1909–11 T206 Joe Birmingham
Cleveland Naps · American League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Joe Birmingham is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Joe Birmingham, a member of the historic Cleveland Naps (American League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 977 examples have been graded, with only 11 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Joe Birmingham
A football star at Cornell, Joe Birmingham left college to sign with the Class B Amsterdam-Gloversville-Johnstown Jags in 1906, hitting .303, and reached the majors that September with the Cleveland Naps. A center fielder, he spent his entire big-league career in Cleveland (1906-1914), batting a modest .253 over nine seasons with only seven home runs. His bat was light, but his arm was legendary: he led American League center fielders in assists in 1907, 1908, and 1909, and one writer doubted "any outfielder ever lived who could throw further" with such accuracy. That cannon earned him the nickname "Mauser Arm Dode," after the German rifle. His best year was 1911 (.304, 136 hits). In September 1912 he became the Naps' player-manager, sparking a 21-7 finish, then guided the 1913 club to third place (86-66) behind Shoeless Joe Jackson. He compiled a 170-191 managerial record before being fired in 1915, and later scouted and umpired. Birmingham died in 1946.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (5)
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 | 570 | 10 | 33 | 63 | 119 | 116 | 122 | 107 |
| SGC | 407 | 1 | 3 | 44 | 78 | 76 | 79 | 126 |
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 | 112 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 104 |
| Sweet Caporal | 71 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 70 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 37 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 36 |
| Sovereign | 16 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 15 |
| Hindu | 13 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 6 |
| Old Mill | 4 |
| Unknown back | 86 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Hindu 1909-11 | 8 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 2 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 158 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 67 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 8 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 24 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 91 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 47 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Joe Birmingham card?
The Joe Birmingham 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 Cleveland Naps player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 977 examples of the Joe Birmingham have been graded, with only 11 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Joe Birmingham come with?
The Joe Birmingham is confirmed with 5 tobacco-brand backs: Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Joe Birmingham 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 Cleveland Naps 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.