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.

San Antonio's Jack Bastian stands wearing his overcoat on top of his white uniform with a dark gray cap in front of a yellow sky in this gorgeous example. Centering is south on the canvas, with corners and edges consistent with the grade. Creasing in the top right and bottom right corners, along with some surface staining, keep this one from grading higher. The Old Mill (SL) back has some light soiling near the bottom left, but is otherwise in nice shape. Plenty of eye appeal on this one.

Among the more popular subsets in the T206 issue, Southern League (SL) cards are lauded for their scarcity. The cards of 48 players from the Southern Association, the South Atlantic League, the Texas League, and the Virginia State League were printed in total. These cards were printed separately from the rest of the T206 cards, resulting in a shorter supply than other T206s, and creating a high demand among collectors.