1909–11 T206 George Merritt
Jersey City Skeeters · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 George Merritt is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts George Merritt, a member of the historic Jersey City Skeeters (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 7 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 699 examples have been graded, with only 11 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About George Merritt
George Washington Merritt (April 14, 1880 – February 21, 1938) was a Paterson, New Jersey-born two-way player who reached the majors as a pitcher and outfielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He debuted on September 6, 1901, joining the club during its first National League pennant-winning season, the Fred Clarke- and Honus Wagner-led Pirates that went 90-49. Used sparingly across 1901-1903, Merritt compiled a spotless 3-0 pitching record (all three wins coming in 1901) with a 4.50 ERA over roughly 28 innings, while batting .213 (10 hits in 47 at-bats) in just 15 major-league games; his final big-league appearance came May 26, 1903. He spent the bulk of his career in the high minors with the Jersey City Skeeters of the Eastern League—the team pictured on his card—playing there through the decade before retiring around 1915. Merritt has no documented nickname and is not a Hall of Famer; on the T206 set he is one of the many obscure minor-league subjects (a "350 Only" series card) prized by collectors chasing the full run.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (7)
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 | 402 | 10 | 25 | 47 | 122 | 78 | 70 | 50 |
| SGC | 297 | 1 | 6 | 33 | 53 | 65 | 47 | 92 |
NM 7+ bundles grades 7–10; 1 & Auth bundles grade 1, 1.5 & Authentic. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are subject-level (summed across all backs). Population as of 2026-06.
PSA by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Piedmont 1910 | 199 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 35 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 30 |
| Polar Bear | 30 |
| Sweet Caporal | 22 |
| Cycle 1910 | 10 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Unknown back | 69 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 152 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 34 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 35 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 62 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 George Merritt card?
The George Merritt 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 Jersey City Skeeters player and was inserted in tobacco packs across 7 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 699 examples of the George Merritt have been graded, with only 11 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 George Merritt come with?
The George Merritt is confirmed with 7 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 George Merritt 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 Jersey City Skeeters 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 2026-10-05.