1909–11 T206 Ossee Schreck
Columbus Senators · Minor League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Ossee Schreck is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Ossee Schreck, a member of the historic Columbus Senators (Minor League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 9 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1015 examples have been graded, with only 20 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Ossee Schreck
Ossee Schreck — born Freeman Osee Schrecongost in New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1875, his name so long that box scores shortened it to "Schreck" — reached the majors on September 8, 1897 with the Louisville Colonels, in the same game that pitcher Rube Waddell debuted. A catcher who also played first base, he bounced through Cleveland, St. Louis and Boston (where he hit .304 in 1901) before landing with Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics, for whom he starred from 1902 to 1908. Over a big-league career spanning 1897–1908 he batted .271. Schreck is best remembered as the only man who could handle Waddell's erratic pitching, becoming his batterymate, roommate and legendary sidekick; team lore holds a "no crackers in bed" clause was written into a contract to keep the peace between them. He helped the A's to American League pennants in 1902 and 1905, and caught in the 1905 World Series, which Philadelphia lost to John McGraw's New York Giants. Nicknamed "Rocking Horse" after a teammate mangled his surname, Schreck closed out his career in the minors — including a 1909 stint with the Columbus Senators, the club shown on his T206 card — and died in 1914. He is a colorful, non-Hall-of-Fame minor-league subject in the set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (9)
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 | 604 | 17 | 40 | 82 | 140 | 126 | 115 | 84 |
| SGC | 411 | 3 | 7 | 45 | 71 | 94 | 86 | 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 | 351 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 53 |
| Sweet Caporal | 47 |
| Polar Bear | 37 |
| Cycle 1910 | 11 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 9 |
| Tolstoi | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 88 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 13 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 9 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 271 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 33 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 79 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Ossee Schreck card?
The Ossee Schreck 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 Columbus Senators player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 9 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1015 examples of the Ossee Schreck have been graded, with only 20 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Ossee Schreck come with?
The Ossee Schreck is confirmed with 9 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Ossee Schreck 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 Columbus Senators 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.