1909-11 T206 Jack Knight (Portrait)
1909–11 T206 Jack Knight
New York Highlanders · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jack Knight (“Portrait” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jack Knight, a member of the historic New York Highlanders (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 768 examples have been graded, with only 9 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jack Knight
John Wesley "Jack" Knight was a Philadelphia-born infielder who reached the majors straight out of Central High School, signed by Connie Mack's Athletics in January 1905 after Harry Davis spotted him playing sandlot ball under an assumed name. That path gave him his nickname, "Schoolboy" — a moniker he insisted on his Hall of Fame questionnaire he was "the original" to carry. A versatile fielder who manned shortstop, second, third, and first base, he broke in with the Philadelphia Athletics (1905-06), then bounced to the Boston Americans (1907) and the New York Highlanders (1909-11), with later stops at Washington (1912) and back with New York (1913). His finest year came in 1910 in New York, when he hit .312, and he drove in a career-high 62 runs in 1911. Over eight big-league seasons he batted .239 with 636 hits and 270 RBIs. A cultured man who studied dentistry and sang bass in a glee club, Knight starred another 15 years in the minors, hitting over .300 across a decade in the Pacific Coast and Western leagues. He is a common but genuine subject in the landmark T206 set, appearing in both a portrait and a "with bat" pose. He was not elected to the Hall of Fame.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (8)
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 | 464 | 7 | 36 | 65 | 112 | 88 | 91 | 65 |
| SGC | 304 | 2 | 5 | 31 | 46 | 82 | 52 | 86 |
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 | 275 |
| Polar Bear | 41 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 27 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 21 |
| Sweet Caporal | 10 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 71 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 3 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 199 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 39 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 31 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 18 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jack Knight card?
The Jack Knight (Portrait) 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 New York Highlanders player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 768 examples of the Jack Knight have been graded, with only 9 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jack Knight come with?
The Jack Knight is confirmed with 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Jack Knight 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 Jack Knight
More New York Highlanders 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.