1909–11 T206 Otto Knabe
Philadelphia Phillies · National League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Otto Knabe is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Otto Knabe, a member of the historic Philadelphia Phillies (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 904 examples have been graded, with only 15 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Otto Knabe
Franz Otto Knabe, born in 1884 near Pittsburgh, broke into pro ball with Colorado Springs of the Western League in 1905 and reached the majors that October with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Claimed by the Philadelphia Phillies, he took over at second base in May 1907 and held the job for seven seasons (1907-1913), teaming with shortstop Mickey Doolan in one of the Deadball Era's most notorious double-play combinations. A short, stocky, aggressive right-handed hitter, Knabe was a batting-second specialist who mastered the sacrifice game, leading the National League in sacrifice hits four times (1907-08, 1910, 1913) and setting a Phillies club record; he drew MVP votes three straight years, 1911-1913. Nicknamed "Dutch," a common tag for German-Americans of the day, he jumped to the outlaw Federal League in 1914 as player-manager of the Baltimore Terrapins, running that short-lived franchise both of its seasons. Over 1,278 big-league games he batted .247 with 1,103 hits before finishing with the 1916 Cubs. He died in Philadelphia in 1961.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (8)
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 | 561 | 13 | 32 | 69 | 129 | 108 | 120 | 90 |
| SGC | 343 | 2 | 11 | 29 | 61 | 89 | 57 | 94 |
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 | 325 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 63 |
| Sweet Caporal | 50 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 11 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 9 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Tolstoi | 7 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 87 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 5 |
| Drum 1910 | 2 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 233 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 78 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Otto Knabe card?
The Otto Knabe 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 Philadelphia Phillies player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 904 examples of the Otto Knabe have been graded, with only 15 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Otto Knabe come with?
The Otto Knabe is confirmed with 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Otto Knabe 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 Philadelphia Phillies 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.