1909-11 T206 Lou Fiene (Portrait)
1909–11 T206 Lou Fiene
Chicago White Sox · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Lou Fiene (“Portrait” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Lou Fiene, a member of the historic Chicago White Sox (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1033 examples have been graded, with only 23 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Lou Fiene
Louis Henry Fiene, a right-handed pitcher born December 29, 1884, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, turned pro in 1904 and worked his way up through the minor leagues, pitching for Toledo in 1905 before the Chicago White Sox purchased his contract. He debuted with the White Sox on April 21, 1906, and pitched for the club across four seasons (1906-1909), though he never stuck as a regular, appearing in only 26 big-league games. His major-league line was modest: a 3-8 record and a 3.85 ERA over 138 innings, with 54 strikeouts and one save. Fiene's best work came in the minors, where he won 20 games for the Minneapolis Millers in 1908 to earn another look with Chicago. After arm trouble, he even shifted to first base and the outfield to keep playing. Standing an even six feet, he was nicknamed "Big Finn." He made his final big-league appearance on August 15, 1909, and died in Chicago on December 22, 1964. Fiene is one of the T206 set's many obscure deadball-era common cards, not a Hall of Famer.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 643 | 21 | 49 | 104 | 141 | 105 | 146 | 77 |
| SGC | 390 | 2 | 7 | 47 | 84 | 84 | 70 | 96 |
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 | 265 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 76 |
| Sweet Caporal | 57 |
| Polar Bear | 36 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 34 |
| Old Mill | 30 |
| Cycle 1910 | 14 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 10 |
| El Principe de Gales | 6 |
| Carolina Brights | 2 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 112 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 9 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 6 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 12 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 183 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 29 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 43 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 98 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Lou Fiene card?
The Lou Fiene (Portrait) 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 Chicago White Sox player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1033 examples of the Lou Fiene 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 Lou Fiene come with?
The Lou Fiene is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Lou Fiene 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.
Other poses of Lou Fiene
More Chicago White Sox 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.