1909-11 T206 Solly Hofman
1909–11 T206 Solly Hofman
Chicago Cubs · National League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Solly Hofman is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Solly Hofman, a member of the historic Chicago Cubs (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 12 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 958 examples have been graded, with only 10 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Solly Hofman
Arthur Frederick "Solly" Hofman was born in St. Louis in 1882 and, after starring as a track athlete, signed with Evansville of the Three-I League in 1901 before reaching the majors with Pittsburgh in 1903. He spent his prime with the Chicago Cubs (1904-1912), primarily in center field but versatile enough to man nearly every position, which made him one of the Deadball Era's finest utility men. A speedy, timely hitter, he batted .269 with 1,095 hits over 14 seasons and enjoyed his finest year in 1910, hitting .325 with 86 RBI and 29 stolen bases; he was named to Collier's All-American teams in 1908 and 1909. Hofman played on all four of the Cubs' pennant winners (1906, 1907, 1908, 1910) and was their center fielder for the 1908 World Series title. Nicknamed "Circus Solly"—for either a popular comic-strip character or his acrobatic catches—he is remembered for fielding Al Bridwell's hit and alerting Johnny Evers during the famous 1908 "Merkle's Boner" play. He later jumped to the Federal League and finished with the Yankees and Cubs, dying in St. Louis in 1956.
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 | 580 | 10 | 27 | 79 | 132 | 97 | 114 | 121 |
| SGC | 378 | 0 | 4 | 44 | 56 | 90 | 73 | 111 |
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 | 251 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 78 |
| Polar Bear | 43 |
| Sweet Caporal | 42 |
| Old Mill | 28 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 15 |
| Cycle 1910 | 12 |
| El Principe de Gales | 12 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Tolstoi | 5 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Carolina Brights | 1 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 85 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 1 |
| Cycle 1910 | 7 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 8 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 20 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 188 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 33 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 10 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 3 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 97 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Solly Hofman card?
The Solly Hofman 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 12 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 958 examples of the Solly Hofman have been graded, with only 10 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Solly Hofman come with?
The Solly Hofman 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 Solly Hofman 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)
- Del Howard
- Johnny Kling
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.