1909–11 T206 Paul Davidson
Indianapolis Indians · American Association · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Paul Davidson is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Paul Davidson, a member of the historic Indianapolis Indians (American Association), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1054 examples have been graded, with only 31 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Paul Davidson
Robert Paul Davidson (born November 30, 1886, in Lafayette, Indiana; died March 11, 1940, in Morris, Illinois) was an outfielder who spent his entire professional career in the minor leagues and never reached the majors. He broke into pro ball in 1904 and played eight seasons through 1911, appearing mostly in the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (the "Three-I League"). His stops included the Dubuque Shamrocks (1905), the Dubuque Dubs (1906), and, late in his career, the 1911 Dubuque Hustlers. In 1909 he moved up to the Indianapolis Indians of the higher-classification American Association, and it was in his 1909 Indianapolis uniform that he was pictured for his T206 card. Over his documented minor-league career he played 911 games with 3,402 at-bats and batted .260. After baseball he worked as a railroad telegraph operator and station agent at Seneca, Illinois, ran a motion-picture theater, and owned Davidson Motors, an auto dealership in Morris, Illinois. As an obscure minor-leaguer, his T206 card is a common but genuine piece of the set's deep American Association subset.
Sources: Baseball-Reference
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 | 643 | 26 | 41 | 101 | 153 | 134 | 113 | 75 |
| SGC | 411 | 5 | 8 | 51 | 66 | 99 | 80 | 102 |
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 | 294 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 62 |
| Sweet Caporal | 59 |
| Polar Bear | 40 |
| El Principe de Gales | 21 |
| Tolstoi | 14 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Carolina Brights | 11 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Unknown back | 121 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 13 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 5 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 4 |
| Cycle 1910 | 13 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 18 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 2 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 225 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 32 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 89 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 9 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Paul Davidson card?
The Paul Davidson 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 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1054 examples of the Paul Davidson have been graded, with only 31 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Paul Davidson come with?
The Paul Davidson 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 Paul Davidson 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 2026-08-28.