1909-11 T206 Tony Thebo
1909–11 T206 Tony Thebo
Waco Navigators · Texas League · Southern Leaguer print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Tony Thebo is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Tony Thebo, a member of the historic Waco Navigators (Texas League), and was printed in the Southern Leaguer series, known with 2 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 558 examples have been graded, with only 10 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Tony Thebo
Antonio V. "Tony" Thebo (1881-1966) was a Texas-born outfielder who spent his entire professional career in the minor leagues, never reaching the majors. A native of Paris, Texas, he reportedly broke into pro ball as a teenager and became a fixture of early Texas League and South Texas League baseball. Over roughly a decade (into 1913) he played for a string of Texas clubs, including the Corsicana Oil Citys in the early 1900s, the Temple Boll Weevils, and the Waco Navigators in 1909-1910 — the team pictured on his T206 card. A modest hitter, Thebo posted a career minor-league batting average around .233; his best season came in 1907 at Temple, when he batted .254 with 24 doubles, 8 triples, and 9 home runs. His card belongs to T206's "Southern Leaguer" subset of minor-league subjects, printed with Old Mill and Piedmont backs, and these regional Southern/Texas League cards are among the scarcer and more sought-after subjects in the set.
Sources: Baseball-Reference
Confirmed backs (2)
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 | 301 | 9 | 20 | 25 | 79 | 60 | 63 | 45 |
| SGC | 257 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 35 | 56 | 51 | 88 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Old Mill | 116 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 108 |
| Unknown back | 77 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 95 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 162 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Tony Thebo card?
The Tony Thebo 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 Waco Navigators player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 2 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 558 examples of the Tony Thebo 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 Tony Thebo come with?
The Tony Thebo is confirmed with 2 tobacco-brand backs: Old Mill, Piedmont. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Tony Thebo 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.
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 2026-08-28.