1909–11 T206 Fred Payne
Chicago White Sox · American League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Fred Payne is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Fred Payne, a member of the historic Chicago White Sox (American League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 869 examples have been graded, with only 26 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Fred Payne
Frederick Thomas "Fred" Payne was a catcher born September 2, 1879, in Camden, New York. He worked his way up through the minors with the Syracuse Stars (1902-1904) and Rochester (1905) before the Detroit Tigers took him in the October 1905 Rule 5 draft. Payne reached the majors with Detroit in 1906 and spent six big-league seasons split between the Tigers (1906-1908) and Chicago White Sox (1909-1911), catching 271 of his 334 career games and also filling in as an outfielder. A light hitter typical of the dead-ball era, he batted .215 with 194 hits, 12 triples, one home run, 86 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. His Tigers won back-to-back American League pennants in 1907 and 1908; Payne appeared in two games of the 1907 World Series against the Cubs, going 1-for-4. He owns one memorable footnote: in 1906, Cobb's rookie year, Payne became the only man ever to pinch-hit for Ty Cobb in the majors. After 1911 he continued in the minors through 1917. He died January 16, 1954, in Camden. His card is a common in the famous T206 White Border set.
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 | 520 | 22 | 38 | 62 | 132 | 107 | 85 | 74 |
| SGC | 349 | 4 | 6 | 50 | 70 | 67 | 64 | 88 |
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 | 183 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 82 |
| Sweet Caporal | 66 |
| Polar Bear | 24 |
| Old Mill | 20 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 13 |
| Tolstoi | 8 |
| El Principe de Gales | 7 |
| Cycle 1911 | 7 |
| Lenox | 5 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 4 |
| Unknown back | 101 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 4 |
| Cycle 1911 | 10 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 8 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 12 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 154 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 17 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 22 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 97 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 25 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Fred Payne card?
The Fred Payne 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 White Sox player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 869 examples of the Fred Payne have been graded, with only 26 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Fred Payne come with?
The Fred Payne is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Lenox, 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 Fred Payne 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 White 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 2026-08-28.