1909-11 T206 Phil Poland
1909–11 T206 Phil Poland
Baltimore Orioles · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Phil Poland is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Phil Poland, a member of the historic Baltimore Orioles (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 673 examples have been graded, with only 14 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Phil Poland
Phil Poland (full name Phillip Poland, reportedly born in Massachusetts) was a career minor-league ballplayer whose lone appearance in "big-time" cardboard came in the famed T206 White Border set, where he is pictured with the Baltimore Orioles of the Eastern League. A left fielder who also saw time at third base, Poland spent roughly a decade in the professional minors through 1914, competing in the tough, high-classification Eastern League with the Providence Clamdiggers/Grays and Baltimore before his most productive years came with the Trenton Tigers, for whom he batted .326 in 1913 and .324 in 1914. Over about ten seasons at the A and B levels he compiled a solid .284 lifetime average, finishing with 1,152 games, 4,322 at-bats, 1,229 hits and just 8 home runs, the last figure typical of the deadball era's slap-and-run offense. Poland never reached the major leagues, so no big-league statistics exist for him, and he was not elected to the Hall of Fame. Because he was a minor leaguer rather than a star, his T206 card is a relatively scarce, low-population subject prized by set collectors chasing the full checklist.
Sources: Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (6)
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 | 409 | 10 | 27 | 71 | 104 | 69 | 80 | 48 |
| SGC | 264 | 4 | 4 | 25 | 48 | 71 | 52 | 60 |
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 | 215 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 52 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 28 |
| Sweet Caporal | 22 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Cycle 1910 | 5 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 78 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Cycle 1910 | 10 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 161 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 31 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 53 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Phil Poland card?
The Phil Poland 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 Baltimore Orioles player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 673 examples of the Phil Poland have been graded, with only 14 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Phil Poland come with?
The Phil Poland is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Phil Poland 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 Baltimore Orioles 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.