1909-11 T206 Howie Camnitz (Arm At Side)
1909–11 T206 Howie Camnitz
Pittsburgh Pirates · National League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Howie Camnitz (“Arm At Side” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Howie Camnitz, a member of the historic Pittsburgh Pirates (National League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 847 examples have been graded, with only 20 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Howie Camnitz
Samuel Howard "Howie" Camnitz, a right-handed pitcher born in Covington, Kentucky in 1881, entered pro ball in 1902 with Greenville of the Cotton States League and dazzled at Vicksburg in 1903 (26-7). He broke in with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1904 and became the staff ace, anchoring Pittsburgh's 1909 World Series championship team with a brilliant 25-6 mark and 1.62 ERA that year. Nicknamed "Rosebud" (or "the Kentucky Rosebud") for his shock of bright red hair, Camnitz strung together three 20-win seasons from 1909 through 1912, including 22 victories in 1912. Over a career spanning 1904 through 1915 he went 133-106 with a 2.75 ERA and 915 strikeouts, splitting his final years between the Phillies and, after jumping to the upstart Federal League, the Pittsburgh Rebels. He retired to Louisville and sold automobiles for four decades. A National League standout of Pittsburgh's dead-ball glory years, Camnitz is a solid Pirates subject in the T206 set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (11)
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 | 509 | 14 | 38 | 73 | 109 | 94 | 111 | 70 |
| SGC | 338 | 6 | 7 | 43 | 64 | 79 | 55 | 84 |
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 1911 | 170 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 101 |
| Sweet Caporal | 61 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 21 |
| Polar Bear | 19 |
| Tolstoi | 15 |
| Old Mill | 13 |
| El Principe de Gales | 10 |
| Lenox | 7 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 6 |
| Cycle 1911 | 3 |
| Unknown back | 83 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 4 |
| Cycle 1911 | 2 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 8 |
| Lenox 1909-11 | 4 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 13 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 132 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 17 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 25 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 116 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 17 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Howie Camnitz card?
The Howie Camnitz (Arm At Side) 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 Pittsburgh Pirates player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 847 examples of the Howie Camnitz 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 Howie Camnitz come with?
The Howie Camnitz is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Lenox, 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 Howie Camnitz 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 Howie Camnitz
More Pittsburgh Pirates 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.