1909-11 T206 Jack Quinn
1909–11 T206 Jack Quinn
New York Highlanders · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jack Quinn is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jack Quinn, a member of the historic New York Highlanders (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1022 examples have been graded, with only 19 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jack Quinn
Born Johannes Pajkos on July 1, 1883, in Stefurov, Slovakia (then Austria-Hungary), Jack Quinn worked the Pennsylvania coal mines before a chance semipro tryout launched a baseball career of astonishing length. He signed with the New York Highlanders and debuted on April 15, 1909, beating Washington in a complete game — the club and league shown on this T206 card. A right-handed spitballer, Quinn bounced through the majors for 23 seasons with the Highlanders/Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Athletics, and Brooklyn Robins/Dodgers, among others, finishing 247-218. When the spitball was outlawed in 1920, he was one of 17 pitchers grandfathered to keep throwing it for the rest of their careers. Quinn anchored Connie Mack's Athletics dynasty that won pennants in 1929-1931 and the World Series in 1929 and 1930, and in 1931 he led the National League in saves. Famous for his durability, he became the oldest man to start a World Series game (age 46) and to homer in a big-league game (47), pitching in the majors until age 50 in 1933. He is a genuine deadball-era iron man and a solid, storied subject in the T206 set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 626 | 15 | 35 | 79 | 142 | 124 | 141 | 90 |
| SGC | 396 | 4 | 3 | 52 | 66 | 100 | 72 | 99 |
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 | 324 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 62 |
| Sweet Caporal | 57 |
| Polar Bear | 28 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 14 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 11 |
| Cycle 1910 | 10 |
| Tolstoi | 6 |
| Carolina Brights | 3 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 110 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 4 |
| Cycle 1910 | 11 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 234 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 19 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 14 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 103 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jack Quinn card?
The Jack Quinn 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 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1022 examples of the Jack Quinn have been graded, with only 19 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jack Quinn come with?
The Jack Quinn is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Jack Quinn 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 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.