1909-11 T206 Sam Crawford (With Bat)
1909–11 T206 Sam Crawford
Detroit Tigers · American League · 350-460 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Sam Crawford (“With Bat” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Sam Crawford, a member of the historic Detroit Tigers (American League), and was printed in the 350-460 series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1322 examples have been graded, with only 24 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl "Wahoo Sam" Crawford, born in 1880 in Wahoo, Nebraska, was one of the Deadball Era's premier sluggers. He turned pro in 1899 with a Chatham, Ontario club before Cincinnati bought his contract, debuting as a 19-year-old outfielder. After four seasons with the Reds (1899-1902), he jumped to the Detroit Tigers (1903-1917), where he starred in right field alongside Ty Cobb. A career .309 hitter with 2,961 hits, Crawford holds the all-time record for triples with 309, a mark unlikely ever to be broken. He led the American League in RBI three times (1910, 1914, 1915) and became the first player to lead both leagues in home runs (NL 1901, AL 1908). His Tigers won three straight AL pennants (1907-1909). His nickname honored his hometown, which he asked be engraved on his Cooperstown plaque after his 1957 Hall of Fame election. Crawford is a marquee Hall-of-Fame subject in the T206 set.
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 | 753 | 21 | 26 | 78 | 149 | 139 | 173 | 167 |
| SGC | 569 | 3 | 11 | 49 | 82 | 132 | 108 | 184 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Polar Bear | 89 |
| Piedmont | 84 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 84 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 78 |
| Sweet Caporal | 78 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 49 |
| Old Mill | 35 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 29 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 27 |
| Tolstoi | 14 |
| El Principe de Gales | 13 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Cycle 1911 | 6 |
| American Beauty | 5 |
| Uzit | 4 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 3 |
| Drum | 3 |
| Unknown back | 140 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1909-11 | 1 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 19 |
| American Beauty 1911 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 14 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 28 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 129 |
| Piedmont 1911 | 71 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 57 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 24 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 163 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 44 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 10 |
| Uzit 1909-11 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Sam Crawford card?
The Sam Crawford (With Bat) 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 Detroit Tigers player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1322 examples of the Sam Crawford 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 Sam Crawford come with?
The Sam Crawford is confirmed with 12 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, 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 Sam Crawford 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 Sam Crawford
More Detroit Tigers cards
- Donnie Bush
- Ty Cobb (Portrait - Green)
- Ty Cobb (Portrait - Red)
- Ty Cobb (Bat Off Shoulder)
- Ty Cobb (Bat On Shoulder)
- Wild Bill Donovan (Portrait)
- Wild Bill Donovan (Throwing)
- Hughie Jennings (One Hand Showing)
- Hughie Jennings (Two Hands Showing)
- Hughie Jennings (Portrait)
- Davy Jones
- Ed Killian (Hands At Chest)
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.