1909-11 T206 Heinie Berger
1909–11 T206 Heinie Berger
Cleveland Naps · American League · 350-460 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Heinie Berger is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Heinie Berger, a member of the historic Cleveland Naps (American League), and was printed in the 350-460 series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 907 examples have been graded, with only 15 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Heinie Berger
Charles Carl "Heinie" Berger, born January 7, 1882 in LaSalle, Illinois, was a right-handed pitcher who reached the majors after starring in the minors. Following semi-pro ball, he won 25 and 28 games for the Columbus Senators of the American Association in 1905 and 1906, earning a look from Cleveland. Berger spent his entire big-league career with the Cleveland Naps, debuting May 6, 1907 and pitching four seasons through July 22, 1910. His finest years came in 1908 and 1909, winning 13 games each season; in 1909 he led the American League in strikeouts per nine innings (5.90), fanned 162 batters (third in the league), and also led the AL in wild pitches. He finished 32-29 with a sharp 2.60 ERA and 337 strikeouts over 68 starts. "Heinie" was a common nickname for players of German heritage in that era. He died February 10, 1954 in Lakewood, Ohio. A solid but non-star pitcher, Berger is one of the many common, affordable subjects in the T206 White Border set rather than a scarce card.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 524 | 11 | 39 | 67 | 137 | 96 | 95 | 79 |
| SGC | 383 | 4 | 12 | 45 | 70 | 93 | 67 | 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 |
|---|---|
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 70 |
| Sweet Caporal | 70 |
| Piedmont | 61 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 54 |
| Polar Bear | 52 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 25 |
| Old Mill | 24 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 22 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 18 |
| Tolstoi | 17 |
| El Principe de Gales | 11 |
| Uzit | 7 |
| Cycle 1911 | 6 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 5 |
| Unknown back | 82 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 6 |
| Cycle 1911 | 5 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 7 |
| Lenox 1909-11 | 1 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 24 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 84 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 56 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 49 |
| Sovereign 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 12 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 90 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 35 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 10 |
| Uzit 1909-11 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Heinie Berger card?
The Heinie Berger 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 Cleveland Naps player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 907 examples of the Heinie Berger have been graded, with only 15 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Heinie Berger come with?
The Heinie Berger is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi, Uzit. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Heinie Berger 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 Cleveland Naps 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.