206 Charlie Hemphill
1909–11 T206 Charlie Hemphill
New York Highlanders · American League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Charlie Hemphill is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Charlie Hemphill, a member of the historic New York Highlanders (American League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 795 examples have been graded, with only 25 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Charlie Hemphill
Charles Judson "Eagle Eye" Hemphill, born in Greenville, Michigan, in 1876, broke into pro ball with Saginaw in 1895 and reached the majors on June 27, 1899, homering in his debut for St. Louis. A left-handed-hitting, strong-armed outfielder who patrolled center and right, he played 11 big-league seasons (1899-1911) for the St. Louis Perfectos/Cardinals, Cleveland Spiders, Boston Americans, Cleveland Bronchos, the St. Louis Browns, and the New York Highlanders (later Yankees). He was the first Opening Day right fielder in Boston Red Sox history in 1901, and enjoyed his best years hitting a combined .308 between Cleveland and St. Louis in 1902 and .297 with a career-high 42 stolen bases for New York in 1908. His nickname "Eagle Eye" reflected the sharp batting eye and heavy walk rates he showed late in his career. Hemphill retired with a .271 average, 1,230 hits, and 207 stolen bases over 1,242 games. He is not in the Hall of Fame, and appears here as a New York Highlander in the celebrated T206 set.
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 | 494 | 20 | 41 | 71 | 110 | 92 | 97 | 63 |
| SGC | 301 | 5 | 9 | 27 | 43 | 76 | 54 | 87 |
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 | 111 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 107 |
| Sweet Caporal | 57 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 45 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 31 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 22 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 18 |
| Old Mill | 9 |
| El Principe de Gales | 8 |
| Unknown back | 86 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 11 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 2 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 141 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 29 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 11 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 83 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 2 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 22 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Charlie Hemphill card?
The Charlie Hemphill 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 Highlanders player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 795 examples of the Charlie Hemphill have been graded, with only 25 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Charlie Hemphill come with?
The Charlie Hemphill 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 Charlie Hemphill 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 Highlanders 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.