1909–11 T206 Ed Foster
Charleston Sea Gulls · South Atlantic League · Southern Leaguer print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Ed Foster is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Ed Foster, a member of the historic Charleston Sea Gulls (South Atlantic League), and was printed in the Southern Leaguer series, known with 3 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 532 examples have been graded, with only 13 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Ed Foster
Edward Lee "Slim" Foster was a right-handed pitcher out of Lebanon, Tennessee, born June 25, 1885. His entire big-league career amounted to a brief 1908 call-up with the Cleveland Naps, for whom he appeared in six games — starting one and finishing five — going 1-0 with a 2.14 ERA and 11 strikeouts. That handful of outings was the whole of his major-league record; the rest of his career unfolded in the minors, where he pitched for clubs including the Jacksonville Jays, Charleston Sea Gulls, Macon Peaches, St. Paul Saints, San Antonio Bronchos and Waco Navigators. It is his 1909 stint with Charleston of the Class C South Atlantic League that placed him in the T206 set's famous "Southern Leaguers" subset. Foster's card is one of the great rarities of the entire issue — widely regarded as the single toughest of the 48 Southern Leaguers — because the Charleston franchise collapsed mid-1909 and moved to Knoxville, causing Foster (and teammate George Paige) to be short-printed. Foster died March 1, 1929, in Montgomery, Alabama.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (3)
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 | 314 | 13 | 13 | 40 | 80 | 66 | 56 | 46 |
| SGC | 218 | 0 | 11 | 22 | 30 | 51 | 35 | 69 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Old Mill | 171 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 89 |
| Hindu | 9 |
| Unknown back | 45 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Hindu 1909-11 | 9 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 126 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 83 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Ed Foster card?
The Ed Foster 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 Charleston Sea Gulls player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 3 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 532 examples of the Ed Foster have been graded, with only 13 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Ed Foster come with?
The Ed Foster is confirmed with 3 tobacco-brand backs: Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Ed Foster 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 Charleston Sea Gulls 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.