1909–11 T206 Hal Chase
New York Highlanders · American League · Super Print print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Hal Chase (“Black Cap” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Hal Chase, a member of the historic New York Highlanders (American League), and was printed in the Super Print series, known with 14 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 2034 examples have been graded, with only 45 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Hal Chase
Hal Chase was a slick-fielding first baseman whose fifteen-year major-league career (1905-1919) is remembered as much for scandal as for brilliance. A Californian who played semipro ball around San Jose and attended Santa Clara College, he signed with the Pacific Coast League's Los Angeles Angels in 1903 before the New York Highlanders (the future Yankees) drafted him in 1905, installing him at first base at once. He also starred for the Chicago White Sox, Buffalo's Federal League club, the Cincinnati Reds, and the New York Giants. Nicknamed "Prince Hal," he was hailed by Babe Ruth and Cy Young as perhaps the greatest defensive first baseman ever, famed for one-handed catches and catlike pounces on bunts. He led the National League with a .339 average and 184 hits in 1916, finishing with a .291 average, 2,158 hits, and 363 stolen bases. Repeated game-fixing accusations, a 1918 suspension, and Black Sox ties left him blacklisted from organized baseball. In the T206 set his card is a scarcer "460 Only" subject.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (14)
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 | 1203 | 32 | 93 | 144 | 293 | 207 | 245 | 189 |
| SGC | 831 | 13 | 21 | 85 | 113 | 198 | 152 | 249 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Sweet Caporal | 159 |
| Piedmont | 150 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 149 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 144 |
| Polar Bear | 90 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 68 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 62 |
| Old Mill | 27 |
| Sovereign | 18 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Carolina Brights | 11 |
| Tolstoi | 9 |
| El Principe de Gales | 8 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 7 |
| Cycle | 6 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 5 |
| Cycle 1910 | 5 |
| Cycle 1911 | 2 |
| Hindu | 1 |
| Lenox | 1 |
| Unknown back | 269 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 12 |
| Cycle 1911 | 3 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 14 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 2 |
| Lenox 1909-11 | 3 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 27 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 218 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 106 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 95 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 30 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 14 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 3 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 178 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 96 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 16 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Hal Chase card?
The Hal Chase (Black Cap) 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 New York Highlanders player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 14 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 2034 examples of the Hal Chase have been graded, with only 45 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Hal Chase come with?
The Hal Chase is confirmed with 14 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Hindu, 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 Hal Chase 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 Hal Chase
More New York Highlanders 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.