1909-11 T206 William J. O'Neil
1909–11 T206 William J. O'Neil
Minneapolis Millers · American Association · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 William J. O'Neil is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts William J. O'Neil, a member of the historic Minneapolis Millers (American Association), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 7 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 678 examples have been graded, with only 9 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About William J. O'Neil
William John O'Neill, a Saint John, New Brunswick native and son of Irish immigrants, entered pro ball with Worcester in 1899 and reached the majors in 1904 with the Boston Americans, who dealt him to the Washington Senators mid-season. A switch-hitter who worked the outfield and infield, he had his best big-league year in 1906 with the Chicago White Sox, sharing in the "Hitless Wonders'" World Series championship over the crosstown Cubs. His major-league career was brief—.243 over 206 games—and is best remembered for a rough May 21, 1904 game in which box scores credit him with six errors; Wikipedia calls him the only 20th-century major leaguer to make six in a game. O'Neill spent his best baseball with the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association, batting .286, .272, and a team-leading .296 (1909, under manager Jimmy Collins), and is depicted as a Miller on his scarce T206 card. Nicknamed "Tip"—a tag shared with the earlier Canadian star James "Tip" O'Neill—he died of tuberculosis in 1920 at age 40.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (7)
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 | 399 | 9 | 20 | 40 | 93 | 86 | 84 | 67 |
| SGC | 279 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 46 | 76 | 58 | 73 |
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 | 187 |
| Polar Bear | 54 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 27 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 25 |
| Sweet Caporal | 23 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 10 |
| Cycle 1910 | 6 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 1 |
| Unknown back | 66 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 8 |
| Broad Leaf 1910 | 2 |
| Cycle 1910 | 9 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 168 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 37 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 13 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 42 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 William J. O'Neil card?
The William J. O'Neil 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 Minneapolis Millers player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 7 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 678 examples of the William J. O'Neil have been graded, with only 9 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 William J. O'Neil come with?
The William J. O'Neil is confirmed with 7 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 William J. O'Neil 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 Minneapolis Millers 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.