1909-11 T206 Jake Thielman
1909–11 T206 Jake Thielman
Louisville Colonels · American Association · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jake Thielman is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jake Thielman, a member of the historic Louisville Colonels (American Association), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 709 examples have been graded, with only 15 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jake Thielman
John Peter "Jake" Thielman, born May 20, 1879, in St. Cloud, Minnesota, entered pro ball in 1901 as a Pacific Northwest League outfielder for Spokane and Tacoma before taking up pitching in 1902 and bouncing through the Eastern League and the Pacific Coast League. The right-hander reached the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1905, then pitched for the Cleveland Naps (1907-1908) and briefly the Boston Red Sox (1908). Over four big-league seasons he went 30-28 with a 3.16 ERA, 158 strikeouts and 56 complete games in 475-1/3 innings, his best year coming in 1907 (11-8, 2.33) with the Naps, including a shutout of the Phillies among three shutouts. He is shown in the T206 set with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association, where he pitched in 1909 near the end of his career. His younger brother Henry also pitched in the majors. Thielman later worked for a Minneapolis machinery company and died January 28, 1928, at age 48. He is a common, non-Hall-of-Fame subject in the set.
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 | 430 | 13 | 25 | 40 | 93 | 75 | 101 | 83 |
| SGC | 279 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 37 | 56 | 67 | 92 |
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 | 230 |
| Polar Bear | 43 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 35 |
| Sweet Caporal | 23 |
| Cycle 1910 | 12 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 11 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 69 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 9 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 163 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 34 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 14 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 53 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jake Thielman card?
The Jake Thielman 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 Louisville Colonels player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 709 examples of the Jake Thielman have been graded, with only 15 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jake Thielman come with?
The Jake Thielman 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 Jake Thielman 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 Louisville Colonels 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.