1909-11 T206 John Anderson
1909–11 T206 John Anderson
Providence Grays · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 John Anderson is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts John Anderson, a member of the historic Providence Grays (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 975 examples have been graded, with only 23 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About John Anderson
John "Honest John" Anderson was a switch-hitting outfielder and first baseman and one of the T206 set's true deadball veterans. Born December 14, 1873, in Sarpsborg, Norway — the first Norwegian-born major leaguer — he emigrated to Worcester, Massachusetts as a boy and broke into pro ball in 1894, first as a pitcher before moving to the outfield. He debuted that September with the Brooklyn Grooms and spent fourteen big-league seasons (1894-1908) with Brooklyn, the Washington Senators, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Browns, New York Highlanders, and Chicago White Sox. A durable run-producer, he led the National League in 1898 with 22 triples and a .494 slugging percentage, tied for the American League stolen-base title with 39 steals in 1906, and finished with a .290 average, 124 triples, 338 stolen bases, and roughly 1,840 hits. Called "Honest John" for rarely arguing with umpires, he was also immortalized by the "John Anderson play," a notorious baserunning blunder that made his name a byword for the mistake. By 1909 he was winding down with the Providence Grays of the Eastern League, the club shown on this card. He died in Worcester in 1949 and is not in the Hall of Fame.
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 | 582 | 18 | 31 | 88 | 154 | 111 | 99 | 81 |
| SGC | 393 | 5 | 8 | 51 | 56 | 108 | 77 | 88 |
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 | 278 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 50 |
| Polar Bear | 39 |
| Sweet Caporal | 32 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 23 |
| Old Mill | 15 |
| El Principe de Gales | 12 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Carolina Brights | 4 |
| Tolstoi | 3 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Unknown back | 110 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 3 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 14 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 11 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 230 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 27 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 24 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 78 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 John Anderson card?
The John Anderson 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 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 975 examples of the John Anderson 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 John Anderson come with?
The John Anderson is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, 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 John Anderson 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 2026-07-01.