1909-11 T206 Jack Powell
1909–11 T206 Jack Powell
St Louis Browns · American League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jack Powell is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jack Powell, a member of the historic St Louis Browns (American League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 955 examples have been graded, with only 25 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jack Powell
John Joseph "Jack" Powell, born July 9, 1874 in Bloomington, Illinois, was a stocky right-handed pitcher who entered pro ball with the Fort Wayne Farmers of the Inter-State League in 1896 before the Cleveland Spiders bought his contract. He debuted in 1897 and pitched 16 major-league seasons (through 1912) for the Spiders, the St. Louis Perfectos/Cardinals, the New York Highlanders, and the St. Louis Browns, the club he is pictured with here. A durable workhorse, Powell topped 300 innings in six of seven seasons from 1898 to 1904 (a career-high 390-1/3 in 1904), won 20-plus games four times (23 in both 1899 and 1904), and led the National League with 40 complete games in 1899. He finished 245-254 with a 2.97 ERA and 1,621 strikeouts, remaining the pitcher with the most career wins despite a losing record, largely because he toiled for weak St. Louis teams. He is the Browns' all-time leader in games started, innings, and strikeouts. Powell was the brother-in-law of teammate Jack O'Connor. He is not in the Hall of Fame; his T206 card is a common issue.
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 | 576 | 22 | 18 | 72 | 141 | 114 | 107 | 102 |
| SGC | 379 | 3 | 5 | 37 | 51 | 86 | 73 | 124 |
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 | 133 |
| Piedmont | 115 |
| Sweet Caporal | 65 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 48 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 30 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 29 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 19 |
| El Principe de Gales | 17 |
| Hindu | 11 |
| Old Mill | 9 |
| Unknown back | 100 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 20 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 12 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 3 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 176 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 39 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 16 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 79 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 33 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jack Powell card?
The Jack Powell 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 Browns player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 955 examples of the Jack Powell have been graded, with only 25 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jack Powell come with?
The Jack Powell 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 Jack Powell 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 Browns 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.