1909-11 T206 John Butler
1909–11 T206 John Butler
Rochester Bronchos · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 John Butler is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts John Butler, a member of the historic Rochester Bronchos (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 706 examples have been graded, with only 22 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About John Butler
John Albert Butler was a right-handed catcher of the deadball era, born July 26, 1879, in Boston, Massachusetts, where he also died on February 2, 1950. A Fordham University man, he reached the majors briefly during a career built mostly in the minors. He debuted September 28, 1901, with the American League's Milwaukee Brewers, later appearing with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1904 and the Brooklyn Superbas in 1906 and 1907, catching his final big-league game on June 14, 1907. His major-league bat never took hold: across those scattered stints he posted a .134 average with no home runs and just 3 RBIs, marking him as a career minor-leaguer rather than an established regular. He spent years behind the plate for clubs such as the Jersey City Skeeters, Kansas City Cowboys and Blues, Toledo Mud Hens, and the Rochester Bronchos of the Eastern League—the team pictured on this Piedmont-350-series T206. After his playing days he coached for the Chicago White Sox. His card is a common, lower-profile subject in the set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (6)
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 | 440 | 20 | 16 | 66 | 114 | 68 | 89 | 67 |
| SGC | 266 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 39 | 74 | 57 | 64 |
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 | 225 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 46 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 39 |
| Sweet Caporal | 37 |
| Cycle 1910 | 10 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Unknown back | 76 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 166 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 27 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 57 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 John Butler card?
The John Butler 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 Rochester Bronchos player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 706 examples of the John Butler have been graded, with only 22 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 John Butler come with?
The John Butler is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 John Butler 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 Rochester Bronchos 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.