1909-11 T206 Hooks Wiltse (Portrait - No Cap)
1909–11 T206 Hooks Wiltse
New York Giants · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Hooks Wiltse (“Portrait - No Cap” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Hooks Wiltse, a member of the historic New York Giants (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 885 examples have been graded, with only 20 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Hooks Wiltse
George LeRoy "Hooks" Wiltse was a left-handed pitcher who broke in with Scranton of the Pennsylvania State League in 1902, starred for Troy in the New York State League, and had his contract sold to the New York Giants after a 20-8 season in 1903. He spent his prime with John McGraw's Giants (1904-1914) before a final year with the Federal League's Brooklyn Tip-Tops in 1915. Wiltse made perhaps the greatest debut in history, winning his first 12 decisions in 1904, and his finest year came in 1908, when he went 23-14 with a 2.24 ERA. On July 4, 1908, he threw a 10-inning no-hitter against Philadelphia, retiring the first 26 batters before an umpire's admitted error cost him a perfect game. Nicknamed "Hooks" for his slick fielding rather than his curve, he pitched behind Christy Mathewson on the 1905 World Champion Giants and finished 139-90 with a 2.47 ERA and 965 strikeouts over 12 seasons. He is not a Hall of Famer.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (5)
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 | 544 | 16 | 20 | 63 | 132 | 101 | 113 | 99 |
| SGC | 341 | 4 | 4 | 40 | 41 | 82 | 50 | 120 |
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 1909 | 111 |
| Piedmont | 108 |
| Sweet Caporal | 65 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 50 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 34 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 32 |
| Sovereign | 17 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 9 |
| Hindu | 9 |
| Old Mill | 7 |
| Unknown back | 89 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Hindu 1909-11 | 12 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 2 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 151 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 46 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 7 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 21 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 62 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 40 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Hooks Wiltse card?
The Hooks Wiltse (Portrait - No Cap) 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 New York Giants player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 885 examples of the Hooks Wiltse 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 Hooks Wiltse come with?
The Hooks Wiltse is confirmed with 5 tobacco-brand backs: Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Hooks Wiltse 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 Hooks Wiltse
More New York Giants 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.