1909-11 T206 Topsy Hartsel
1909–11 T206 Topsy Hartsel
Philadelphia Athletics · American League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Topsy Hartsel is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Topsy Hartsel, a member of the historic Philadelphia Athletics (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 11 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 952 examples have been graded, with only 20 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Topsy Hartsel
Tully Frederick "Topsy" Hartsel (1874–1944) broke into pro ball with Burlington of the Western Association in 1897, reaching the majors with the Louisville Colonels in 1898 before short stops with Cincinnati (1900) and the Chicago Orphans (1901). Connie Mack lured the 5-foot-5 lefty to his Philadelphia Athletics in 1902, installing him in left field as one of the Deadball Era's premier leadoff men. Over ten seasons in Philadelphia he anchored four American League pennant winners (1902, 1905, 1910, 1911) and played in the 1905 World Series against the Giants. A master of plate discipline, Hartsel led the AL in walks five times—his 121 free passes in 1905 stood as the league record until Babe Ruth broke it in 1920—and also topped the league in stolen bases (47) and runs in 1902 and in on-base percentage in 1905 and 1907. His nickname came from Indianapolis sportswriter Hal Reid, who called the pink-complexioned, white-haired, blue-eyed youngster "as light as Topsy of Uncle Tom's Cabin is black." He retired with a .276 average, 1,336 hits, and 247 stolen bases, remembered by The Sporting News as "one of the game's greatest leadoff men."
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (11)
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 | 606 | 17 | 31 | 87 | 139 | 106 | 127 | 99 |
| SGC | 346 | 3 | 5 | 35 | 50 | 88 | 57 | 108 |
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 | 254 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 96 |
| Sweet Caporal | 50 |
| Old Mill | 31 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 21 |
| Carolina Brights | 12 |
| El Principe de Gales | 9 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 7 |
| Tolstoi | 4 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Drum | 1 |
| Unknown back | 110 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 3 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 9 |
| Cycle 1910 | 4 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 8 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 15 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 166 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 18 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 111 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Topsy Hartsel card?
The Topsy Hartsel 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 Philadelphia Athletics player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 11 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 952 examples of the Topsy Hartsel have been graded, with only 20 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Topsy Hartsel come with?
The Topsy Hartsel is confirmed with 11 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Topsy Hartsel 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 Philadelphia Athletics 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.