1909-11 T206 Lee Quillen
1909–11 T206 Lee Quillen
Minneapolis Millers · American Association · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Lee Quillen is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Lee Quillen, a member of the historic Minneapolis Millers (American Association), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1009 examples have been graded, with only 16 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Lee Quillen
Leon Abner "Lee" Quillin (the T206 card spells the name "Quillen") was a speedy utility infielder born in North Branch, Minnesota, in 1882. He entered pro ball as a teenager on Minnesota sandlots and joined the Minneapolis Millers of the new American Association in 1902, the club shown on this card. A superb baserunner, he starred across the Western League and American Association for more than a decade, hitting over .300 in several seasons and helping five clubs to pennants. His best year came in 1910, when he batted .316 with 45 stolen bases and scored 133 runs for the Western League champion Sioux City Packers. Quillin reached the majors with the Chicago White Sox, appearing in four late-season games for the 1906 "Hitless Wonders" pennant winners (though not in that year's World Series) and then playing about 53 games at third base in 1907, hitting only in the low .200s before returning to the minors. Beloved in Minneapolis for his all-out, "plays-every-minute" style, he was a career minor-league standout who never quite stuck in the big leagues; he later umpired into the 1930s. As a common minor-leaguer, his T206 is not a scarce or high-value subject.
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 | 621 | 15 | 38 | 90 | 171 | 129 | 112 | 66 |
| SGC | 388 | 1 | 11 | 57 | 72 | 82 | 60 | 105 |
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 | 281 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 63 |
| Sweet Caporal | 39 |
| Polar Bear | 37 |
| Old Mill | 28 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 28 |
| El Principe de Gales | 9 |
| Tolstoi | 8 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Carolina Brights | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 105 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 7 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 13 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 15 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 218 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 27 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 24 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 70 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Lee Quillen card?
The Lee Quillen 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 Minneapolis Millers player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1009 examples of the Lee Quillen have been graded, with only 16 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Lee Quillen come with?
The Lee Quillen 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 Lee Quillen 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 Minneapolis Millers 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.