1909-11 T206 Ira Thomas
1909–11 T206 Ira Thomas
Philadelphia Athletics · American League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Ira Thomas is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Ira Thomas, a member of the historic Philadelphia Athletics (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 923 examples have been graded, with only 15 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Ira Thomas
Ira Felix Thomas (January 22, 1881 - October 11, 1958) was a deadball-era catcher born in Ballston Spa, New York. He broke into professional ball around 1902 in the Class D Connecticut League and reached the majors on May 18, 1906 with the New York Highlanders. After stops with the Highlanders (1906-07) and Detroit Tigers (1908) - where he delivered the first pinch-hit in World Series history in Game 1 of the 1908 Series - Connie Mack purchased him for $4,000, and he became the Philadelphia Athletics' primary backstop (1909-1915). A cerebral game-caller renowned for handling pitchers and studying baserunners, Thomas anchored Mack's "inside baseball" dynasty, catching the A's to World Series championships in 1910, 1911, and 1913 and the 1914 American League pennant. Mack said, "Ira can get more out of a pitcher than any other catcher I ever knew." He batted .242 with 327 hits over 484 games across ten seasons, served as team captain, then coached and scouted for the Athletics until 1955. Thomas is a common subject in the 1909-1911 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 | 553 | 12 | 24 | 58 | 123 | 103 | 140 | 93 |
| SGC | 370 | 3 | 1 | 36 | 64 | 80 | 65 | 121 |
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 | 256 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 75 |
| Sweet Caporal | 66 |
| Old Mill | 22 |
| Carolina Brights | 12 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 11 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 10 |
| El Principe de Gales | 10 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 86 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 7 |
| Cycle 1909-11 | 1 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 8 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 20 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 195 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 19 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 112 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Ira Thomas card?
The Ira Thomas 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 Philadelphia Athletics player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 923 examples of the Ira Thomas 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 Ira Thomas come with?
The Ira Thomas is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Ira Thomas 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 Philadelphia Athletics 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.