1909-11 T206 Tubby Spencer
1909–11 T206 Tubby Spencer
Boston Red Sox · American League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Tubby Spencer is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Tubby Spencer, a member of the historic Boston Red Sox (American League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 789 examples have been graded, with only 15 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Tubby Spencer
Edward Russell "Tubby" Spencer was a right-handed catcher of the deadball era, born January 26, 1884 in Oil City, Pennsylvania. Recommended by scout Ted Sullivan after a 1905 season with Waco of the Texas League, he was signed by the St. Louis Browns and debuted that July. Spencer caught nine major-league seasons across three stints (1905-1909, 1911, 1916-1918) for four clubs: the Browns (1905-08), the Boston Red Sox (1909, the team on this T206 card), the Philadelphia Phillies (1911), and the Detroit Tigers (1916-18). A light hitter with a strong throwing arm, he batted .225 with 298 hits and 3 home runs in 449 games, and was plunked 17 times. His finest showing came in a brief 1916 return with Detroit, when he hit .370 in 19 games. Standing 5-foot-10 and a stout 215 pounds, he was tagged "Tubby" for his ample frame. Battling alcoholism that drew repeated suspensions, he later reportedly reformed after working logging camps and salmon boats. He died February 1, 1945 in San Francisco. A common (non-Hall-of-Fame) subject in the set.
Sources: Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (5)
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 | 471 | 13 | 25 | 57 | 100 | 89 | 92 | 95 |
| SGC | 318 | 2 | 6 | 37 | 50 | 70 | 62 | 91 |
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 1909 | 115 |
| Piedmont | 84 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 80 |
| Sweet Caporal | 67 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 19 |
| El Principe de Gales | 15 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 9 |
| Hindu | 8 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 73 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 9 |
| Hindu 1909-11 | 10 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 168 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 5 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 18 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 107 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Tubby Spencer card?
The Tubby Spencer 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 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 789 examples of the Tubby Spencer have been graded, with only 15 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Tubby Spencer come with?
The Tubby Spencer is confirmed with 5 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Hindu, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Tubby Spencer 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 2026-07-01.