The first series of cards in the T206 set were issued beginning in
1909 in cigarette and loose tobacco packs through 16 different brands
owned by the American Tobacco Company. It is a landmark set in the
history of baseball card collecting due to its size and rarity, with
cards of over 500 major and minor-league players issued in the set
through 1911. It is known informally as the "White Border" set due to
the
distinctive white borders surrounding the quality color lithographs on
each card.
Columbus' Otto Kruger sits in front of a red background in this portrait. Centering is slightly west on the canvas, but great corners and edges provide a beautiful frame. While the borders are mostly bright and clean, there is some very light soiling evident in the top portion. The printing on the Piedmont back is mostly dark and bold, but some tobacco staining - particularly one streak near the top of the reverse - keeps this card from grading even higher than it already has.