1909-11 T206 Eddie Phelps
1909–11 T206 Eddie Phelps
St Louis Cardinals · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Eddie Phelps is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Eddie Phelps, a member of the historic St Louis Cardinals (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 825 examples have been graded, with only 11 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Eddie Phelps
Edward Jaykill "Ed" Phelps was a dead-ball catcher born in Albany, New York, in 1879. He reached the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates in September 1902 and became the club's regular receiver in 1903, hitting a solid .282 that season as Pittsburgh captured back-to-back National League pennants in 1902 and 1903. Phelps earned a footnote in history as the catcher who worked the very first modern World Series in 1903, going behind the plate as the Pirates fell to Boston in the inaugural best-of-nine Fall Classic. Over 11 big-league seasons (1902-1913) he caught for the Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals (his team on this 1909-11 T206 card, 1909-1910), and the Brooklyn Superbas, compiling a .251 average with 460 hits and 205 RBIs across 633 games. Sometimes tagged with the nickname "Yaller," Phelps was a steady defensive backstop of the era rather than a star. He died in East Greenbush, New York, in 1942. He is not in the Hall of Fame; his T206 card is a common (non-scarce) subject.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (8)
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 | 501 | 10 | 24 | 52 | 136 | 97 | 94 | 88 |
| SGC | 324 | 1 | 3 | 33 | 52 | 76 | 61 | 98 |
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 | 270 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 47 |
| Polar Bear | 35 |
| Sweet Caporal | 33 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 16 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 11 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 80 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 206 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 27 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 14 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 58 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Eddie Phelps card?
The Eddie Phelps 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 St Louis Cardinals player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 825 examples of the Eddie Phelps have been graded, with only 11 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Eddie Phelps come with?
The Eddie Phelps is confirmed with 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Eddie Phelps 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 St Louis Cardinals 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.