1909–11 T206 Jeff Sweeney
New York Highlanders · American League · 350-460 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jeff Sweeney is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jeff Sweeney, a member of the historic New York Highlanders (American League), and was printed in the 350-460 series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 960 examples have been graded, with only 29 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jeff Sweeney
Cataloged as "Jeff Sweeney" on his T206 card, this New York Highlanders catcher was Edward Francis "Big Ed" Sweeney, born in Chicago in 1888. He climbed through the minors with Columbia in the South Atlantic League (1905-06) and the Atlanta Crackers (1907) before debuting for the Highlanders on May 16, 1908, at age 19. A big, sturdy backstop (6'1"), Sweeney caught for New York from 1908 through 1915 and closed his career with Pittsburgh in 1919, batting .232 with 427 hits, 3 home runs, 151 RBI and 63 steals over 644 games. His best seasons came in 1912-13 (.268 and .265); in 1912 he led all AL catchers in caught stealing. He was Russ Ford's personal batterymate for Ford's emery-ball, and served as a vice president of the Players Fraternity alongside Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson. In 1914 he signed for a reported $9,000, then the largest salary for a catcher. He died in Chicago in 1947. A common, non-Hall-of-Fame subject in the T206 set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 571 | 21 | 39 | 78 | 133 | 97 | 122 | 81 |
| SGC | 389 | 8 | 14 | 56 | 58 | 102 | 50 | 101 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Sweet Caporal | 76 |
| Polar Bear | 66 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 60 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 55 |
| Piedmont | 53 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 34 |
| Old Mill | 32 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 30 |
| Tolstoi | 19 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 19 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 14 |
| El Principe de Gales | 10 |
| Cycle 1911 | 6 |
| Drum | 4 |
| Hindu | 2 |
| Broad Leaf 1911 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 90 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Broad Leaf 1911 | 2 |
| Cycle 1911 | 5 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 14 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 17 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 76 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 35 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 56 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 99 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 48 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 11 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jeff Sweeney card?
The Jeff Sweeney 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 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 960 examples of the Jeff Sweeney have been graded, with only 29 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jeff Sweeney come with?
The Jeff Sweeney is confirmed with 12 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Hindu, 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 Jeff Sweeney 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 2026-08-28.