1909-11 T206 Ed Cicotte
1909–11 T206 Ed Cicotte
Boston Red Sox · American League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Ed Cicotte is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Ed Cicotte, a member of the historic Boston Red Sox (American League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1265 examples have been graded, with only 18 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Ed Cicotte
Edward "Knuckles" Cicotte was a right-handed pitcher who mastered the knuckleball, the pitch that gave him his nickname. After a dominant Michigan semipro run, he debuted with the Detroit Tigers in 1905, then pitched for the Boston Red Sox from 1908 to 1912 (the affiliation shown on this T206 card) before being sold to the Chicago White Sox, where he became a star. Cicotte finished 209-149 across his career, leading the American League in 1917 with 28 wins and a 1.53 ERA and throwing a no-hitter that April; he went 29-7 with a 1.82 ERA in 1919. He also famously threw the "shine ball." Cicotte is best remembered, however, as a central figure in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal: he took a bribe to help throw the World Series, later confessed, and was permanently banned from baseball in 1921. He is not a Hall of Famer.
Sources: 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 | 695 | 17 | 35 | 74 | 150 | 127 | 159 | 133 |
| SGC | 570 | 1 | 3 | 34 | 77 | 136 | 113 | 206 |
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 | 137 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 136 |
| Sweet Caporal | 79 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 63 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 50 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 29 |
| Sovereign | 18 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 14 |
| El Principe de Gales | 10 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 9 |
| Old Mill | 6 |
| Unknown back | 144 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 13 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 236 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 89 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 12 |
| Sovereign 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 28 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 127 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 64 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Ed Cicotte card?
The Ed Cicotte 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 Boston Red Sox player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1265 examples of the Ed Cicotte 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 Ed Cicotte come with?
The Ed Cicotte 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 Cicotte 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 Boston Red Sox 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.