1909–11 T206 Nick Maddox
Pittsburgh Pirates · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Nick Maddox is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Nick Maddox, a member of the historic Pittsburgh Pirates (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1267 examples have been graded, with only 41 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Nick Maddox
Nick Maddox was a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher who burst onto the scene as one of the great flashes of the deadball era. Born November 9, 1886, in Govanstown, Maryland, he was signed off the semipro circuit by Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss and reached the majors on September 13, 1907, when the 20-year-old threw a two-hit, 14-strikeout shutout of St. Louis in his debut. One week later, on September 20, 1907, he no-hit the Brooklyn Superbas 2-1 at Exposition Park - the first no-hitter in Pittsburgh Pirates history, and he remains the youngest pitcher ever to throw one from the modern 60-foot-6-inch distance. He posted a dazzling 5-1 mark that fall, then went 23-8 with a 2.28 ERA in 1908 and 13-8 in 1909, when he pitched a complete-game victory in Game Three of the World Series to help the Pirates win their first championship over Detroit. Arm trouble ruined him quickly; manager Fred Clarke blamed his overwork, and he was sold to the minors in 1910. Maddox finished 43-20 with a 2.29 ERA over four seasons and died in Pittsburgh on November 27, 1954.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (10)
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 | 789 | 35 | 59 | 101 | 219 | 139 | 142 | 94 |
| SGC | 478 | 6 | 11 | 76 | 66 | 111 | 96 | 112 |
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 | 406 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 73 |
| Sweet Caporal | 64 |
| Polar Bear | 36 |
| El Principe de Gales | 25 |
| Carolina Brights | 17 |
| Cycle 1910 | 15 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Tolstoi | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Unknown back | 132 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 11 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 25 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 299 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 27 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 94 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Nick Maddox card?
The Nick Maddox 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 Pittsburgh Pirates player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1267 examples of the Nick Maddox have been graded, with only 41 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Nick Maddox come with?
The Nick Maddox is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Nick Maddox 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 Pittsburgh Pirates 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.