T206 Cards - Collectible Cigarette Cards from Yesteryear

1. Ed Abbaticchio, batting
2. Ed Abbaticchio, waiting
3. Bill Abstein
4. Whitey Alperman
5. Red Arnes, Portrait
6. Red Arnes, Hands Up
7. Red Arnes, Hands Down
8. Frank Arellanes
9. Jake Alz
10. Frank Baker
11. Neal Ball, NY
12. Neal Ball, Cleveland
13. Jap Barbeau
14. Jack Barry
15. Johnny Bates
16. Ginger Beaumont
17. Fred Beck
18. Beals Becker
19. George Bell, Pitching
20. George Bell, Windup
21. Chief Bender, Philadelphia, Portrait
22. Chief Bender, Philadelphia, pitching with trees
23. Chief Bender, Philadelphia, pitching without trees
24. Bill Bergen, Catching
25. Bill Bergen, Batting
26. Heinie Berger
27. Bob Bescher, Catching
28. Bob Bescher, portrait
29. Joe Birmingham
30. Jack Bliss
31. Frank Bowerman
32. Bill Bradley, portrait
33. Bill Bradley, Batting
34. Kitty Bransfield
35. Roger Bresnahan, portrait
36. Roger Bresnahan, batting
37. Al Bridwell, Portrait
38. Al Bridwell, Sweater
39. George Brown(e), Chicago
40. George Brown(e), Washington
41. Mordecai Brown, Portrait
42. Mordecai Brown, Chicago shirt
43. Mordecai Brown, Cubs shirt
44. Al Burch, Fielding
45. Al Burch, Batting
46. Bill Burns
47. Donnie Bush
48. Bobby Byrne
49. Howie Camnitz, arms folded
50. Howie Camnitz, hands up
51. Howie Camnits, throwing

Notable cards here, pricewise, are the 3 Chief Benders priced at $200-500 for VG to EX-MT, Frank Baker at $200-$400, 2 Roger Bresnahans at $150-$300, 3 Mordecai Browns at $250-$500. The others in the first 51 have a minimum book value of $30 at VG and go up.

Note that all George Brown cards mispell his name (Browne), but this is an error across all of his cards. Brown(e), Chicago books at $60-125, and Brown(e), Washington at $200-$400.

52. Billy Campbell
53. Bill Carrigan
54. Frank Chance, Cubs on Front
55. Frank Chance, Chicago on Front
56. Frank Chance, Batting
57. Chappy Charles
58. Hal Chase, Blue Background
59. Hal Chase, Pink Background
60. Hal Chase, with cup
61. Hal Chase, throwing, dark cap
62. Hal Chase, throwing, white cap
63. Jack Chesbro
64. Eddie Cicotte
65. Fred Clarke, Portrait
66. Fred Clarke, action
67. Nig Clarke
68. Ty Cobb, Red Background
69. Ty Cobb, Green Background
70. Ty Cobb, Bat on shoulder
71. Ty Cobb, Bat off shoulder
72. Eddie Collins
73. Wid Conroy, Fielding
74. Wid Conroy, with bat
75. Harry Covaleski
76. Doc Crandall, without cap
77. Doc Crandall, with cap
78. Sam Crawford, Batting
79. Sam Crawford, Throwing
80. Birdie Cree
81. Lou Criger
82. Dode Criss
83. Bill Dahlen, Boston
84. Bill Dahlen, Brooklyn
85. George Davis
86. Harry Davis, as Davis
87. Harry Davis, as H. Davis
88. Jim Delehanty (note: Misspelled. Should be Delahanty)
89. Ray Demmitt, St Louis
90. Ray Demmitt, N.Y.
91. Art Devlin
92. Josh Devore
93. Bill Dineen
94. Mike Donlin, fielding
95. Mike Donlin, sitting
96. Mike Donlin, batting
97. Jiggs Donohue
98. Bill Donovan, portrait
99. Bill Donovan, throwing
100. Red Dooin

There are several $200-500 cards in this range from VG to EX-MT but the real prize here are the 4 Ty Cobbs, the most valuable being the green background. The Cobbs value from $1250 VG to $3500 EX-MT. Apparantly the Cobb, red background portrait with Ty Cobb back is worth much more, at least $30,000 and worth far more depending on condition.

Note that Jim Delahanty's card is misspelled, but was not corrected during the run. $38-75.

Also note that Hal Chase gets an unequaled 5 cards! These are worth anywhere from $60-200 each.

101. Mickey Doolan, Phila, Fielding
102. Mickey Doolan, Phila, Batting
103. Mickey Doolin, Phila (Note misspelling)
104. Patsy Dougherty, Portrait
105. Patsy Dougherty, Fielding
106. Tom Downey, Batting
107. Tom Downey, Fielding
108A. Joe Doyle, N.Y. (no NAT'L)
108B. Joe Doyle, N.Y. (NAT'L)
109. Larry Doyle, Sweater
110. Larry Doyle, Throwing
111. Larry Doyle, Bat Pose
112. Jean Dubuc
113. Hugh Duffy
114. Joe Dunn
115. Bull Durham
116. Jimmy Dygert
117. Ted Easterly
118. Dick Egan
119. Kid Elberfield, Washington, Fielding
120. Kid Elberfield, Washington, Portrait
121. Kid Elberfield, N.Y., Portrait
122. Clyde Engle
123. Steve Evans
124. Johnny Evers, Chicago, Portrait
125. Johnny Evers, Chicago, Cubs across chest
126. Johnny Evers, Chicago, Chicago down front
127. Bob Ewing
128. George Ferguson
129. Hobe Ferris
130. Lou Fiene, Chicago, Portrait
131. Lou Fiene, Chicago, Throwing
132. Art Flecher
133. Elmer Flick
134. Russ Ford
135. John Frill
136. Art Fromme
137. Chick Gandil
138. Bob Ganley
139. Harry Gasper
140. Rube Geyer
141. George Gibson
142. Billy Gilbert
143. Wilbur Goode (Note: misspelled, should be Good.)
144. Bill Graham
145. Peaches Graham
146. Dolly Gray
147. Clark Griffith, Cincinnati, Portrait
148. Clark Griffith, Cincinnati, Batting
149. Bob Groom
150. Ed Hahn

The gem in this section is the error Joe Doyle, 108(b). Some of his cards were printed without the NAT'L division designation, and some were. The one's with NAT'L are worth far more, in the range of $30,000-$60,000 for PSA 3-6. The 108a is worth $60-$125 by comparison.

Other good cards in this section include Hugh Duffy $200-$400, Kid Eberfield's Washington Portrait $500-$1000, All Johnny Evers at $250-$600 with his Chicago Portrait being the most prized, Elmer Flick at $150-$300 and Chick Gandil for $125-$250.

151. Topsy Hartsel
152. Charlie Hemphill
153. Buck Herzog, NY
154. Buck Herzog, Boston
155. Bill Hinchman
156. Doc Hoblitzell
157. Danny Hoffman
158. Solly Hofman
159. Del Howard
160. Harry Howell, St. Louis, Portrait
161. Harry Howell, St. Louis, Hand on Hip
162. Miller Huggins, Cincinnati, Portrait
163. Miller Huggins, Cincinnati, Hands at Mouth
164. Rudy Hulswitt
165. John Hummel
166. George Hunter
167. Frank Isbell
168. Fred Jacklitsch
169. Hughie Jennings, Portrait
170. Hughie Jennings, "One"
171. Hughie Jennings, "Both"
172. Walter Johnson, Portrait
173. Walter Johnson, Hands Up
174. Davy Jones
175. Fielder Jones, Portrait
176. Fielder Jones, Hands on hips
177. Tom Jones
178. Tim Jordan, Portait
179. Tim Jordan, Batting
180. Addie Joss, Portrait
181. Addie Joss, Pitching
182. Ed Karger
183. Willie Keeler, Portrait
184. Willie Keeler, Batting
185. Ed Killian, Portrait
186. Ed Killian, Pitching
187. Red Kleinow, N.Y., Batting
188. Red Kleinow, N.Y., Catching
189. Red Kleinow, Boston
190. Johhny Kling
191. Otto Knabe
192. John Knight, Portrait
193. John Knight, Batting
194. Ed Konetchy, Fielding
195. Ed Konetchy, Glove Above Head
196. Harry Krause, Portrait
197. Harry Krause, Pitching
198. Rube Kroh
199. Nap Lajoie, Portrait
200. Nap Lajoie, Batting
201. Nap Lajoie, Throwing

Some good finds in this part including Walter Johnson from $600-$1500 depending on condition, as well as the Boston Red Kleinow which is worth as much as $1000 compared to $30-$75 for his NY cards. Other cards range from about $30 to $600 with the portrait of Nap Lajoie going for as much as $800.

These cigarette/trading cards are unique in that the backs of each are ads for the 16 brands of the American Tobacco Company, so unless you know all 16 brands (I'll put up pictures of all later), identifying cards can be tricky.

There are other white bordered cards of the same style and size made for a variety of caramel candy companies between 1888-1933. By the way, these are also quite collectible, and you may want to look into those as well. Here is a good resource - Caramel Cards

These cards have a checklist for the cards in the set on the back and the name of the candy company. Some are blank, and apparently, these are more valuable, but admittedly I know less about them.

Anyway, these cards are the same size and shape, with similar pictures, and are printed similarly. Only a memory of each portrait, or of the tobacco brands on the back are a sure sign that you have a T206 card.

The T205 cards have similar pictures, but these cards have gold borders. These cards are the 1911 series.

The T206 cards, like many cards of the day, measure a slender 1-7/16" x 2-5/8". This is the standard size for all tobacco cards.

Authentic T206 cards will probably be graded (or gradeable) in the 0-6 range on the PSA scale. These are commonly seen on eBay and on collectors' websites. An ungraded 7 or better looking T206 is probably a reprint. If it isn't graded and sealed, I wouldn't trust it.

Reprints There are several types of reprints.

The first are cards that look identical to the originals except that they say reprint at the bottom of the back. Any T206 with a damaged back should be considered suspect if you think the damage would obscure the word reprint, *especially* if the rest of the card is pristine. These reprints can be identified in other ways. Here is a good resource.

Other reprints have been made as a part of contemporary card sets. Topps has had them inserted in packs in both the original size, but with a modern Topps symbol and the year, and as modern standard-sized cards, which also have the Topps symbol and year, and are obviously the wrong size for T206 cards.

Some cards are also produced as promotional sets. The reprints of the big four, Wagner, Plank, Magee and Cobb have little stories telling the history of printing those particular cards. The Cobb card is the exception, sporting a Ty Cobb tobacco ad on the back and the words Capital Reprint at the bottom. The originals would have had respective tobacco ads. The Ty Cobb back seems to only be on the Ty Cobb fronts, so a Ty Cobb back on any other front is quite a rarity. Actually, any Ty Cobb back is considered pretty rare. Anyway, these reprints are worth a few bucks a piece.

There are also framed reprint displays that show all 16 backs. I don't think the fronts are printed, so they aren't authentic cards, they simply used the same plates, so you can have a pretty display of all 16 brands.

A note on collecting reprints. All of the above should be considered carefully before buying any T206 card. Caveat Emptor. That being said, if you purchase a reprint to show what certain backs looked like, especially if you don't have an authentic one in your collection, or you just want each of the portraits, buying reprints is fine. Just be sure you aren't being sold a reprint as legitimate, or you yourself aren't selling a reprint as an original card.

Most eBay auctions I've seen will mention a reprint when they have one. If you see a Wagner in 7 condition, at $5,000, and they claim its legit, someone's pulling a fast one.

Use your best judgment. Ask questions of sellers, and get the answers you want before making a decision.

The American Beauty Card Back is uncommon but not extremely rare

Comes in two varieties, with and without frame. The frameless version is a little rarer than the framed version, but not necessarily more valuable.

Note: Due to the size of the America Beauty cigarette pack, these cards are a little slimmer than the other backed cards, but are not trimmed.

Broadleaf backs are considered rare, the ones printed in the 460 series being rarer than the 350 series. The presence of a Broadleaf back can catapult a cards value between 4-8 times (350 series) and 30-70 times (460 series)!

Another rare card back which can double the card price. Available in both 350 and 460, but 350 is far more likely.

Cycles in the 350 series are uncommon, 460s are rarer, and Cycles generally make a card more valuable, but probably not twice as valuable.

Drum - Only available in the 350 Series, Drums are pretty rare, so finding one is valuable, boosting pricing similarly to a Broadleaf.

The only card that does not indicate its series (150, 350, 460) or say Large Assortment or Assorted Designs. Less common than some brands but not particularly valuable beyond the front value.