1909-11 T206 Frank Bowerman
1909–11 T206 Frank Bowerman
Boston Doves · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Frank Bowerman is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Frank Bowerman, a member of the historic Boston Doves (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 866 examples have been graded, with only 16 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Frank Bowerman
Frank Eugene Bowerman (1868-1948) was a hard-nosed deadball-era catcher who broke into pro ball in 1888 with Logansport of the Indiana State League and reached the majors in 1895. Over 15 seasons he caught for the Baltimore Orioles (1895-98), Pittsburgh Pirates (1898-99), New York Giants (1900-07) and Boston Doves (1908-09), batting .250 with 977 games in the bare-hands and early-mitt era. His greatest distinction came in New York, where he was the Giants' regular catcher under John McGraw and a favorite battery-mate of Christy Mathewson, catching Matty's 1900 big-league debut and handling his famous "fadeaway." Nicknamed "Iron Mike" for the toughness and durability he showed behind the plate despite battered hands, Bowerman was famously temperamental, drawing double-digit ejections and brawling with hecklers and even Pirates manager Fred Clarke. He was on the Giants' 1905 pennant winner but missed the World Series triumph over the Athletics because of his wife's illness, leaving Roger Bresnahan to catch Mathewson's three shutouts. He closed his career as Boston's 1909 player-manager (22-54). Bowerman is one of the T206 set's many everyday deadball veterans rather than a Hall of Famer.
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 | 530 | 14 | 32 | 57 | 119 | 88 | 118 | 102 |
| SGC | 336 | 2 | 7 | 35 | 55 | 65 | 59 | 113 |
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 | 117 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 99 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 63 |
| Sweet Caporal | 57 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 36 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 23 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 20 |
| Old Mill | 11 |
| El Principe de Gales | 11 |
| Hindu | 6 |
| Unknown back | 87 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 6 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 12 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 4 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 139 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 40 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 18 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 84 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 32 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Frank Bowerman card?
The Frank Bowerman 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 Doves player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 866 examples of the Frank Bowerman have been graded, with only 16 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Frank Bowerman come with?
The Frank Bowerman 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 Frank Bowerman 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 Doves 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.