1909-11 T206 Jimmy Lavender
1909–11 T206 Jimmy Lavender
Providence Grays · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Jimmy Lavender is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Jimmy Lavender, a member of the historic Providence Grays (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 997 examples have been graded, with only 26 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Jimmy Lavender
Born in Georgia in 1884, spitball pitcher Jimmy Lavender entered pro ball in 1906 with Cordele of the Class-D Georgia State League, having taught himself the wet pitch from written accounts of Ed Walsh and other masters. He climbed through Danville, Holyoke, and the Providence Grays of the Eastern League (1909-1911) — the club pictured on this T206 card — before the Chicago Cubs bought his contract. The right-hander debuted April 23, 1912, and pitched for the Cubs through 1916, closing his career with the 1917 Philadelphia Phillies. In the majors he went 63-76 with a 3.09 ERA and 10 shutouts across 224 games. His two signature days both came against the New York Giants: on July 8, 1912, he beat Rube Marquard 7-2 to snap the Hall of Famer's celebrated 19-game winning streak, and on August 31, 1915, he threw a no-hitter, a 2-0 gem marred only by a seventh-inning walk. He retired after 1917 and died in Cartersville, Georgia, in 1960. Lavender is a common, affordable T206 subject rather than one of the set's scarce stars.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 594 | 23 | 31 | 68 | 169 | 102 | 128 | 73 |
| SGC | 403 | 3 | 7 | 41 | 63 | 110 | 69 | 110 |
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 | 272 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 65 |
| Sweet Caporal | 47 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 30 |
| Polar Bear | 27 |
| Old Mill | 19 |
| El Principe de Gales | 10 |
| Carolina Brights | 7 |
| Cycle 1910 | 3 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 2 |
| Tolstoi | 2 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 108 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 5 |
| Cycle 1910 | 3 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 11 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 8 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 221 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 33 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 23 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 88 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Jimmy Lavender card?
The Jimmy Lavender 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 Providence Grays player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 997 examples of the Jimmy Lavender have been graded, with only 26 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Jimmy Lavender come with?
The Jimmy Lavender is confirmed with 12 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, 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 Jimmy Lavender 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 Providence Grays 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.