1909–11 T206 Frank LaPorte
New York Highlanders · American League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Frank LaPorte is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Frank LaPorte, a member of the historic New York Highlanders (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 981 examples have been graded, with only 22 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Frank LaPorte
Frank Breyfogle "Pot" LaPorte (1880-1939) came out of the Ohio semipro ranks, catching before a strong 1903 season with the Buffalo Bisons of the Class A Eastern League earned him a 1905 draft by the New York Highlanders (today's Yankees). A versatile right-handed hitter who played second base, third base and the outfield, he spent nine American League seasons with the Highlanders (1905-1910), Boston Red Sox (1908), St. Louis Browns (1911-1912) and Washington Nationals (1912-1913). His best big-league year was 1911 in St. Louis, when he batted .314. In 1915's aftermath he had jumped to the outlaw Federal League, where in 1914 he captained the pennant-winning Indianapolis Hoosiers and led the entire league in RBIs with 107 while hitting .311 — his lone championship. Over a career that ran through 1915, LaPorte compiled a .281 average, 1,185 hits and 560 RBIs. Long carried the nickname "Pot," though its origin isn't documented. He was never a star of the first rank and is not in the Hall of Fame; his New York clubs never won a flag, making the 1914 Federal League title the highlight of his time on the diamond.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 634 | 18 | 41 | 88 | 150 | 133 | 117 | 87 |
| SGC | 347 | 4 | 6 | 50 | 60 | 69 | 60 | 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 | 374 |
| Sweet Caporal | 50 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 49 |
| Polar Bear | 42 |
| Cycle 1910 | 11 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 9 |
| Tolstoi | 3 |
| Drum | 2 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 93 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 2 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 9 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 219 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 39 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 2 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 72 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Frank LaPorte card?
The Frank LaPorte 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 New York Highlanders player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 981 examples of the Frank LaPorte have been graded, with only 22 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Frank LaPorte come with?
The Frank LaPorte is confirmed with 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Frank LaPorte 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 New York Highlanders 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.