1909-11 T206 Herman Armbruster
1909–11 T206 Herman Armbruster
St Paul Saints · American Association · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Herman Armbruster is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Herman Armbruster, a member of the historic St Paul Saints (American Association), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 774 examples have been graded, with only 10 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Herman Armbruster
Henry Gregory "Harry" Armbruster (March 20, 1882 – December 10, 1953) was a deadball-era outfielder who spent almost his whole career in the high minors. Born in Liverpool (Valley City), Ohio, he broke into pro ball in 1902 with the Providence Grays of the Class-A Eastern League and played mostly center field. His lone major-league season came in 1906 with Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics, where he hit .238 with 63 hits, 2 home runs, 24 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 91 games before being released. He then starred in the American Association: with the Toledo Mud Hens (1907–08) Sporting Life called him "the best outfielder and hitter in the American Association," and Toledo sold him to the St. Paul Saints, for whom he batted .283 in 1909 — the club pictured on this card. He closed out with the Syracuse Stars (1910–11), finishing a roughly nine-year minor-league career with a .292 average over nearly 4,000 at-bats. Nicknamed "Army," a play on his surname, Armbruster was never a Hall of Famer; he is one of the T206 set's many common, obscure minor-league subjects. (His card is often captioned "Herman," but the player is Harry Armbruster.)
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 | 470 | 9 | 20 | 73 | 118 | 81 | 101 | 68 |
| SGC | 304 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 53 | 86 | 59 | 77 |
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 | 225 |
| Polar Bear | 41 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 40 |
| Sweet Caporal | 39 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 32 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Cycle 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 77 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1909-11 | 1 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1909-11 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 3 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 175 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 31 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 36 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 52 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Herman Armbruster card?
The Herman Armbruster 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 Paul Saints player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 774 examples of the Herman Armbruster have been graded, with only 10 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Herman Armbruster come with?
The Herman Armbruster is confirmed with 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Herman Armbruster 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 St Paul Saints 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.