1909-11 T206 Rube Geyer
1909–11 T206 Rube Geyer
St Louis Cardinals · National League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Rube Geyer is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Rube Geyer, a member of the historic St Louis Cardinals (National League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 957 examples have been graded, with only 24 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Rube Geyer
Jacob Bowman "Rube" Geyer was a right-handed pitcher born March 26, 1884, in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He worked his way up through the minor leagues with clubs including the Nashville Vols, Lancaster and the Columbus Senators, for whom he won 20 games in both 1908 and 1909 on the strength of his drop ball. Those seasons earned him a promotion to the National League's St. Louis Cardinals, where he pitched all four of his big-league campaigns, from his debut on April 24, 1910, through September 4, 1913. Although he often started, the majority of his major-league appearances came in relief, and he finished with a career record of 17-26, a 3.67 ERA, and 133 strikeouts. After his playing days he also managed in the minors. Geyer died October 12, 1962, in Wahkon, Minnesota, at age 78. He was not a Hall of Famer, and within the T206 set his "460 Only" card is one of the common, workmanlike subjects rather than a scarce star.
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 | 563 | 21 | 53 | 91 | 137 | 87 | 91 | 83 |
| SGC | 394 | 3 | 8 | 54 | 62 | 91 | 81 | 95 |
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 1911 | 186 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 72 |
| Sweet Caporal | 47 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 46 |
| Tolstoi | 26 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 23 |
| Polar Bear | 19 |
| Hindu | 13 |
| Old Mill | 7 |
| El Principe de Gales | 6 |
| Uzit | 3 |
| Cycle 1911 | 2 |
| Unknown back | 113 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1909-11 | 1 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 15 |
| Cycle 1911 | 7 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 8 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 8 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 159 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 27 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 35 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 102 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 29 |
| Uzit 1909-11 | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Rube Geyer card?
The Rube Geyer 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 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 957 examples of the Rube Geyer have been graded, with only 24 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Rube Geyer come with?
The Rube Geyer is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Hindu, 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 Rube Geyer 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 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 2026-07-01.