1909-11 T206 Mike Donlin (Seated)
1909–11 T206 Mike Donlin
New York Giants · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Mike Donlin (“Seated” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Mike Donlin, a member of the historic New York Giants (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 939 examples have been graded, with only 26 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Mike Donlin
Born in Peoria, Illinois in 1878, Mike Donlin came out of California semipro ball and Santa Cruz to reach the majors with the St. Louis Perfectos in July 1899. A left-handed-hitting outfielder and masterful curveball hitter with power to all fields, he starred over parts of 12 seasons (1899-1914) for St. Louis, the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati, the New York Giants, Boston, and Pittsburgh. His finest year was 1905, when he hit .356, led the National League in runs scored, and helped John McGraw's Giants to the pennant and a World Series title over Connie Mack's Athletics, batting .263 in the Series. He hit .334 (second in the NL) in his 1908 comeback after sitting out 1907. Nicknamed "Turkey Mike" for the strutting, red-necked walk fans and kids imitated, he retired with a .333 lifetime average and 1,282 hits. Married to stage star Mabel Hite, he left baseball at his peak for vaudeville and later Hollywood. He died in 1933.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (5)
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 | 566 | 23 | 35 | 69 | 140 | 100 | 119 | 80 |
| SGC | 373 | 3 | 9 | 38 | 64 | 82 | 68 | 109 |
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 1909 | 112 |
| Piedmont | 104 |
| Sweet Caporal | 60 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 52 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 43 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 30 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 16 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 14 |
| Old Mill | 11 |
| Sovereign | 9 |
| El Principe de Gales | 8 |
| Unknown back | 107 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 14 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 7 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 160 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 58 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 16 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 18 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 61 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 38 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Mike Donlin card?
The Mike Donlin (Seated) 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 Giants player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 939 examples of the Mike Donlin 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 Mike Donlin come with?
The Mike Donlin is confirmed with 5 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Mike Donlin 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 Mike Donlin
More New York Giants 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.