1909-11 T206 Monte Cross
1909–11 T206 Monte Cross
Indianapolis Indians · American Association · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Monte Cross is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Monte Cross, a member of the historic Indianapolis Indians (American Association), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 3 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 808 examples have been graded, with only 9 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Monte Cross
Montford Montgomery "Monte" Cross (1869-1934) was a Philadelphia-born shortstop who served as batboy for the 1883 Athletics before turning pro in 1889 with Milford of the Delaware State League. He reached the majors in 1892 with the Baltimore Orioles and spent fifteen seasons with Baltimore, Pittsburgh, the St. Louis Browns, the Philadelphia Phillies (1898-1901), and Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics (1902-1907). A classic dead-ball "all glove, no bat" gloveman with a powerful arm, he hit just .234 over 1,682 games but ranked among the American League's best fielders, regularly leading in putouts and assists. Cross anchored the shortstop position on the pennant-winning 1902 Athletics and the 1905 club that reached the World Series. His T206 card is a scarce "350 Only" subject picturing him not with the Athletics but during his post-major-league stint with the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association, where he played in 1909 as his career wound toward minor-league managing.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (3)
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 | 515 | 9 | 26 | 78 | 141 | 108 | 89 | 64 |
| SGC | 293 | 0 | 4 | 38 | 54 | 71 | 59 | 67 |
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 | 323 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 48 |
| Sweet Caporal | 46 |
| Tolstoi | 2 |
| Unknown back | 96 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Piedmont 1910 | 223 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 66 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Monte Cross card?
The Monte Cross 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 Indianapolis Indians player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 3 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 808 examples of the Monte Cross have been graded, with only 9 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Monte Cross come with?
The Monte Cross is confirmed with 3 tobacco-brand backs: Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Monte Cross 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 Indianapolis Indians 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.