1909–11 T206 Jim Stephens
St Louis Browns · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jim Stephens is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jim Stephens, a member of the historic St Louis Browns (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 985 examples have been graded, with only 23 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jim Stephens
James Walter Stephens was a deadball-era catcher who spent his entire six-year major-league career with the St. Louis Browns of the American League. Born December 10, 1883, in Salineville, Ohio, he entered pro ball in the minors, catching for the Altoona Mountaineers of the Tri-State League in 1905 and then the Dallas Giants of the Texas League in 1906 before joining the Browns. He debuted on April 11, 1907, and played through 1912. A light-hitting backstop valued for his defense, Stephens was mostly a reserve who took over as the regular catcher in 1910 and again in 1912. A weak hitter, he batted .220 for his career with 276 hits and 97 RBI, and all three of his career home runs came in the 1909 season. Baseball-reference sources record his nickname as "Little Nemo," though its origin is not well documented. Stephens later returned to the minors, catching into 1917, and died January 2, 1965, in Oxford, Alabama, at age 81. He is one of the set's many common, obscure everyday players rather than a scarce or Hall-of-Fame subject.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (11)
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 | 601 | 18 | 34 | 99 | 147 | 122 | 102 | 79 |
| SGC | 384 | 5 | 5 | 40 | 65 | 107 | 70 | 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 | 302 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 66 |
| Sweet Caporal | 54 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 30 |
| Old Mill | 22 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales | 4 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 3 |
| Carolina Brights | 3 |
| Unknown back | 113 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 3 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 3 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 5 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 19 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 234 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 26 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 87 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jim Stephens card?
The Jim Stephens 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 St Louis Browns player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 985 examples of the Jim Stephens have been graded, with only 23 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jim Stephens come with?
The Jim Stephens is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Jim Stephens 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 St Louis Browns 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.