1909-11 T206 Rube Kisinger
1909–11 T206 Rube Kisinger
Buffalo Bisons · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Rube Kisinger is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Rube Kisinger, a member of the historic Buffalo Bisons (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 884 examples have been graded, with only 7 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Rube Kisinger
Charles Samuel "Rube" Kisinger (1876-1941) was a right-handed pitcher who came out of Adrian, Michigan, where he starred for Adrian High School and Adrian College before turning pro in 1901 with Toledo of the Western Association. He reached the majors with the Detroit Tigers late in 1902 and pitched two seasons for Detroit (1902-1903), going 9-12 with a 3.00 ERA in 21 games. Kisinger's real fame came in the minors: as an ace for the Buffalo Bisons of the Eastern League (1904-1910) he won 20 games three straight years (67-38, 1904-1906) and helped pitch Buffalo to Eastern League pennants in 1904 and 1907, which is why he wears a Buffalo uniform on his T206 card. Across his International League career he went roughly 150-108 and set a league record with 31 shutouts. Like many deadball players from farm country, he was tagged "Rube," the era's stock nickname for a rustic, small-town ballplayer. He later pitched in the Southern Association (1912-1916), worked as a railroad bridge foreman, and died in an accident in 1941. Kisinger was elected to the International League Hall of Fame in 2009. His card is one of T206's minor-league (Eastern League) subjects rather than a marquee star.
Sources: Wikipedia · 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 | 520 | 6 | 20 | 69 | 136 | 85 | 113 | 91 |
| SGC | 364 | 1 | 5 | 40 | 52 | 78 | 76 | 112 |
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 | 218 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 63 |
| Sweet Caporal | 53 |
| Polar Bear | 33 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 25 |
| Old Mill | 19 |
| El Principe de Gales | 13 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Tolstoi | 2 |
| Carolina Brights | 2 |
| Unknown back | 76 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 10 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 8 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 17 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 159 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 30 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 115 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Rube Kisinger card?
The Rube Kisinger 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 Buffalo Bisons player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 884 examples of the Rube Kisinger have been graded, with only 7 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Rube Kisinger come with?
The Rube Kisinger 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 Rube Kisinger 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 Buffalo Bisons 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.