1909-11 T206 Tris Speaker
1909–11 T206 Tris Speaker
Boston Red Sox · American League · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Tris Speaker is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Tris Speaker, a member of the historic Boston Red Sox (American League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 10 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 2028 examples have been graded, with only 42 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Tris Speaker
A Texas cowboy who signed with the Cleburne club of the Texas League in 1906 for $50 a month, Tristram Speaker converted from a struggling pitcher into one of the greatest center fielders in baseball history. The Boston Red Sox bought his contract and he became a fixture there (1907, 1909-1915) before starring for the Cleveland Indians (1916-1926, also as player-manager), Washington (1927), and Philadelphia (1928). A left-handed hitter who played a famously shallow center field, Speaker batted .345 lifetime (sixth all-time), collected 3,514 hits (fifth all-time), and set the still-standing career record of 792 doubles. He won the 1916 American League batting title at .386, ending Ty Cobb's long grip on the crown, and helped win World Series championships with Boston in 1912 and 1915 and Cleveland in 1920. Nicknamed "The Grey Eagle" for his prematurely grey hair and peerless ballhawking, Speaker was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937 among its first class. He is one of the T206 set's marquee Hall-of-Fame subjects.
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 | 1067 | 36 | 61 | 101 | 160 | 172 | 251 | 286 |
| SGC | 961 | 6 | 9 | 61 | 105 | 161 | 179 | 440 |
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 | 375 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 135 |
| Sweet Caporal | 105 |
| Polar Bear | 66 |
| Cycle 1910 | 26 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 25 |
| Tolstoi | 12 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Carolina Brights | 7 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 4 |
| Drum | 3 |
| Unknown back | 301 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 6 |
| Carolina Brights 1909-11 | 4 |
| Cycle 1910 | 16 |
| Drum 1910 | 2 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 570 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 76 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 28 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 243 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 7 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Tris Speaker card?
The Tris Speaker 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 Boston Red Sox player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 10 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 2028 examples of the Tris Speaker have been graded, with only 42 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Tris Speaker come with?
The Tris Speaker is confirmed with 10 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Tris Speaker 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 Boston Red Sox 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 2026-08-28.