1909-11 T206 J.J. Clarke
1909–11 T206 J.J. Clarke
Cleveland Naps · American League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 J.J. Clarke is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts J.J. Clarke, a member of the historic Cleveland Naps (American League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 870 examples have been graded, with only 16 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About J.J. Clarke
Jay Justin "Nig" Clarke was a Canadian-born catcher from Amherstburg, Ontario, whose T206 card pictures him with the Cleveland Naps. He broke into pro ball with the Corsicana Oil Citys of the Texas League in 1902, where on June 15 he authored one of baseball's most legendary lines, hitting eight home runs in ten at-bats during a 51-3 rout of the Texarkana Casketmakers. Clarke reached the majors in 1905 with Detroit, then spent his best years in Cleveland (1905-1910), later appearing with the St. Louis Browns, Phillies, and Pirates. Over 506 big-league games he batted .254; in 1906 he hit .358, matching George Stone's mark, though Stone kept the AL batting title since Clarke had too few plate appearances. On October 2, 1908, Clarke caught Addie Joss's perfect game, then only the fourth in history. An early adopter of shin guards, he earned his (now-offensive) nickname from newspapers citing his dark complexion. He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (6)
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 | 531 | 14 | 26 | 50 | 146 | 97 | 116 | 82 |
| SGC | 339 | 2 | 5 | 29 | 70 | 72 | 60 | 101 |
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 | 115 |
| Piedmont | 108 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 65 |
| Sweet Caporal | 61 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 23 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 22 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 17 |
| El Principe de Gales | 14 |
| Hindu | 11 |
| Old Mill | 5 |
| Unknown back | 90 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 15 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 10 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 7 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 147 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 34 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 15 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 83 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 28 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 J.J. Clarke card?
The J.J. Clarke 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 Cleveland Naps player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 870 examples of the J.J. Clarke have been graded, with only 16 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 J.J. Clarke come with?
The J.J. Clarke is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 J.J. Clarke 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 Cleveland Naps 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.