1909–11 T206 Gus Dorner
Kansas City Blues · American Association · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Gus Dorner is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Gus Dorner, a member of the historic Kansas City Blues (American Association), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 977 examples have been graded, with only 27 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Gus Dorner
Augustus Adolf "Gus" Dorner, born August 18, 1876, in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was a right-handed pitcher who entered pro ball at age 25 when the Decatur Commodores of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League signed him for 1901 on the recommendation of a fellow Chambersburg catcher. He reached the majors with the Cleveland Bronchos/Naps (1902-1903), winning his 1902 debut in a complete-game 7-6 effort, then starred in the minors, leading the American Association with 29 wins for the 1905 Columbus Senators. Returning to the majors in 1906 with Cincinnati and Boston, Dorner became a hard-luck workhorse for weak National League clubs: he led the league with 26 losses (8-25) in 1906 and threw a team-high 271-1/3 innings in 1907. Over six big-league seasons (1902-1909) with Cleveland, Cincinnati, and the Boston Beaneaters/Doves, he went 35-69 with a 3.37 ERA and 275 strikeouts. The T206 card shows him during his 1909 stint with the minor-league Kansas City Blues; his card is notable for a rare typesetting error misspelling his name "Dopner." Dorner died May 4, 1956, in his hometown at age 79.
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 | 612 | 20 | 44 | 83 | 146 | 129 | 122 | 68 |
| SGC | 365 | 7 | 5 | 37 | 74 | 100 | 50 | 92 |
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 | 347 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 58 |
| Sweet Caporal | 39 |
| Polar Bear | 34 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 11 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| Tolstoi | 3 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Unknown back | 109 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 14 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 5 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 253 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 11 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 76 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Gus Dorner card?
The Gus Dorner 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 Kansas City Blues player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 977 examples of the Gus Dorner 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 Gus Dorner come with?
The Gus Dorner 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 Gus Dorner 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 Kansas City Blues 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.