1909-11 T206 Joe Kelley
1909–11 T206 Joe Kelley
Toronto Maple Leafs · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Joe Kelley is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Joe Kelley, a member of the historic Toronto Maple Leafs (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1398 examples have been graded, with only 21 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Joe Kelley
Joe Kelley signed his first pro contract with Lowell of the New England League in 1891 and reached the majors that same year, soon settling in as a star left fielder. From 1892 to 1898 he anchored the fabled Baltimore Orioles, joining John McGraw, Willie Keeler, and Hughie Jennings as the "Big Four" of a club that won three straight National League pennants (1894-1896) and the 1896 Temple Cup; he later added pennants with Brooklyn in 1899 and 1900. Over 17 big-league seasons he batted .317 with 443 stolen bases, topping the .300 mark eleven straight years, hitting .393 in 1894, and leading the majors with 87 steals in 1896. Handsome and popular, he was dubbed "Kingpin of the Orioles" and "Handsome Joe" by Baltimore admirers. He became a player-manager for Cincinnati and Boston, then piloted the Eastern League's Toronto Maple Leafs (the team on this T206 card) to pennants. Kelley was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1971.
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 | 822 | 16 | 28 | 78 | 181 | 160 | 170 | 189 |
| SGC | 576 | 5 | 7 | 32 | 70 | 134 | 109 | 219 |
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 | 350 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 89 |
| Sweet Caporal | 74 |
| Polar Bear | 49 |
| Old Mill | 40 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 23 |
| El Principe de Gales | 11 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 6 |
| Tolstoi | 3 |
| Carolina Brights | 1 |
| Unknown back | 163 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 9 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 13 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 19 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 312 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 52 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 22 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 137 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Joe Kelley card?
The Joe Kelley 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 Toronto Maple Leafs player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1398 examples of the Joe Kelley have been graded, with only 21 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Joe Kelley come with?
The Joe Kelley 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 Joe Kelley 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 Toronto Maple Leafs 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.