1909–11 T206 Harry Howell
St Louis Browns · American League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Harry Howell (“Portrait” 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 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 926 examples have been graded, with only 23 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 (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 | 562 | 17 | 44 | 69 | 155 | 107 | 102 | 68 |
| SGC | 364 | 6 | 7 | 42 | 57 | 97 | 64 | 91 |
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 | 322 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 67 |
| Sweet Caporal | 36 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| Tolstoi | 9 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 102 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 248 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 15 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 81 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Harry Howell card?
The Harry Howell (Portrait) 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 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 926 examples of the Harry Howell have been graded, with only 23 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 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, 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.