1909-11 T206 Harry Krause (Pitching)
1909–11 T206 Harry Krause
Philadelphia Athletics · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Harry Krause (“Pitching” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Harry Krause, a member of the historic Philadelphia Athletics (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 9 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 945 examples have been graded, with only 14 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Harry Krause
Harry William "Hal" Krause, a San Francisco native, pitched college ball at St. Mary's College before signing with Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics, debuting in 1908. The left-hander authored one of the great rookie seasons of the deadball era in 1909: he opened the year with ten straight victories, six of them shutouts, and finished 18-8 while leading the American League with a 1.39 ERA — still the lowest earned-run average ever posted by an AL rookie. A sore arm quickly undid him; Krause won just 17 more games over the next three seasons and was through in the majors by 1912, splitting that final year between the Athletics and the Cleveland Naps. He was a member of Philadelphia's 1910 and 1911 World Series champions but did not appear in either Series. His big-league line was 36-26 with a 2.50 ERA over five seasons. Krause then became a Pacific Coast League fixture, pitching well into the 1920s (Portland and the Oakland Oaks) and winning well over 200 PCL games, earning a place in the PCL Hall of Fame. He is a common but genuine deadball-era subject in the T206 set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (9)
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 | 588 | 12 | 59 | 87 | 125 | 117 | 99 | 89 |
| SGC | 357 | 2 | 8 | 45 | 57 | 89 | 78 | 78 |
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 | 315 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 44 |
| Polar Bear | 36 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 36 |
| Sweet Caporal | 25 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Tolstoi | 8 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Unknown back | 107 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 6 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 234 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 21 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 32 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 45 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 12 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Harry Krause card?
The Harry Krause (Pitching) 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 Philadelphia Athletics player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 9 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 945 examples of the Harry Krause have been graded, with only 14 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Harry Krause come with?
The Harry Krause is confirmed with 9 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Harry Krause 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 Krause
More Philadelphia Athletics 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 2026-07-01.