1909-11 T206 Jiggs Donohue
1909–11 T206 Jiggs Donohue
Chicago White Sox · American League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jiggs Donohue is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jiggs Donohue, a member of the historic Chicago White Sox (American League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 3 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 776 examples have been graded, with only 22 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jiggs Donohue
John Augustus "Jiggs" Donahue was a dead-ball first baseman and occasional catcher, born in Springfield, Ohio in 1879. Signed at 17 in 1897 to catch for Marietta of the Ohio-West Virginia League, he reached the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1900, bounced through the young American League and the minors, then settled as the Chicago White Sox's regular first baseman from 1904 to 1908. His nickname came from his teenage days outside a Springfield cigar store, where he danced jig steps when business was slow; customers called him "Jiggers," later shortened to "Jiggs." A career .245 hitter, Donahue was celebrated for his glove: he led American League first basemen in fielding three times and set a major-league record with 1,846 putouts in 1907, a mark that still stands. He was an offensive bright spot for the 1906 "Hitless Wonders" pennant winners, hitting .333 in Chicago's six-game World Series upset of the crosstown Cubs and breaking up Ed Reulbach's no-hit bid in Game Two. His career faded after 1908, and he died young in 1913. Donahue is a common, non-scarce subject within the sprawling T206 set.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (3)
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 | 478 | 16 | 21 | 51 | 116 | 87 | 115 | 72 |
| SGC | 298 | 6 | 5 | 28 | 51 | 63 | 60 | 85 |
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 | 120 |
| Piedmont | 88 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 80 |
| Sweet Caporal | 62 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 17 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| Sovereign | 10 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 10 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 4 |
| Unknown back | 74 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Piedmont 1909 | 145 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 23 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 10 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 25 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 87 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 8 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jiggs Donohue card?
The Jiggs Donohue 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 3 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 776 examples of the Jiggs Donohue have been graded, with only 22 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jiggs Donohue come with?
The Jiggs Donohue is confirmed with 3 tobacco-brand backs: Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Jiggs Donohue 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 2026-07-01.