1909–11 T206 Jake Atz
Chicago White Sox · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jake Atz is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jake Atz, a member of the historic Chicago White Sox (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1171 examples have been graded, with only 30 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jake Atz
Jacob Henry "Jake" Atz (1879-1945), a Washington, D.C. native also credited in old sources as John Atz, was a light-hitting second baseman and shortstop who reached the majors for a cup of coffee with the 1902 Washington Senators before catching on with the Chicago White Sox from 1907 to 1909. Across four big-league seasons he appeared in just 209 games and batted .218, a marginal playing record that made him a fringe major leaguer rather than a star. Atz's real fame is bound up in his name: by enduring baseball legend he was born Zimmerman and changed his surname to "Atz" so that, on a low-minors club that paid players alphabetically, he would be near the front of the line before the payroll ran dry—a charming yarn Atz never denied. His lasting legacy came as a manager: skippering the Fort Worth Panthers of the Texas League, he won seven consecutive pennants from 1919 through 1925, and over 27 minor-league seasons compiled a 1,972-1,619 (.549) record, ranking among the most successful bush-league managers of the 1920s. He is one of the T206 set's many obscure common players, not a Hall of Famer.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (12)
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 | 732 | 22 | 54 | 101 | 165 | 130 | 157 | 103 |
| SGC | 439 | 8 | 13 | 40 | 104 | 106 | 71 | 97 |
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 | 319 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 92 |
| Sweet Caporal | 53 |
| Polar Bear | 38 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 34 |
| Old Mill | 24 |
| Cycle 1910 | 13 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 11 |
| El Principe de Gales | 10 |
| Tolstoi | 8 |
| Carolina Brights | 3 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Drum | 2 |
| Unknown back | 122 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 11 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 21 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 229 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 21 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 32 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 101 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 8 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jake Atz card?
The Jake Atz 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 Chicago White Sox player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1171 examples of the Jake Atz have been graded, with only 30 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jake Atz come with?
The Jake Atz is confirmed with 12 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Jake Atz 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 Chicago White Sox 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.