1909-11 T206 Rube Kroh
1909–11 T206 Rube Kroh
Chicago Cubs · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Rube Kroh is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Rube Kroh, a member of the historic Chicago Cubs (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 9 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 889 examples have been graded, with only 11 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Rube Kroh
Floyd Myron "Rube" Kroh was a left-handed pitcher who reached professional ball off the town team in Friendship, New York, signing with Coudersport of the Ohio-Pennsylvania League as an 18-year-old. He made the majors with the Boston Americans (1906-07) before landing with the Chicago Cubs (1908-10) and closing out with the Boston Braves in 1912, compiling a modest but effective 14-9 record and a sharp 2.29 ERA over just 36 big-league games. Kroh's lasting fame, though, came off the mound: in the September 23, 1908 "Merkle's Boner" game he wrestled the ball away from a fan and got it to Johnny Evers, who touched second for the force that ultimately swung the pennant to the Cubs, who went on to win the 1908 World Series - Chicago's last title for 108 years. Nicknamed "Rube" like many rural players of the era (and earlier "Flick," a nod to his flicking southpaw delivery and star outfielder Elmer Flick), Kroh is a common, affordable Cubs subject in the T206 set (350-only series). He died in New Orleans in 1944.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (9)
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 | 558 | 9 | 31 | 77 | 143 | 102 | 119 | 77 |
| SGC | 331 | 2 | 8 | 41 | 73 | 82 | 48 | 77 |
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 | 303 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 41 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 36 |
| Polar Bear | 26 |
| Sweet Caporal | 24 |
| Cycle 1910 | 15 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Tolstoi | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 95 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 9 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 211 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 23 |
| Sovereign 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 19 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 54 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 7 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Rube Kroh card?
The Rube Kroh 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 Chicago Cubs player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 9 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 889 examples of the Rube Kroh have been graded, with only 11 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Rube Kroh come with?
The Rube Kroh is confirmed with 9 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Rube Kroh 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 Chicago Cubs cards
- George Brown (Chicago)
- Mordecai Brown (Chicago On Shirt)
- Mordecai Brown (Cubs On Shirt)
- Mordecai Brown (Portrait)
- Frank Chance (Batting)
- Frank Chance (Portrait - Red)
- Frank Chance (Portrait - Yellow)
- Johnny Evers (Portrait)
- Johnny Evers (Chicago On Shirt - Yellow Sky)
- Johnny Evers (Cubs On Shirt - Blue Sky)
- Solly Hofman
- Del Howard
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.