1909-11 T206 Ray Demmitt (New York)
1909–11 T206 Ray Demmitt
New York Highlanders · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Ray Demmitt (“New York” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Ray Demmitt, a member of the historic New York Highlanders (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 846 examples have been graded, with only 21 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Ray Demmitt
Charles Raymond "Ray" Demmitt (1884-1956) was a right-handed outfielder from Illiopolis, Illinois, who reached the majors after attending the University of Illinois. He debuted with the New York Highlanders (forerunner of the Yankees) on April 12, 1909, and went on to a scattered ten-year big-league career, also playing for the St. Louis Browns (1910 and 1917-1919), the Detroit Tigers (1914) and the Chicago White Sox (1914-1915). A journeyman rather than a star, Demmitt was a .257 career hitter with 419 hits and just 8 home runs across the low-scoring deadball era, his best season coming in 1918 when he batted .281 for St. Louis. He never played on a pennant winner and won no individual titles. Demmitt is best remembered by collectors for the T206 set itself: traded to St. Louis after the 1909 season, he appears in this card's common "New York" pose (No. 124), while the corresponding rare "St. Louis" variation - printed only on scarce Polar Bear backs to reflect his move - is one of the set's celebrated scarcities, with only a few hundred known.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (5)
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 | 518 | 18 | 30 | 80 | 129 | 79 | 104 | 78 |
| SGC | 328 | 3 | 11 | 49 | 45 | 89 | 44 | 87 |
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 | 293 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 55 |
| Sweet Caporal | 33 |
| El Principe de Gales | 20 |
| Tolstoi | 13 |
| Carolina Brights | 7 |
| Unknown back | 97 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 3 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 19 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 244 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 50 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 11 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Ray Demmitt card?
The Ray Demmitt (New York) 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 New York Highlanders player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 846 examples of the Ray Demmitt 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 Ray Demmitt come with?
The Ray Demmitt is confirmed with 5 tobacco-brand backs: Carolina Brights, El Principe de Gales, Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Ray Demmitt 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.
Other poses of Ray Demmitt
More New York Highlanders 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.