1909–11 T206 Dummy Taylor
Buffalo Bisons · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Dummy Taylor is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Dummy Taylor, a member of the historic Buffalo Bisons (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1000 examples have been graded, with only 18 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Dummy Taylor
Luther Haden Taylor, deaf from a childhood illness, graduated valedictorian from the Kansas School for the Deaf in 1895 and reached the majors after posting an 11-8 record for Albany in 1900, where he caught the eye of future Hall of Famer George Davis. A right-handed pitcher with a corkscrew delivery, fastball, curve, and sharp drop, he spent essentially his whole big-league career (1900-1908) with the New York Giants, apart from a brief 1902 stop in Cleveland. He led the National League in appearances (45) in his first full 1901 season, went 21-15 with a 2.34 ERA for John McGraw's 1904 pennant winners, and added a 16-9, 2.66 mark in 1905, though rain washed out his lone chance to start a World Series game. He finished 116-106 with a 2.75 ERA. Nicknamed "Dummy," the era's blunt label for deaf players, Taylor was the first deaf pitcher of note in the majors; his teammates learned sign language to communicate, spreading the on-field use of signs. He later coached and taught for decades at schools for the deaf and was inducted into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. His T206 card lists him with Buffalo of the Eastern League, one of his post-Giants minor-league stops.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (12)
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 | 544 | 14 | 46 | 56 | 109 | 111 | 105 | 103 |
| SGC | 456 | 4 | 4 | 45 | 54 | 106 | 95 | 148 |
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 | 246 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 71 |
| Sweet Caporal | 46 |
| Polar Bear | 33 |
| Old Mill | 17 |
| El Principe de Gales | 13 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 12 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Tolstoi | 1 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Carolina Brights | 1 |
| Unknown back | 91 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 10 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 14 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 24 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 247 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 38 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 15 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 98 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Dummy Taylor card?
The Dummy Taylor 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 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1000 examples of the Dummy Taylor 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 Dummy Taylor come with?
The Dummy Taylor is confirmed with 12 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, 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 Dummy Taylor 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 2026-08-28.