1909-11 T206 Claude Ritchey
1909–11 T206 Claude Ritchey
Boston Doves · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Claude Ritchey is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Claude Ritchey, a member of the historic Boston Doves (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 931 examples have been graded, with only 27 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Claude Ritchey
Claude Cassius Ritchey was a sure-handed deadball-era second baseman born in 1873 in Emlenton, Pennsylvania. He began in the local game around 1890 and climbed through the minors from Franklin (1894) to Buffalo before Cincinnati brought him to the majors, where he debuted April 22, 1897. After a stop with the Louisville Colonels (1898-99), Ritchey became a fixture on Fred Clarke's Pittsburgh Pirates (1900-1906), the era's dominant National League club, helping them to three NL pennants and the first modern World Series in 1903 (lost to Boston). In that Series he set a still-standing single-game record with eight assists by a second baseman. A durable, exceptional glove man, he led NL second basemen in fielding percentage four times; Honus Wagner called him the best he ever saw at picking up grounders on the short hop. He later played for the Boston Beaneaters/Doves (1907-08) and Providence. Over a career ending in 1909 he batted around .273-.277 with 1,619 hits. Nicknamed "Little All Right" for his clutch hitting despite his 5-foot-6 frame, he was later named the greatest Pittsburgh second baseman by editor Joe Reichler. He is a common, affordable subject in the T206 set.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (6)
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 | 570 | 21 | 38 | 61 | 133 | 107 | 117 | 93 |
| SGC | 361 | 6 | 5 | 43 | 44 | 72 | 82 | 109 |
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 1909 | 108 |
| Piedmont | 106 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 76 |
| Sweet Caporal | 75 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 25 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 20 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 20 |
| El Principe de Gales | 20 |
| Old Mill | 18 |
| Hindu | 6 |
| Unknown back | 96 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 13 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 10 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 5 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 137 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 40 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 9 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 115 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 32 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Claude Ritchey card?
The Claude Ritchey 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 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 931 examples of the Claude Ritchey have been graded, with only 27 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Claude Ritchey come with?
The Claude Ritchey is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Claude Ritchey 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.