1909-11 T206 Red Ames (Hands Above Head)
1909–11 T206 Red Ames
New York Giants · National League · 350-460 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Red Ames (“Hands Above Head” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Red Ames, a member of the historic New York Giants (National League), and was printed in the 350-460 series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 995 examples have been graded, with only 21 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Red Ames
Leon Kessling "Red" Ames (1882–1936) was a right-handed pitcher from Warren, Ohio, who began his professional career in 1901 at Zanesville and reached the majors with John McGraw's New York Giants, debuting on September 14, 1903. He anchored the Giants' staff behind Christy Mathewson for a decade (1903–1912), later pitching for Cincinnati (1913–1914), St. Louis (1915–1918), and Philadelphia (1919). Over 17 National League seasons he went 183–167 with a sparkling 2.63 ERA, his finest year coming in 1905 (22–8, 2.74 ERA, 198 strikeouts), when the Giants won their first modern World Series title. He also shared in the Giants' 1911 and 1912 pennants. Ames is best remembered for one of baseball's cruelest games: on Opening Day, April 15, 1909, he held Brooklyn hitless for nine innings, only to lose both the no-hitter and the game 3–0 in the 13th. His hard luck earned the nickname "Kalamity"—reporters joked his middle initial stood for "K"—casting him as perhaps the era's unluckiest pitcher. A common New York Giants subject rather than a scarce one, Ames was not elected to the Hall of Fame.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (11)
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 | 596 | 17 | 39 | 86 | 142 | 96 | 126 | 90 |
| SGC | 399 | 4 | 11 | 41 | 67 | 91 | 84 | 101 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Polar Bear | 82 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 72 |
| Sweet Caporal | 69 |
| Piedmont | 65 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 52 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 45 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 35 |
| Old Mill | 31 |
| Tolstoi | 14 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 14 |
| El Principe de Gales | 9 |
| Cycle 1911 | 8 |
| Lenox | 1 |
| Unknown back | 99 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Cycle 1911 | 7 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 10 |
| Lenox 1909-11 | 1 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 23 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 70 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 35 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 74 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 17 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 84 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 57 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 21 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Red Ames card?
The Red Ames (Hands Above Head) 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 Giants player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 995 examples of the Red Ames 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 Red Ames come with?
The Red Ames is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Lenox, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi, Uzit. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Red Ames 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 Red Ames
More New York Giants 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.