1909-11 T206 George Bell (Hands Above Head)
1909–11 T206 George Bell
Brooklyn Superbas · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 George Bell (“Hands Above Head” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts George Bell, a member of the historic Brooklyn Superbas (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 839 examples have been graded, with only 16 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About George Bell
George Glenn "Farmer" Bell was a right-handed pitcher who reached the majors late after starring on the New York and Pennsylvania sandlots. Manager Howard Earl signed the farm-raised right-hander to the Amsterdam-Johnstown-Gloversville Hyphens of the New York State League in 1904, where he threw a no-hitter, before he broke into the big leagues with the Brooklyn Superbas in 1907 at age 32. His nickname "Farmer" came from his rural agricultural background; he owned several Pennsylvania farms during his career. Bell pitched all five of his major-league seasons for Brooklyn (1907-1911), going 43-79 with a fine 2.85 ERA over 160 games, 92 complete games, and 17 shutouts. His best year was 1909 (16-15, 2.71). His hard-luck 1910 season is his signature: despite a strong 2.64 ERA over 310 innings, he went 10-27 and led the National League in losses, a testament to a poor last-place club rather than his own arm. A career-long conditioning struggle and Brooklyn's weak lineups left him with a losing record that belied his solid work. Bell later pitched in the minors through 1914 and served in the U.S. Army during World War I. He is a common but genuine deadball-era subject in the famous T206 set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (5)
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 | 521 | 14 | 23 | 65 | 107 | 108 | 106 | 98 |
| SGC | 318 | 2 | 7 | 36 | 58 | 61 | 54 | 100 |
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 | 113 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 106 |
| Sweet Caporal | 62 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 44 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 33 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 32 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 17 |
| Hindu | 16 |
| Sovereign | 10 |
| Old Mill | 7 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 7 |
| Unknown back | 74 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Hindu 1909-11 | 11 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 141 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 55 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 7 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 21 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 58 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 24 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 George Bell card?
The George Bell (Hands Above Head) 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 Brooklyn Superbas player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 839 examples of the George Bell 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 George Bell come with?
The George Bell is confirmed with 5 tobacco-brand backs: Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 George Bell 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 George Bell
More Brooklyn Superbas 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.