1909–11 T206 John Ganzel
Rochester Bronchos · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 John Ganzel is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts John Ganzel, a member of the historic Rochester Bronchos (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1163 examples have been graded, with only 26 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About John Ganzel
John Henry Ganzel (April 7, 1874 - January 14, 1959) was a first baseman and manager whose T206 card depicts him as player-manager of the minor-league Rochester Bronchos. Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the younger brother of veteran big-league catcher Charlie Ganzel, he reached the majors in 1898 and played parts of eight seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1898), Chicago Cubs (1900), New York Giants (1902), New York Highlanders (1903-04), and Cincinnati Reds (1907-08), batting .251 with 18 home runs and 336 RBIs over 747 games. His signature moment came on May 11, 1903, when he hit the first home run in New York Highlanders (later Yankees) franchise history, a fifth-inning solo shot off Detroit's George Mullin. Ganzel served as Cincinnati's player-manager in 1908, then took over Rochester, where he steered the Bronchos to three consecutive Eastern League pennants in 1909-1911. He later managed the Federal League's Brooklyn Tip-Tops (1915) and became one of the era's highest-paid minor-league skippers. As an Eastern League subject in the scarcer "350 Only" series, his card is one of T206's minor-league entries.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (8)
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 | 733 | 22 | 52 | 92 | 191 | 123 | 154 | 99 |
| SGC | 430 | 4 | 15 | 52 | 86 | 92 | 75 | 106 |
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 | 390 |
| Sweet Caporal | 77 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 63 |
| Polar Bear | 27 |
| Cycle 1910 | 12 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Carolina Brights | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 5 |
| Tolstoi | 3 |
| Unknown back | 137 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 11 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 7 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 286 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 26 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 85 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 John Ganzel card?
The John Ganzel 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 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1163 examples of the John Ganzel have been graded, with only 26 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 John Ganzel come with?
The John Ganzel is confirmed with 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 John Ganzel 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 2026-08-28.