1909-11 T206 Jimmy Burke
1909–11 T206 Jimmy Burke
Indianapolis Indians · American Association · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jimmy Burke is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jimmy Burke, a member of the historic Indianapolis Indians (American Association), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1001 examples have been graded, with only 13 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jimmy Burke
James Timothy "Sunset Jimmy" Burke (1874-1942), a St. Louis native, broke into pro ball in the early 1890s on the local Shamrocks sandlot club and turned professional with the Peoria Distillers of the Western Association in 1896. A scrappy, combative third baseman, he debuted in the majors on October 6, 1898, with the Cleveland Spiders, then played for the St. Louis Perfectos, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and finally the St. Louis Cardinals, for whom he was the regular third baseman from 1903 to 1905 and briefly player-manager in 1905. His best year came in 1902 at Pittsburgh (.296); overall he hit .244 across 550 big-league games. By the time this T206 card was issued he was in the minors managing the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association, the team shown on the card. He later coached the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs and managed the St. Louis Browns (1918-1920). Sources give no confirmed origin for the "Sunset Jimmy" nickname.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 613 | 13 | 32 | 94 | 160 | 115 | 124 | 75 |
| SGC | 388 | 0 | 8 | 54 | 64 | 90 | 70 | 102 |
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 | 260 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 88 |
| Sweet Caporal | 46 |
| Old Mill | 29 |
| Polar Bear | 29 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 29 |
| El Principe de Gales | 14 |
| Cycle 1910 | 12 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 10 |
| Carolina Brights | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Unknown back | 89 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 10 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 7 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 15 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 172 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 34 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 28 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 109 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jimmy Burke card?
The Jimmy Burke 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 Indianapolis Indians player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1001 examples of the Jimmy Burke have been graded, with only 13 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jimmy Burke come with?
The Jimmy Burke is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Jimmy Burke 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 Indianapolis Indians 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.