1909–11 T206 Rube Marquard
New York Giants · National League · 460 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Rube Marquard (“Pitching” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Rube Marquard, a member of the historic New York Giants (National League), and was printed in the 460 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1174 examples have been graded, with only 22 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Rube Marquard
Richard William "Rube" Marquard was a Hall-of-Fame left-hander and one of the deadball era's marquee arms. A Cleveland batboy who stowed away on freight trains to chase a tryout, he broke into pro ball with the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association in 1907, and in 1908 the New York Giants bought him at auction for a record $11,000. He earned the nickname "Rube" because his sweeping delivery reminded a sportswriter of star Rube Waddell; his early struggles under the huge price tag made him "the $11,000 lemon" before he blossomed into "the $11,000 beauty." Pitching for the Giants (1908-1915), Brooklyn Robins (1915-1920), Cincinnati (1921) and Boston (1922-1925), he led the National League with 237 strikeouts in 1911, won 26 games in 1912, and threw a 1915 no-hitter. His 19 consecutive wins to open 1912 remains a single-season record. He went 201-177 with a 3.08 ERA over 18 seasons, helped the Giants to three straight pennants (1911-1913), and was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1971. As a Giants ace and Cooperstown name, Marquard is among the T206 set's more desirable Hall-of-Fame subjects.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (10)
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 | 655 | 20 | 31 | 83 | 150 | 101 | 133 | 137 |
| SGC | 519 | 2 | 8 | 45 | 70 | 121 | 95 | 178 |
NM 7+ bundles grades 7–10; 1 & Auth bundles grade 1, 1.5 & Authentic. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are subject-level (summed across all backs). Population as of 2026-06.
PSA by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Piedmont 1911 | 109 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 85 |
| Piedmont | 79 |
| Sweet Caporal | 72 |
| Polar Bear | 60 |
| Old Mill | 43 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 28 |
| Tolstoi | 18 |
| Lenox | 11 |
| Cycle 1911 | 3 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 2 |
| Uzit | 2 |
| Unknown back | 143 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1911 | 4 |
| Cycle 1911 | 8 |
| Lenox 1909-11 | 12 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 38 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 195 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 67 |
| Sovereign 1911 | 24 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 152 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 18 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Rube Marquard card?
The Rube Marquard (Pitching) 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 New York Giants player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1174 examples of the Rube Marquard have been graded, with only 22 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Rube Marquard come with?
The Rube Marquard is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, Lenox, 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 Marquard 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 Rube Marquard
More New York Giants 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 2026-10-05.