1909–11 T206 Jack Bliss
St Louis Cardinals · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jack Bliss is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jack Bliss, a member of the historic St Louis Cardinals (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 994 examples have been graded, with only 27 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jack Bliss
John Joseph Albert "Jack" Bliss was a right-handed catcher and, per local history, the first major leaguer from Vancouver, Washington, where he was born on January 9, 1882. He worked his way up through the Pacific Coast League — then a top-tier minor league — catching for clubs including the Oakland Oaks and San Francisco Seals before reaching the majors. Bliss debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals on May 10, 1908, and spent all or part of five National League seasons with St. Louis through 1912. A light-hitting backstop, he was mostly a reserve but served as the Cardinals' primary catcher in 1911. Over 241 big-league games he batted .219 with 143 hits, 3 home runs, and 61 RBIs — no titles, pennants, or postseason play. Sold back to the Coast League in 1912, he later coached and ran a citrus ranch near Temple City, California, where he died on October 23, 1968. He is not in the Hall of Fame. His T206 catcher card, one of the set's common commons, was issued in the 350-only series.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (10)
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 | 613 | 21 | 54 | 71 | 153 | 123 | 120 | 71 |
| SGC | 381 | 6 | 9 | 52 | 72 | 96 | 63 | 83 |
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 | 248 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 76 |
| Sweet Caporal | 52 |
| Polar Bear | 38 |
| Old Mill | 34 |
| El Principe de Gales | 21 |
| Carolina Brights | 8 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Unknown back | 118 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 11 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 4 |
| Cycle 1910 | 6 |
| Drum 1910 | 2 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 20 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 20 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 178 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 31 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 108 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jack Bliss card?
The Jack Bliss 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 St Louis Cardinals player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 994 examples of the Jack Bliss have been graded, with only 27 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jack Bliss come with?
The Jack Bliss is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Jack Bliss 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 St Louis Cardinals 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.