1909-11 T206 Doc Crandall (Portrait With Cap)
1909–11 T206 Doc Crandall
New York Giants · National League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Doc Crandall (“Portrait With Cap” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Doc Crandall, a member of the historic New York Giants (National League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1002 examples have been graded, with only 16 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Doc Crandall
James Otis "Doc" Crandall was a right-handed pitcher who climbed from Indiana semipro and Three-I League ball to John McGraw's New York Giants, debuting in 1908. He became baseball's first true relief specialist, leading the National League in relief appearances every year from 1909 to 1913 and in relief victories from 1910 to 1912, when he compiled a 45-16 record; in 1910 he went 17-4 overall. Sportswriter Damon Runyon coined his nickname, calling Crandall "the physician of the pitching emergency," hence "Doc." He pitched in the 1911 World Series, tossing three scoreless innings and doubling in a run in Game Five, and played on the Giants' 1911-1913 pennant winners. A rare good-hitting pitcher, he batted .285 lifetime. He later starred in the Federal League with the St. Louis Terriers (21-15 in 1915) and dominated the Pacific Coast League. He is remembered as the premier relief specialist of the Deadball Era. He died in 1951.
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 | 595 | 15 | 51 | 89 | 149 | 105 | 96 | 90 |
| SGC | 407 | 1 | 14 | 45 | 81 | 97 | 65 | 104 |
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 1911 | 196 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 73 |
| Sweet Caporal | 51 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 50 |
| Polar Bear | 28 |
| Tolstoi | 26 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 26 |
| Hindu | 14 |
| El Principe de Gales | 10 |
| Old Mill | 7 |
| Cycle 1911 | 6 |
| Uzit | 1 |
| Unknown back | 107 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 16 |
| Cycle 1911 | 5 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 4 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 6 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 152 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 26 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 40 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 119 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 36 |
| Uzit 1909-11 | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Doc Crandall card?
The Doc Crandall (Portrait With 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 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1002 examples of the Doc Crandall 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 Doc Crandall come with?
The Doc Crandall is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi, Uzit. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Doc Crandall 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 Doc Crandall
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.