1909-11 T206 Francis Pfeffer
1909–11 T206 Francis Pfeffer
Chicago Cubs · National League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Francis Pfeffer is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Francis Pfeffer, a member of the historic Chicago Cubs (National League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 819 examples have been graded, with only 23 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Francis Pfeffer
Francis Xavier "Big Jeff" Pfeffer was a right-handed pitcher who starred at the University of Illinois — going 15-2 in 1904 — before the Chicago Cubs signed him off the college diamond. He debuted on April 15, 1905, throwing a complete game in a 2-1 loss, and went 4-4 as a rookie before a December 1905 trade sent him to the Boston Beaneaters (Doves/Braves), where he spent the bulk of his career; he also had a brief 1910 return to Chicago and a final 1911 Boston stint. His signature moment came on May 8, 1907, when he no-hit the Cincinnati Reds 6-0 at Boston's South End Grounds. His best season was 1906, when he fanned 158 batters with a 2.95 ERA over 302⅔ innings despite a 13-22 record on a last-place club. A torn arm tendon in mid-1907 derailed his promise, and he finished at 31-39 with a 3.30 ERA, 317 strikeouts, and 6 shutouts across 113 games. The "Big Jeff" nickname's origin is undocumented (one unverified theory ties it to boxer Jim Jeffries); ironically he was smaller than his younger brother, Edward "Jeff" Pfeffer, who won 158 games and pitched Brooklyn to the 1916 pennant. Big Jeff was never elected to the Hall of Fame, and in T206 he is a common (not scarce) subject.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (10)
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 | 455 | 19 | 36 | 61 | 105 | 80 | 91 | 63 |
| SGC | 364 | 4 | 5 | 45 | 65 | 75 | 64 | 106 |
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 1911 | 118 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 78 |
| Sweet Caporal | 55 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 34 |
| Polar Bear | 19 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 18 |
| Tolstoi | 15 |
| El Principe de Gales | 11 |
| Hindu | 6 |
| Cycle 1911 | 5 |
| Old Mill | 4 |
| Unknown back | 92 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 18 |
| Cycle 1911 | 6 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 7 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 7 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 2 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 159 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 16 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 29 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 96 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 24 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Francis Pfeffer card?
The Francis Pfeffer 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 Chicago Cubs player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 819 examples of the Francis Pfeffer have been graded, with only 23 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Francis Pfeffer come with?
The Francis Pfeffer is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Francis Pfeffer 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 Chicago Cubs cards
- George Brown (Chicago)
- Mordecai Brown (Chicago On Shirt)
- Mordecai Brown (Cubs On Shirt)
- Mordecai Brown (Portrait)
- Frank Chance (Batting)
- Frank Chance (Portrait - Red)
- Frank Chance (Portrait - Yellow)
- Johnny Evers (Portrait)
- Johnny Evers (Chicago On Shirt - Yellow Sky)
- Johnny Evers (Cubs On Shirt - Blue Sky)
- Solly Hofman
- Del Howard
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.