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.
There are three different Frank Chance cards included in the T206 set.
This version, which
features a portrait of the Hall of Famer in front of a yellow
background, is the most common of the three. Centering is just east on the canvas, with some minor diamond cutting which leaves the top left corner just a hair higher than the right. Some light creasing in the bottom right corner and tobacco stains particularly along the left edge keep this card from grading even higher than it already has. The Polar Bear back is extremely dark and bold, with more tobacco stains along the right edge, telling the story of this card's past.