1909–11 T206 Cy Barger
Rochester Bronchos · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Cy Barger is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Cy Barger, a member of the historic Rochester Bronchos (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 828 examples have been graded, with only 8 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Cy Barger
Eros Bolivar "Cy" Barger was a right-handed pitcher (and left-handed batter) from Jamestown, Kentucky, who attended Transylvania University before turning professional. He debuted in the majors on August 30, 1906 with the New York Highlanders and pitched briefly for them in 1906-07. Barger's breakout came in the minors: with the Rochester Bronchos of the Eastern League in 1909 he won 23 games with a microscopic 1.00 ERA and led the club to the Eastern League title. That performance earned him a return to the majors with the Brooklyn Superbas/Dodgers (1910-12), where he enjoyed a career year in 1910, going 15 wins with a 2.88 ERA, followed by 11 wins in 1911. He jumped to the Federal League's Pittsburgh Rebels in 1914-15, winning 19 games over those two seasons before his final big-league appearance on October 2, 1915. Across seven major-league seasons Barger compiled a 46-63 record, a 3.56 ERA, and 297 strikeouts. He later coached baseball at the University of Kentucky (1923-24). His T206 card depicts him as a Rochester pitcher, a common-grade subject in the set. He died in Columbia, Kentucky, in 1964.
Sources: Wikipedia · 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 | 501 | 8 | 33 | 78 | 119 | 95 | 98 | 70 |
| SGC | 327 | 0 | 7 | 42 | 61 | 79 | 58 | 80 |
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 | 254 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 51 |
| Polar Bear | 43 |
| Sweet Caporal | 25 |
| El Principe de Gales | 23 |
| Tolstoi | 9 |
| Carolina Brights | 5 |
| Unknown back | 91 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 21 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 191 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 2 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 22 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 72 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 15 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Cy Barger card?
The Cy Barger 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 Rochester Bronchos player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 828 examples of the Cy Barger have been graded, with only 8 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Cy Barger come with?
The Cy Barger is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: Carolina Brights, El Principe de Gales, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Cy Barger 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 Rochester Bronchos 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.