1909-11 T206 Roy Ellam
1909–11 T206 Roy Ellam
Nashville Volunteers · Southern Association · Southern Leaguer print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Roy Ellam is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Roy Ellam, a member of the historic Nashville Volunteers (Southern Association), and was printed in the Southern Leaguer series, known with 3 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 510 examples have been graded, with only 5 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Roy Ellam
Roy Ellam (1886-1948), a shortstop from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, worked his way up through the low minors in the late 1900s before the Southern Association gave him his big break. A slick fielder, he starred for Birmingham and later Nashville and was among the "Southern Leaguer" subjects featured in the T206 set, which is why his card carries a Nashville designation. His major-league time was brief: he reached the big leagues with the Cincinnati Reds late in 1909 and resurfaced with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1918, hitting just .143 across parts of those two seasons - a glove-first infielder who never stuck as a hitter. His lasting mark came as a player-manager: he skippered the Nashville Vols to the 1916 Southern Association pennant, a title they won by nine games, and led the club through 1920. Sources record his nicknames as "Whitey" and "Slippery," though the origins are not documented. He went on to manage several other minor-league clubs in the 1920s. Ellam died in 1948 in his hometown when a weight fell from a fire escape and struck him. As a scarce Southern League subject, his T206 card is a tougher, minor-star issue rather than a common.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (3)
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 | 309 | 5 | 13 | 28 | 78 | 60 | 64 | 61 |
| SGC | 201 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 26 | 36 | 45 | 66 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Old Mill | 129 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 106 |
| Hindu | 14 |
| Unknown back | 60 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Hindu 1909-11 | 18 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 99 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 84 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Roy Ellam card?
The Roy Ellam 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 Nashville Volunteers player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 3 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 510 examples of the Roy Ellam have been graded, with only 5 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Roy Ellam come with?
The Roy Ellam is confirmed with 3 tobacco-brand backs: Hindu, Old Mill, Piedmont. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Roy Ellam 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 Nashville Volunteers 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.