1909–11 T206 Fred Clarke
Pittsburgh Pirates · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Fred Clarke (“Portrait” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Fred Clarke, a member of the historic Pittsburgh Pirates (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1313 examples have been graded, with only 27 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Fred Clarke
Fred Clarke, a Winterset, Iowa farm boy, broke into professional baseball in 1892 with Hastings of the Nebraska State League and reached the majors with the Louisville Colonels in 1894, announcing himself with four singles and a triple in his big-league debut. A hard-nosed left fielder, he moved to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1900 and starred there through 1915, retiring with a .312 average, 2,678 hits, and 509 stolen bases across 21 seasons. Named Louisville's player-manager in 1897 at just 24, this pioneering "boy-manager" earned the nickname "Cap," short for captain. His Pirates captured National League pennants in 1901, 1902, 1903, and 1909, and he piloted Pittsburgh to the 1909 World Series championship over Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers, part of 1,602 career managerial wins. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1945, Clarke is one of the T206 set's genuine Cooperstown names.
Sources: 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 | 724 | 21 | 32 | 81 | 157 | 121 | 156 | 156 |
| SGC | 589 | 6 | 7 | 41 | 69 | 131 | 112 | 223 |
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 1909 | 169 |
| Piedmont | 131 |
| Sweet Caporal | 97 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 65 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 34 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 29 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 24 |
| El Principe de Gales | 17 |
| Hindu | 7 |
| Old Mill | 4 |
| Unknown back | 147 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 25 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 16 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 8 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 261 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 64 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 21 |
| Sovereign 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 129 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 2 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 62 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Fred Clarke card?
The Fred Clarke (Portrait) 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 Pittsburgh Pirates player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1313 examples of the Fred Clarke have been graded, with only 27 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Fred Clarke come with?
The Fred Clarke 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 Fred Clarke 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.
Other poses of Fred Clarke
More Pittsburgh Pirates 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.