The T206 baseball card set, issued between 1909 and 1911 by the American Tobacco Company, is one of the most popular sets in the history of sports cards. Spanning 5 series and 524 total cards, the T206 set featured almost every notable player from the era. Here is an in-depth look at some of the most famous and valuable cards from the iconic T206 set.
Honus Wagner (#181): Widely considered the holy grail of baseball cards, the ultra-rare Wagner card is the most valuable trading card in existence. Only 50-200 Wagner cards are believed to even still exist in varying conditions. In pristine mint condition, a Wagner has sold for over $3 million at auction. The story behind its rarity is that Wagner, a superstar of the early MLB, asked the American Tobacco Company to withdraw his card from production over concerns about promoting tobacco to children. Only a small number made it into circulation before being pulled.
Christy Mathewson (#334): As one of the most dominant pitchers of the early 1900s, Mathewson’s pitching accolades make his T206 a highly desirable collectible. In near mint condition, a Mathewson has sold for over $400,000 at auction. Like Wagner, low population numbers contribute to its high value. It’s estimated there are fewer than 50 Mathewson cards remaining in existence across all conditions due to its earlier position in the set.
Walter Johnson (#371): Along with Mathewson, Johnson was one of the elite pitchers of his era who still holds the all-time record for career strikeouts. In gem mint condition, a Johnson has sold for over $200,000 at auction. Its rarity is moderate compared to others on this list, but its subject is one of the most respected players in baseball history adding to its popularity among collectors.
Shoeless Joe Jackson (#253): One of the most infamous players in history due to his alleged involvement in the 1919 Black Sox scandal, Jackson’s talent on the field is undeniable. As an ultra-rare1909-11 T206 tobacco card, it remains one of the most desired chasing #253 in high grades. There are only around 50-100 Jackson cards believed to still exist in all grades. A PSA 8 sold for over $100,000 in a recent auction.
Ty Cobb (#138): As arguably the best all-around player in baseball history and the first to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Cobb’s iconic status creates high demand for his T206. Like Jackson above, scarcity and condition are major drivers of value. Cobb cards are difficult to locate above a PSA 5 and have sold for $50,000+ in higher grades like PSA 8. Fewer than 200 Cobb rookies are thought to remain in all grades, making this a trophy card for serious collectors.
Eddie Plank (#304): As a member of the 300 win club with 326 career victories, Plank was a standout pitcher with the Philadelphia Athletics dynasty in the early 1900s. Similar to Walter Johnson and Mathewson, Plank’s place on the mound earns him recognition from collectors. Plank rookies in top-populations grades like PSA 8 have sold for upwards of $30,000. In terms of condition, Plank cards seem to have survived in higher numbers than some of his pitching peers.
Cy Young (#283): Simply known as the “King of Pitchers,” Cy Young dominated the mound for over 20 MLB seasons. Like Plank, a decent population of Young cards remain in higher circulated grades like PSA 4-6 making conditioned examples still attainable for advanced collectors. For condition-sensitive investors, a pristine T206 Young in PSA 8+ quality has brought over $25,000 at auction in recent years thanks to his name value and Hall of Fame career stats as one of the first 500 home run hitters.
Tris Speaker (#250): As perhaps the greatest all-around offensive player of the deadball era, Speaker put up huge numbers as a center fielder that still stand today. While Speaker cards are not quite in the super-rare class of Mathewson or Wagner, they still represent one of the true iconic cards from the set as one of the game’s early superstars. Condition is ultra-important for Speakers, with higher end PSA 8+ examples selling in the $10,000+ range.
Nap Lajoie (#329): Along with Cobb and Speaker, Lajoie rounded out an all-time great Indians lineup in the early 1900s. Like Speaker, while not quite in the super-shortprinted class, Lajoie still commanded respect as one of the game’s all-time great hitters and was elected to the Hall of Fame in its earliest class of 1936. Highly-graded PSA 8 examples have topped $10K at auction in recent years as well.
The T206 set documents who’s who among the top talent of the deadball era. While low population examples will always be the most valuable due to rarity and condition sensitivity, there are still many playable mid-grade examples remaining that represent affordable access points to this iconic set for advanced collectors, especially considering today’s prices are a fraction of other sports like basketball. The T206 cards were pioneering in launching the modern sports card collecting hobby and will surely remain a prized part of its history.
