1909-11 T206 Roger Bresnahan (Portrait)
1909–11 T206 Roger Bresnahan
St Louis Cardinals · National League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Roger Bresnahan (“Portrait” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Roger Bresnahan, a member of the historic St Louis Cardinals (National League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1640 examples have been graded, with only 43 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Roger Bresnahan
Roger Bresnahan is regarded as the Deadball Era's greatest catcher. Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1879, he turned professional in 1896 with Lima of the Ohio State League and debuted in the majors on August 27, 1897, tossing a six-hit shutout for the Washington Nationals. After following manager John McGraw to the New York Giants in 1902, he became the club's regular catcher and Christy Mathewson's battery mate, and helped New York win the 1905 World Series, hitting .313 in the Series. A remarkable athlete who played all nine positions, he batted leadoff—rare for a catcher—and hit .350 with 34 stolen bases in 1903. Bresnahan pioneered catcher's protective gear, famously donning shin guards on Opening Day 1907. He served as player-manager of the St. Louis Cardinals (1909–1912), the team shown on this card. Nicknamed the "Duke of Tralee" from a mistaken belief he was born in Ireland, he retired a .279 lifetime hitter with 1,252 hits and 212 steals, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1945.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 991 | 34 | 50 | 106 | 227 | 185 | 200 | 189 |
| SGC | 649 | 9 | 7 | 50 | 77 | 142 | 117 | 247 |
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 | 189 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 169 |
| Sweet Caporal | 114 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 106 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 63 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 41 |
| Sovereign | 22 |
| Hindu | 19 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| El Principe de Gales | 12 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 12 |
| Old Mill | 5 |
| Unknown back | 226 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 14 |
| Hindu 1909 | 1 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 17 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 276 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 85 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 15 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 30 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 152 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 2 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 56 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Roger Bresnahan card?
The Roger Bresnahan (Portrait) 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 St Louis Cardinals player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1640 examples of the Roger Bresnahan have been graded, with only 43 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Roger Bresnahan come with?
The Roger Bresnahan is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Roger Bresnahan 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 Roger Bresnahan
More St Louis Cardinals 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.