1909-11 T206 Charlie Starr
1909–11 T206 Charlie Starr
Boston Doves · National League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Charlie Starr is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Charlie Starr, a member of the historic Boston Doves (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 7 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 782 examples have been graded, with only 21 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Charlie Starr
Charles Watkin Starr, born August 30, 1878 in Pike County, Ohio, was a light-hitting utility infielder who spent most of his career in the minors, surfacing in the majors for parts of three seasons between 1905 and 1909. He debuted with the American League's St. Louis Browns on April 29, 1905, then returned to the big leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1908 and had his busiest year in 1909 with the Boston Doves, the National League club pictured on his T206 card. On July 16, 1909, Starr and Johnny Bates were traded by Boston to the Philadelphia Phillies for Buster Brown, Lew Richie, and Dave Shean, with Shean taking over as Boston's regular second baseman; Starr appeared in just three more games for the Phillies before his major-league career ended. Playing mainly second base (also third and short), he hit .211 with 79 hits, no home runs, and 13 stolen bases in 110 career games, bouncing through minor-league stops including Buffalo, Mobile, New Orleans, and Little Rock. As an obscure common in the 1909-11 T206 White Border set, his card is an affordable staple rather than a scarce key.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (7)
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 | 431 | 19 | 33 | 57 | 100 | 62 | 101 | 59 |
| SGC | 351 | 2 | 7 | 49 | 68 | 81 | 58 | 86 |
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 | 194 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 61 |
| Sweet Caporal | 46 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Cycle 1910 | 5 |
| Tolstoi | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Drum | 2 |
| Unknown back | 110 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 10 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 253 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 77 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Charlie Starr card?
The Charlie Starr 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 7 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 782 examples of the Charlie Starr have been graded, with only 21 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Charlie Starr come with?
The Charlie Starr is confirmed with 7 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Charlie Starr 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 2026-07-01.