1909-11 T206 Dave Brain
1909–11 T206 Dave Brain
Buffalo Bisons · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Dave Brain is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Dave Brain, a member of the historic Buffalo Bisons (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 924 examples have been graded, with only 18 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Dave Brain
David Leonard Brain, born in 1879 in Hereford, England — one of the few big-leaguers born in England — broke into pro ball with Des Moines of the Western League in 1900, batting .305 with 27 steals. A rangy but error-prone infielder who played mostly third base and shortstop (and every other position but pitcher and catcher), he reached the majors with Chicago in the American League's 1901 debut season, then spent 1903-1908 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Beaneaters/Doves, Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. His signature year came in 1907, when he led both major leagues with 10 home runs for Boston, an unusual power total for the deadball era. He also became the only man in big-league history to hit three triples in a game twice in one season (both in 1905), and on June 11, 1906 he committed five errors at third base, a modern record. A career .252 hitter, Brain was out of the majors by 1909 and finishing his career in the minors — which is why the T206 set pictures him with the Eastern League's Buffalo Bisons. He died in Los Angeles in 1959. His card is a common but genuine deadball-era subject in the T206 issue.
Sources: Wikipedia · 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 | 539 | 17 | 25 | 82 | 114 | 87 | 115 | 99 |
| SGC | 385 | 1 | 7 | 44 | 62 | 91 | 60 | 120 |
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 | 245 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 66 |
| Sweet Caporal | 48 |
| Polar Bear | 36 |
| Old Mill | 18 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| El Principe de Gales | 12 |
| Cycle 1910 | 5 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Tolstoi | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 86 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 2 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 12 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 13 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 185 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 31 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 17 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 110 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 6 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Dave Brain card?
The Dave Brain 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 Buffalo Bisons player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 924 examples of the Dave Brain 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 Dave Brain come with?
The Dave Brain is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, 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 Dave Brain 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 Buffalo Bisons 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.