1909-11 T206 Frank King
1909–11 T206 Frank King
Danville Red Sox · Virginia State League · Southern Leaguer print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Frank King is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Frank King, a member of the historic Danville Red Sox (Virginia State League), and was printed in the Southern Leaguer series, known with 2 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 612 examples have been graded, with only 10 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Frank King
Frank Joseph King was a career minor-league outfielder, born September 15, 1880, in Philadelphia and died there October 29, 1944. He broke into professional ball in 1904 with the Savannah Pathfinders of the Class C South Atlantic League and spent four seasons in Savannah (1904-1907), also seeing independent Tri-State League duty with Camden, Lebanon/Wilmington and Harrisburg. King's best years came in the Virginia League: he hit .252 for the 1908 Roanoke Tigers and .243 for the 1909 Danville Red Sox, the club that placed him in this "Southern Leaguer" T206 card. He closed his career batting .196 for the 1910 Winston-Salem Twins of the Carolina Association. Across seven documented minor-league seasons he compiled a .222 average with 487 hits in 611 games, and he never reached the major leagues. As a Southern Leaguer, his card belongs to a scarce 48-subject supplemental subgroup issued only with Hindu, Old Mill (Southern League) and Piedmont backs, making it a favorite of specialists despite his obscurity.
Sources: Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (2)
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 | 352 | 8 | 16 | 54 | 88 | 75 | 59 | 52 |
| SGC | 260 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 30 | 58 | 49 | 94 |
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 | 173 |
| Old Mill | 119 |
| Unknown back | 60 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 112 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 148 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Frank King card?
The Frank King 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 Danville Red Sox player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 2 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 612 examples of the Frank King have been graded, with only 10 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Frank King come with?
The Frank King is confirmed with 2 tobacco-brand backs: Old Mill, Piedmont. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Frank King 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 Danville Red Sox 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.