1909-11 T206 Owen Wilson
1909–11 T206 Owen Wilson
Pittsburgh Pirates · National League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Owen Wilson is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Owen Wilson, 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 906 examples have been graded, with only 21 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Owen Wilson
John Owen "Chief" Wilson was born in 1883 on his family's ranch near Bertram, Texas, first pitching for independent clubs before turning outfielder in the Texas League around 1905. On the recommendation of pitcher Babe Adams, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed him and installed him as their right fielder in 1908. Wilson played for the Pirates from 1908 to 1913 and finished with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1914 to 1916, batting .269 with 114 triples, 59 home runs and 571 RBI over his career. As a rookie he helped Pittsburgh win the 1909 National League pennant and the World Series over Detroit, though he hit only .154 in the Series. His crowning feat came in 1912, when he slugged an astounding 36 triples—shattering Dave Orr's old mark and setting a single-season record that still stands today, aided by spacious Forbes Field. Manager Fred Clarke dubbed him "Chief" for his lariat skills and bearing, likening him to a chief of the Texas Rangers, not for any Native ancestry. He died in 1954 on the same Texas ranch where he was born.
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 | 542 | 17 | 32 | 65 | 135 | 109 | 106 | 78 |
| SGC | 364 | 4 | 4 | 42 | 56 | 81 | 65 | 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 | 260 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 85 |
| Sweet Caporal | 53 |
| Old Mill | 15 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 14 |
| El Principe de Gales | 7 |
| Cycle 1910 | 6 |
| Carolina Brights | 6 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Tolstoi | 2 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 88 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 5 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 12 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 17 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 179 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 17 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 119 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Owen Wilson card?
The Owen Wilson 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 906 examples of the Owen Wilson have been graded, with only 21 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Owen Wilson come with?
The Owen Wilson is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Owen Wilson 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 2026-07-01.