On Display: T206 Ty Cobb Green Portrait, PSA 7 (Near Mint)
Issued: 1909–1911 by American Tobacco Company
Back: Piedmont Cigarettes, Factory 25
Artist/Photographer: Carl Horner (Portrait)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1936 (Charter Member)
Career Batting Average: .366
Hits: 4,189
Batting Titles: 12 (including 9 consecutive from 1907–1915)
“Baseball is something more than a game to me. It’s a religion.” — Ty Cobb
Few baseball cards command the reverence and recognition of the T206 Ty Cobb Green Portrait. This artifact showcases the legendary “Georgia Peach,” Ty Cobb, during the early peak of his illustrious career. Printed between 1909 and 1911, the T206 set is one of the most iconic issues in the hobby, and among its more than 500 subjects, this green-background portrait of Cobb remains one of the most coveted.
The image, captured by early baseball photographer Carl Horner, presents Cobb with steely intensity, set against a vibrant green backdrop that has become synonymous with pre-war baseball collecting. This particular example, graded PSA 7 Near Mint, is one of the finest preserved specimens known to exist with only two higher-graded Piedmont-backed copies documented.
At the time this card was issued, Cobb had already begun his historic streak of batting titles, securing nine in a row from 1907 to 1915. He would ultimately retire with a career batting average of .366—the highest in Major League history—and be enshrined as one of the original five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
The T206 Ty Cobb Green Portrait stands among the pantheon of iconic collectibles, including the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth’s M101-5 rookie, and the ultra-rare T206 Honus Wagner. Its status has only grown in recent years, with examples commanding prices approaching half a million dollars at auction.
A true gem in every sense, this card is not only a testament to Cobb’s unparalleled prowess on the diamond but also a cornerstone of American sports history and collecting culture.