1909–11 T206 Chief Bender
Philadelphia Athletics · American League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Chief Bender (“With Trees” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Chief Bender, a member of the historic Philadelphia Athletics (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1459 examples have been graded, with only 18 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Chief Bender
Charles Albert "Chief" Bender was one of the dead-ball era's finest big-game pitchers and a member of Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics dynasty. Born in 1884 in Minnesota to a mother of the Mississippi Band of Ojibwe (Chippewa), Bender was discovered pitching for the semipro Harrisburg Athletic Club and signed with the Athletics in 1903, winning 17 games as a 19-year-old rookie. The right-hander pitched for Philadelphia from 1903 to 1914, then had brief stints with the Federal League's Baltimore Terrapins (1915), the Phillies (1916-17), and a final 1925 appearance for the White Sox. He finished 212-127 with a .625 winning percentage, a 2.46 ERA, and 1,711 strikeouts, and threw a no-hitter against Cleveland on May 12, 1910. His best year came that season, going 23-5 to lead the American League in winning percentage. Bender helped the A's to five pennants and three World Series titles (1910, 1911, 1913), collecting six Series victories, second only to Christy Mathewson. Saddled with the "Chief" nickname because of his Native American heritage—which he disliked, preferring to be known simply as a pitcher—he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1953. Bender is one of the T206 set's Hall-of-Fame subjects.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 812 | 16 | 28 | 84 | 158 | 136 | 191 | 199 |
| SGC | 647 | 2 | 3 | 45 | 77 | 127 | 144 | 249 |
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 | 369 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 107 |
| Sweet Caporal | 81 |
| Old Mill | 33 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 21 |
| El Principe de Gales | 14 |
| Carolina Brights | 11 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Tolstoi | 1 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 160 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 11 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 35 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 367 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 23 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 4 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 197 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Chief Bender card?
The Chief Bender (With Trees) 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 Philadelphia Athletics player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1459 examples of the Chief Bender have been graded, with only 18 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Chief Bender come with?
The Chief Bender is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Chief Bender 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.
Other poses of Chief Bender
More Philadelphia Athletics 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.