1909-11 T206 Rebel Oakes
1909–11 T206 Rebel Oakes
Cincinnati Reds · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Rebel Oakes is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Rebel Oakes, a member of the historic Cincinnati Reds (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 935 examples have been graded, with only 11 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Rebel Oakes
Ennis Telfair "Rebel" Oakes was a center fielder born in Lisbon, Louisiana, in 1883. After playing college ball at Louisiana Industrial Institute, he turned pro in 1904 with Hattiesburg of the Class-D Delta League, working up through Cedar Rapids and the Los Angeles Angels before reaching the majors. It was in Los Angeles in 1908 that sportswriter Charles Van Loan tagged the Southerner "Rebel," a name that stuck for life. Oakes debuted with the Cincinnati Reds in 1909 (this T206 card shows him in a Cincinnati uniform), then spent 1910-1913 with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1914 he jumped to the outlaw Federal League's Pittsburgh Rebels, where he became player-manager and an aggressive recruiter dubbed the league's "Chief Raider"; he batted .312 in 1914 and guided the 1915 Rebels to a second-place finish, one of the tightest pennant races in history. Over seven big-league seasons he collected 1,011 hits with a .279 average. Blacklisted after the Federal League folded, he left baseball for Louisiana oil exploration and died in Lisbon in 1948.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (12)
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 | 541 | 7 | 30 | 57 | 127 | 105 | 127 | 88 |
| SGC | 394 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 55 | 99 | 76 | 122 |
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 | 235 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 78 |
| Sweet Caporal | 53 |
| Polar Bear | 29 |
| Old Mill | 18 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 15 |
| Cycle 1910 | 12 |
| El Principe de Gales | 11 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Tolstoi | 5 |
| Carolina Brights | 3 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 73 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 5 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 13 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 7 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 17 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 213 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 34 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 89 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Rebel Oakes card?
The Rebel Oakes 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 Cincinnati Reds player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 935 examples of the Rebel Oakes have been graded, with only 11 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Rebel Oakes come with?
The Rebel Oakes is confirmed with 12 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Rebel Oakes 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 Cincinnati Reds 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.