1909-11 T206 Chief Myers (Fielding)
1909–11 T206 Chief Myers
New York Giants · National League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Chief Myers (“Fielding” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Chief Myers, a member of the historic New York Giants (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 879 examples have been graded, with only 16 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Chief Myers
John Tortes "Chief" Meyers, a member of the Cahuilla Band from Riverside, California, was one of the finest offensive catchers of the Deadball Era. After playing company and mining-team ball out West and a stint at Dartmouth, he entered pro baseball with Harrisburg of the Tri-State League in 1906, reaching the majors with John McGraw's New York Giants in 1909. Meyers became Christy Mathewson's trusted batterymate and the everyday catcher on the Giants' three straight pennant winners of 1911-1913, leading the club in batting each of those years and finishing top-10 in Chalmers (MVP) voting all three seasons. His best year came in 1912, when he hit .358, second in the NL, and caught every game of that fall's World Series against the Boston Red Sox. He later caught for the Brooklyn Robins (1915-1916), reaching another World Series in 1916, and the Boston Braves (1917), retiring with a .291 career average. "Chief" was the era's inevitable label pinned on Native American players; Meyers, an articulate man, wore it with dignity and later served as chief of police for Southern California's Mission Indian Agency.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (11)
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 | 541 | 14 | 21 | 75 | 112 | 117 | 109 | 93 |
| SGC | 338 | 2 | 6 | 26 | 47 | 74 | 71 | 112 |
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 | 267 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 62 |
| Sweet Caporal | 42 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 20 |
| Old Mill | 18 |
| Cycle 1910 | 11 |
| Carolina Brights | 10 |
| El Principe de Gales | 8 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Tolstoi | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Unknown back | 88 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 2 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 3 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 1 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 14 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 197 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 15 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 97 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Chief Myers card?
The Chief Myers (Fielding) 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 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 879 examples of the Chief Myers have been graded, with only 16 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Chief Myers come with?
The Chief Myers is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, 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 Myers 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 Myers
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.