1909-11 T206 Harry Howell (Hand At Waist)
1909–11 T206 Harry Howell
St Louis Browns · American League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Harry Howell (“Hand At Waist” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Harry Howell, a member of the historic St Louis Browns (American League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 890 examples have been graded, with only 20 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Harry Howell
Harry Taylor Howell (1876–1956), a Brooklyn plumber, signed with the Meriden Bulldogs of the Connecticut League in 1898 and reached the majors that October with the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. A stocky 5'8" right-hander, he pitched from 1898 to 1908, first with Brooklyn and the Baltimore Orioles (both leagues), then the 1903 New York Highlanders, before finding his home with the St. Louis Browns from 1904 to 1908. After learning the spitball from Jack Chesbro in 1903, Howell relied on one of the wettest deliveries in the game, averaging roughly 308 innings a year for St. Louis and leading the American League with 35 complete games in 1905. He finished 131–146 with a 2.74 career ERA and 244 complete games. Nicknamed "Handsome Harry" for his looks, his career ended in controversy: as a Browns coach he was implicated in the 1910 Chalmers Award scandal, when the team schemed to help Nap Lajoie overtake Ty Cobb for the batting title. Fired alongside manager Jack O'Connor, Howell never worked in the major leagues again, later umpiring in the Federal League. He is a common but historically colorful subject in the T206 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 | 526 | 14 | 40 | 71 | 117 | 104 | 93 | 87 |
| SGC | 364 | 6 | 11 | 40 | 62 | 66 | 75 | 104 |
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 | 168 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 81 |
| Sweet Caporal | 71 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 25 |
| Old Mill | 22 |
| Polar Bear | 18 |
| Tolstoi | 16 |
| Lenox | 8 |
| Cycle 1911 | 8 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales | 4 |
| Unknown back | 101 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 2 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 5 |
| Lenox 1909-11 | 5 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 19 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 155 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 19 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 26 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 122 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 11 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Harry Howell card?
The Harry Howell (Hand At Waist) 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 St Louis Browns player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 890 examples of the Harry Howell have been graded, with only 20 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Harry Howell come with?
The Harry Howell 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 Harry Howell 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 Harry Howell
More St Louis Browns 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.