1909–11 T206 Ed Abbaticchio
Pittsburgh Pirates · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Ed Abbaticchio (“Brown Sleeves” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Ed Abbaticchio, a member of the historic Pittsburgh Pirates (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 881 examples have been graded, with only 16 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Ed Abbaticchio
Ed Abbaticchio, a Latrobe, Pennsylvania native, is widely regarded as the first Major League ballplayer of Italian ancestry. He debuted with the Philadelphia Phillies as a second baseman on September 4, 1897, but broke his hand two days later; after brief play in 1898 he starred in the minors, batting .363 with a league-leading 127 runs for Nashville in 1901. Returning to the majors with the Boston Beaneaters (1903-1905), he shifted between second base and shortstop, peaking at .279 in 1905. Boston traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates in December 1906 for three veterans, including Ginger Beaumont. He was a regular for the 1907-1908 Pirates and a member of their 1909 World Series championship club, though he went hitless in a lone pinch-hit strikeout in the Series. Over nine seasons he played 855 games with a .254 average, 772 hits, and 142 stolen bases. Teammates called him "Batty," his preferred short form of his surname. A pioneering dual-sport athlete who also kicked and ran for the pro Latrobe Athletic Association football teams, he retired after 1910 to run his family's hotel near Forbes Field. He is card #1 in the T206 set (two poses: Blue Sleeves and Brown Sleeves). Not a Hall of Famer.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (5)
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 | 533 | 13 | 24 | 59 | 135 | 110 | 110 | 82 |
| SGC | 348 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 70 | 88 | 57 | 101 |
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 | 122 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 118 |
| Sweet Caporal | 52 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 46 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 31 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 26 |
| Old Mill | 14 |
| Sovereign | 13 |
| El Principe de Gales | 12 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 9 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 8 |
| Unknown back | 82 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 6 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 5 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 150 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 53 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 14 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 15 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 75 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 30 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Ed Abbaticchio card?
The Ed Abbaticchio (Brown Sleeves) 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 Pittsburgh Pirates player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 881 examples of the Ed Abbaticchio 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 Ed Abbaticchio come with?
The Ed Abbaticchio is confirmed with 5 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Ed Abbaticchio 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 Ed Abbaticchio
More Pittsburgh Pirates 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.