1909–11 T206 Christy Mathewson
New York Giants · National League · Super Print print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Christy Mathewson (“Dark Cap” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Christy Mathewson, a member of the historic New York Giants (National League), and was printed in the Super Print series, known with 13 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 3163 examples have been graded, with only 74 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Christy Mathewson
Christy Mathewson attended Bucknell University before signing his first pro contract with Taunton of the New England League, and made his major-league debut for the New York Giants on July 17, 1900, at age 19. A right-handed pitcher famous for his "fadeaway" (an early screwball), he starred for the Giants from 1900 through 1916 and finished his playing days with Cincinnati in 1916. Over 17 seasons he went 373-188 (.665) with a 2.13 ERA and 79 shutouts, threw no-hitters in 1901 and 1905, and won 30-plus games three straight years (1903-1905), peaking at 37 wins in 1908. His signature feat came in the 1905 World Series, when he blanked the Philadelphia Athletics with three complete-game shutouts in six days as the Giants took the title. Nicknamed "Big Six" (a sportswriter's nod to a famed New York fire company) and hailed as "The Christian Gentleman," Mathewson later served in WWI, where gas exposure worsened the tuberculosis that killed him in 1925. In 1936 he was elected to the Hall of Fame in its inaugural class. He is one of the T206 set's marquee, most-coveted Hall-of-Fame subjects.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (13)
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 | 1774 | 56 | 95 | 187 | 306 | 303 | 371 | 456 |
| SGC | 1389 | 18 | 21 | 98 | 171 | 275 | 245 | 561 |
NM 7+ bundles grades 7–10; 1 & Auth bundles grade 1, 1.5 & Authentic. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are subject-level (summed across all backs). Population as of 2026-06.
PSA by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Sweet Caporal | 209 |
| Piedmont | 190 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 184 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 183 |
| Polar Bear | 150 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 111 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 105 |
| Old Mill | 38 |
| Sovereign | 24 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 20 |
| Tolstoi | 20 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 18 |
| Carolina Brights | 17 |
| El Principe de Gales | 15 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 14 |
| Cycle | 9 |
| Cycle 1910 | 9 |
| Cycle 1911 | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1911 | 2 |
| Unknown back | 451 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 23 |
| Broad Leaf 1911 | 2 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 11 |
| Cycle 1909-11 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 13 |
| Cycle 1911 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 15 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 47 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 347 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 162 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 166 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 45 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 18 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 2 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 343 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 166 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 23 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Christy Mathewson card?
The Christy Mathewson (Dark Cap) 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 13 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 3163 examples of the Christy Mathewson have been graded, with only 74 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Christy Mathewson come with?
The Christy Mathewson is confirmed with 13 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, 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 Christy Mathewson 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 Christy Mathewson
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 2026-10-05.