1909-11 T206 Hub Perdue
1909–11 T206 Hub Perdue
Nashville Volunteers · Southern Association · Southern Leaguer print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Hub Perdue is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Hub Perdue, a member of the historic Nashville Volunteers (Southern Association), and was printed in the Southern Leaguer series, known with 3 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 508 examples have been graded, with only 14 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Hub Perdue
Herbert Rodney "Hub" Perdue (1882-1968) was a right-handed pitcher who signed his first pro contract with the Paducah Indians of the Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee (Kitty) League in 1905 for $75 a month. After bouncing around the low minors, he starred for the Nashville Volunteers of the Southern Association from 1907 through 1910 — the team pictured on this T206 "Southern Leaguer" card — where his blazing "smoke ball" earned him a promotion to the majors. Perdue debuted with the Boston Braves in 1911 (6-10), and had his best season in 1913, going 16-13 with a 3.26 ERA. He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals during 1914, thus missing the Braves' "Miracle" pennant that fall, and pitched his last big-league games in 1915, finishing 26-42 in the majors. Sportswriter Grantland Rice hung the enduring nickname "Gallatin Squash" on him in 1912 — a nod both to his hometown of Gallatin, Tennessee, and to his stout, Hubbard-squash-shaped frame after he reported overweight to Nashville. He later returned to the Southern Association, dominating it, and after baseball won election three times as Sumner County clerk. He is not a Hall of Famer, but as one of the set's Southern League subjects he is a scarcer, harder-to-find figure among T206 collectors.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (3)
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 | 305 | 13 | 19 | 29 | 69 | 53 | 58 | 64 |
| SGC | 203 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 34 | 44 | 33 | 74 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Old Mill | 136 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 101 |
| Hindu | 17 |
| Unknown back | 51 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Hindu 1909-11 | 15 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 110 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 78 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Hub Perdue card?
The Hub Perdue 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 Nashville Volunteers player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 3 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 508 examples of the Hub Perdue 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 Hub Perdue come with?
The Hub Perdue is confirmed with 3 tobacco-brand backs: Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Hub Perdue 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 Nashville Volunteers 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.