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.

One of the most popular poses among all the T206 cards, this is a nice low-grade example of Christy Mathewson's "Dark Cap" pose. The way the blue directly outlining Mathewson is darker than the rest of the background creates almost a visual aura around the pitcher at about the midpoint of his Hall of Fame career. Centering is south and slightly east on the canvas, with nice corners and edges for the grade. Light soiling is apparent over the majority of the card's front, keeping it from grading higher than it already has. The reverse is a little cleaner, with the red ink printing of the Sweet Cap back still presenting boldly. There is some faint soiling along the left edge, but regardless of any cosmetic issues, this card still has plenty of eye appeal and is a must-have.