1909-11 T206 Rudy Hulswitt
1909–11 T206 Rudy Hulswitt
St Louis Cardinals · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Rudy Hulswitt is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Rudy Hulswitt, a member of the historic St Louis Cardinals (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 942 examples have been graded, with only 25 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Rudy Hulswitt
Rudolph Edward "Rudy" Hulswitt (1877-1950) was a right-handed shortstop from Newport, Kentucky, who reached the majors on June 16, 1899, with the Louisville Colonels. After Louisville folded, he resurfaced as the Philadelphia Phillies' regular shortstop from 1902 to 1904, then closed out his big-league career with the Cincinnati Reds (1908) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1909-1910), the club shown on this T206 card. Over parts of seven seasons he batted .253 with 3 home runs and 203 RBI. His defense, not his bat, made him a footnote in the record book: in 1903 he committed 81 errors at shortstop, a National League single-season record for the position that still stands. He was better regarded as a steady infielder late in his career and went on to a long life in the minor leagues, both as a player (including a stint at Chattanooga) and as a manager, skippering clubs such as the Jersey City Skeeters and Mobile Bears across roughly a dozen seasons. A journeyman rather than a star, Hulswitt is one of the T206 set's more common, lower-profile subjects, and he was not elected to the Hall of Fame.
Sources: Wikipedia · 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 | 568 | 20 | 40 | 94 | 130 | 112 | 94 | 78 |
| SGC | 374 | 5 | 7 | 54 | 67 | 76 | 66 | 99 |
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 | 234 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 74 |
| Sweet Caporal | 55 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 34 |
| Polar Bear | 28 |
| Old Mill | 27 |
| El Principe de Gales | 10 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Cycle 1910 | 3 |
| Carolina Brights | 2 |
| Unknown back | 93 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 4 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 12 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 178 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 33 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 36 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 96 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Rudy Hulswitt card?
The Rudy Hulswitt 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 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 942 examples of the Rudy Hulswitt have been graded, with only 25 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Rudy Hulswitt come with?
The Rudy Hulswitt is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Rudy Hulswitt 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.