1909-11 T206 Chick Gandil
1909–11 T206 Chick Gandil
Chicago White Sox · American League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Chick Gandil is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Chick Gandil, a member of the historic Chicago White Sox (American League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1321 examples have been graded, with only 26 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Chick Gandil
Charles Arnold "Chick" Gandil (1888-1970), a slick-fielding first baseman, entered pro ball the hard way—the St. Paul-born son of Swiss immigrants worked Arizona copper mines as a boilermaker, boxed for $150 a bout, and played "outlaw" ball in Cananea, Mexico, where he shifted from catcher to first base before reaching Organized Baseball in the Pacific Coast League in 1906. He debuted with the Chicago White Sox in 1910, then starred for the Washington Senators (1912-1915) and Cleveland Indians (1916) before returning to Chicago (1917-1919). Over nine big-league seasons he hit .277 with 1,176 hits in 1,147 games, batting a career-high .318 in 1913, leading AL first basemen in fielding percentage four times, and helping the 1917 White Sox to a World Series title. Gandil is chiefly infamous as the chief ringleader of the 1919 "Black Sox" scandal—he approached gambler Sport Sullivan about fixing the World Series against Cincinnati, served as the players' liaison, and pocketed a reported $35,000. Acquitted at the 1921 trial, he was permanently banned by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis and never played again. As a scandal figure, he is one of the T206 set's notable subjects.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (10)
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 | 745 | 25 | 36 | 84 | 172 | 141 | 126 | 161 |
| SGC | 576 | 1 | 11 | 55 | 82 | 122 | 119 | 186 |
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 1911 | 231 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 111 |
| Sweet Caporal | 81 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 43 |
| Polar Bear | 33 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 32 |
| Tolstoi | 30 |
| Cycle 1911 | 12 |
| El Principe de Gales | 11 |
| Hindu | 5 |
| Old Mill | 4 |
| Unknown back | 152 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 19 |
| Cycle 1911 | 5 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 9 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 4 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 4 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 237 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 38 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 53 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 2 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 175 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 30 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Chick Gandil card?
The Chick Gandil 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 Chicago White Sox player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1321 examples of the Chick Gandil have been graded, with only 26 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Chick Gandil come with?
The Chick Gandil is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Chick Gandil 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 Chicago White Sox 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 2026-08-28.