1909–11 T206 Steamer Flanagan
Buffalo Bisons · Eastern League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Steamer Flanagan is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Steamer Flanagan, a member of the historic Buffalo Bisons (Eastern League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 952 examples have been graded, with only 22 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Steamer Flanagan
James Paul "Steamer" Flanagan (1881–1947) was a deadball-era center fielder from the anthracite-coal town of Kingston, Pennsylvania. He turned pro in 1902 with Meriden of the Connecticut State League, reportedly turning down a Notre Dame scholarship, and spent roughly a dozen seasons (1902–1913) as a minor-league outfielder for clubs including Meriden, Toledo, Montgomery, Springfield, Rochester, Harrisburg, and the Buffalo Bisons of the Eastern League — the team shown on his T206 card. Over some 856 minor-league games he batted an unofficial .272, with his best year coming in 1907 at Rochester, where he hit around .305. His speed afoot earned the nickname "Steamer," said to describe how he ran the bases "like a steam locomotive." Flanagan reached the majors briefly with the Pittsburgh Pirates in September–October 1905, going 7-for-25 (.280) with a double, a triple, and three stolen bases in seven games, at times batting third ahead of Honus Wagner. He never returned to the big leagues, later serving as a Wilkes-Barre policeman, minor-league manager, umpire, and scout, and is credited with mentoring young future Hall of Famer Rabbit Maranville. As a Buffalo/Eastern League minor-leaguer, he is one of T206's many obscure non-major-league subjects rather than a star of the set.
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 | 572 | 16 | 44 | 77 | 137 | 104 | 110 | 84 |
| SGC | 380 | 6 | 10 | 46 | 57 | 81 | 70 | 110 |
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 1910 | 236 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 73 |
| Sweet Caporal | 44 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 33 |
| Old Mill | 31 |
| Polar Bear | 27 |
| El Principe de Gales | 15 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Cycle 1910 | 3 |
| Carolina Brights | 3 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 99 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 11 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 9 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 18 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 182 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 27 |
| Sovereign 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 23 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 101 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Steamer Flanagan card?
The Steamer Flanagan 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 Buffalo Bisons player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 952 examples of the Steamer Flanagan 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 Steamer Flanagan come with?
The Steamer Flanagan 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 Steamer Flanagan 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 Buffalo Bisons 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.