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.

This stunning portrait captures the 6-time World Series champion in front of a deep red background toward the beginning of his Hall of Fame career. Centering is just a touch south on the canvas but looks very nice overall. The bottom left corner has a slight crease, but the others are nice for the grade. The right edge has a bit of light chipping, but the others are nice for the grade, as well. The biggest culprit here is a small crease running from the center of the top border straight down to the top of Collins' head, keeping the card from grading higher than it already has.

The printing on the Piedmont back is strong and bold, but the reverse has some soiling and a couple spots of light paper loss, which also help explain the card's technical grade. Nevertheless, a great example from this Hall of Famer.