1909-11 T206 Ed Killian (Hands At Chest)
1909–11 T206 Ed Killian
Detroit Tigers · American League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Ed Killian (“Hands At Chest” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Ed Killian, a member of the historic Detroit Tigers (American League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 991 examples have been graded, with only 31 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Ed Killian
Edwin Henry "Twilight Ed" Killian was a left-handed pitcher born November 12, 1876, in Racine, Wisconsin, to German immigrant parents. He signed his first pro contract with Rockford of the Three-I League in 1902 and reached the majors with Cleveland in 1903 before spending the heart of his career with the Detroit Tigers (1904-1910). Relying on a sinking fastball to induce groundballs rather than strikeouts, Killian was a two-time 20-game winner, going 23-14 with a league-leading eight shutouts in 1905 and 25-13 with a 1.78 ERA in 1907. He posted a career 102-78 record with a superb 2.38 ERA, and anchored Detroit's staff during its three straight American League pennants (1907-1909), though the Tigers lost all three World Series. His nickname "Twilight Ed" came from his habit of pitching extra-inning games into the fading evening darkness. He is best remembered for his extreme stinginess with the home run, once going from September 1903 to August 1907 - roughly 1,001 innings - without allowing one, and surrendering just nine homers in his entire career. Killian died of cancer in Detroit on July 18, 1928, at age 51; owner Frank Navin later called him the finest left-hander ever to wear a Detroit uniform. He is not a Hall of Famer, and his card is a common but genuine deadball-era Tiger from the T206 set's Detroit run.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (6)
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 | 578 | 26 | 26 | 61 | 145 | 128 | 104 | 88 |
| SGC | 413 | 5 | 7 | 42 | 64 | 94 | 73 | 128 |
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 1909 | 132 |
| Piedmont | 106 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 79 |
| Sweet Caporal | 50 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 33 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 22 |
| El Principe de Gales | 16 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 12 |
| Old Mill | 11 |
| Hindu | 5 |
| Sovereign | 3 |
| Unknown back | 109 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 18 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 5 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 5 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 184 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 47 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 15 |
| Sovereign 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 106 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 32 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Ed Killian card?
The Ed Killian (Hands At Chest) 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 Detroit Tigers player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 991 examples of the Ed Killian have been graded, with only 31 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Ed Killian come with?
The Ed Killian is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Ed Killian 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 Killian
More Detroit Tigers cards
- Donnie Bush
- Ty Cobb (Portrait - Green)
- Ty Cobb (Portrait - Red)
- Ty Cobb (Bat Off Shoulder)
- Ty Cobb (Bat On Shoulder)
- Sam Crawford (Throwing)
- Sam Crawford (With Bat)
- Wild Bill Donovan (Portrait)
- Wild Bill Donovan (Throwing)
- Hughie Jennings (One Hand Showing)
- Hughie Jennings (Two Hands Showing)
- Hughie Jennings (Portrait)
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.