1909–11 T206 John Frill
New York Highlanders · American League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 John Frill is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts John Frill, a member of the historic New York Highlanders (American League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 832 examples have been graded, with only 13 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About John Frill
John Edmond Frill (April 3, 1879 - September 28, 1918) was a left-handed pitcher from Reading, Pennsylvania, who batted right-handed. Frill was primarily a well-traveled minor leaguer, working for a string of Eastern and International League clubs including the Springfield Ponies, Newark, the Jersey City Skeeters, Buffalo Bisons, Toronto Maple Leafs, Albany Senators, and Syracuse Stars. His major-league career was brief: he debuted with the New York Highlanders (the future Yankees) on April 16, 1910, then resurfaced in 1912 for a final go-round split between the St. Louis Browns and Cincinnati Reds. Across those big-league appearances he compiled a modest 3-3 record with a 5.85 ERA and 33 strikeouts, his last outing coming August 21, 1912. Frill was never a star and is not a Hall of Famer; on his T206 card (issued in the scarcer "460 Only" print group) he is one of the set's many obscure everyday professionals. He died at 39 in Westerly, Rhode Island, a victim of the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic.
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 | 512 | 11 | 46 | 74 | 115 | 100 | 91 | 75 |
| SGC | 320 | 2 | 4 | 44 | 57 | 63 | 60 | 90 |
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 1911 | 200 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 89 |
| Sweet Caporal | 68 |
| Polar Bear | 24 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 17 |
| Old Mill | 16 |
| El Principe de Gales | 7 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 7 |
| Lenox | 5 |
| Tolstoi | 3 |
| Cycle 1911 | 1 |
| Uzit | 1 |
| Unknown back | 74 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 4 |
| Cycle 1911 | 3 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 7 |
| Lenox 1909-11 | 6 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 9 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 131 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 28 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 19 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 101 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 11 |
| Uzit 1909-11 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 John Frill card?
The John Frill 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 New York Highlanders player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 832 examples of the John Frill have been graded, with only 13 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 John Frill come with?
The John Frill is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Lenox, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi, Uzit. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 John Frill 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 New York Highlanders 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.