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One of the more intriguing aspects of the T206 set is the numerous back brand advertisements on the backs. In total, the American Tobacco Company distributed T206 cards with 16 different tobacco products. Back advertisements for brands such as Piedmont, Sweet Caporal and Sovereign were printed throughout all three series, with a majority of subjects and in the greatest quantities. Other brands such as Drum, Lenox and Uzit were printed during only one series, with a limited number of subjects and in lesser quantities, resulting in greater scarcity.
The number of back brands, when multiplied by the number of subjects, led hobbyist Bill Heitman to aptly name the T206 set "The Monster." Taking into consideration the probable no-prints and possible unconfirmed cards, estimates place the number of front/back combinations in the 5,400 to 5,500 range.
T206 Back Brands |
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American Beauty Cigarettes |
Old Mill Cigarettes |
Broad Leaf Cigarettes |
Piedmont Cigarettes |
Carolina Brights Cigarettes |
Polar Bear Scrap Tobacco |
Cycle Cigarettes |
Sovereign Cigarettes |
Drum Cigarettes |
Sweet Caporal Cigarettes |
El Principe De Gales Havana Cigarettes |
Tolstoi Russian Mouth Piece Cigarettes |
Hindu Cigarettes |
Ty Cobb Smoking Tobacco |
Lenox Mouthpiece Cigarettes |
Uzit Mouth-Piece Cigarettes |
American Beauty |
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American Beauty backs were issued with three different designs printed in green. The first was the 350 Series back with an ornate frame using group 2 (350 Only) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. The second was the 350 Series back without the ornate frame using group 3 (350-460) subjects. The third back was printed during the 460 Series using subjects from group 3 and 4 (460 Only.) Both of the 350 Series backs were issued out of Factory 25, Virginia, while the 460 Series back was issued out of Factory 42, North Carolina. For reasons still undetermined, all of the American Beauty cards received one or two additional vertical cuts to make the cards thinner than a standard size T206. One popular theory is that the packaging for this brand was thinner, but this has not been substantiated. Whatever the reason, the extra cutting was continued for all of the T206 American Beauty backs as well for other similar tobacco cards packaged with the American Beauty product.
AB 350 Series (Frame) Checklist |
Broad Leaf |
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Broad Leaf backs were issued with two different designs printed in dark brown. The first was the 350 Series back using group 2 (350 Only) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. The second was the 460 Series back using group 3 (350-460) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. Both Broad Leaf backs are ranked high on the scarcity list, but the Broad Leaf 460 is amongst the rarest. Both Broad Leaf backs were issued out of Factory 25, Virginia.
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Carolina Brights |
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Carolina Brights backs were issued with one design and printed in black. This advertisement is classified as an assorted-brand back specifying no series and was printed during the 350 Series using group 2 (350 Only) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. All Carolina Brights were issued out of Factory 25, Virginia.
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Cycle |
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Cycle backs were issued with two different designs printed in black. The first was the 350 Series back using group 2 (350 Only) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. The second was the 460 Series using group 3 (350-460), group 4 (460 Only) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. Both Cycle backs were issued out of Factory 25, Virginia.
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Drum |
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The Drum backs were issued with one design and printed in violet. This 350 Series back was first printed using group 2 (350 Only) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. The same 350 Series back was printed at a later time using group 3 (350-460) subjects. All Drum backs were issued out of Factory 25, Virginia. In spite of a number of new examples coming to market in the past several years, the Drum back is considered to be among the most scarce.
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El Principe De Gales |
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El Principe De Gales (EPDG) backs were issued with one design and printed in red. This advertisement is classified as an assorted-brand back specifying no series and was first printed using group 1 (150-350) subjects just after the set's transition to the 350 Series. The EPDG back was printed several times throughout the set's production and includes subjects from groups 1,2,3,4 and 5.
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Hindu |
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Hindu backs were issued with one design and printed in both brown and red. These advertisements are classified as assorted-brand backs specifying no series. The first back was printed in brown during the 150 Series using group 1 (150-350) and group 6 (Southern League) subjects. The second back was printed in red during the 460 Series using subjects from group 3 (350-460), group 4 (460 Only) and group 5 (Super Print.) Both brown and red Hindu backs were issued out of Factory 649, New York.
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Lenox |
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Lenox backs were issued with one design and printed in black and brown. This advertisement is classified as an assorted-brand back specifying no series. The black were printed during the 460 Series using group 3 (350-460), group 4 (460 Only) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. The brown also were printed during the 460 Series using group 3 and 4 subjects. It's unlikely a group 5 subject will be found with a brown Lenox back, but it cannot be said with absolute certainty at this point. All Lenox backs were issued out of Factory 30, New York.
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Old Mill |
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Old Mill backs were issued with two designs, both printed in black. These advertisements are classified as assorted-brand backs specifying no series. The Old Mill Southern League (SL) back was designed specifically for group 6 subjects and listed the four leagues they represented. The Old Mill (SL) back was printed during the early 350 Series. The Old Mill Base Ball Subjects (BBS) back was first printed during the 350 Series using group 1 subjects. Additional printings of the BBS back during the 350 and 460 Series included subjects from groups 2,3,4 and 5. All Old Mill backs were issued out of Factory 25, Virginia.
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A third Old Mill back is the Southern League design printed in brown ink instead of the common black. It's theorized that sheets of preprinted southern league players used for the Hindu printing were tested using the brown Hindu ink and the new Old Mill (SL) ad. These cards are printers scrap, were not issued in packs and are all hand-cut. They also should be found only with one of the 34 subjects that were printed with a Hindu back. Many collectors do not think a back run is complete without a brown Old Mill, while others do not think it's an official T206. It remains the second most scarce back, behind only Ty Cobb. Brown Old Mill (SL) backs have a Factory 25, Virginia, designation but were never issued.
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Piedmont |
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Piedmont backs were issued with four different designs printed in blue. The Piedmont backs in total were printed more often and with more subjects that any other brand. The first back issued was Piedmont 150 which was printed several times during the 150 Series using only subjects from group 1 (150-350.) The second back issued was the 350 Series, and through the progression of the set ultimately would include subjects from groups 1, 2 (350 Only), 3 (350-460), 5 (Super Print) and 6 (Southern League.) The third back issued was the 350-460 Factory 25. This back was printed during the 460 Series and included groups 3, 4 and 5. The fourth back was the 350-460 Factory 42, which is far more scarce than any other Piedmont. This back was printed during the 460 Series with subjects from groups 3, 4 and 5 and can be found in several varying shades of blue.
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Polar Bear |
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Polar Bear backs were issued with one design printed in blue. This back is unique in that it's the only T206 back where the areas not printed produce the advertising text. This back is classified as an assorted-brand back specifying no series and was printed during the 350 and 460 Series using group 2 (350 Only), group 3 (350-460), group 4 (460 Only) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. Polar Bear cards were packaged in pouches of scrap tobacco and generally are found with some degree of tobacco staining. All Polar Bear backs were issued out of Factory 6, Ohio.
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Sovereign |
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Sovereign backs were issued with three different designs printed in either forest or apple green. The first is the 150 Series forest green back using group 1 (150-350) subjects. The checklist for this back is thought to be the original 150 Subjects offered in the set. The second is the 350 Series forest green backs using group 1 and group 2 (350 Only) subjects. The third Sovereign back is the 350 Series apple green backs printed using group 3 (350-460) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. The fourth back is the 460 Series forest green and was printed using group 4 (460 Only) and group 5 subjects. If there is a question as to whether a subject was part of group 2, 3 or 4, the Sovereign back that he was printed with is the determining factor. All Sovereign backs were issued out of Factory 25, Virginia.
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Sweet Caporal |
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Sweet Caporal backs were issued with nine different designs printed in red. The first two backs issued were the 150 Series Factory 25 and Factory 30 and were printed using group 1 (150-350) subjects. The third is the 150 Series Factory 649 overprint. Thirty four subjects were printed with this back and it's believed to have been printed concurrently with the brown Hindu back. The fourth and fifth backs are the 350 Series Factory 25 and 30. These two backs were printed multiple times during different print groups and include groups 1, 2 (350 Only), 3 (350-460) and 5 (Super Print) subjects. The 150 and 350 Series Sweet Caporal backs were issued out of Factory 25; Virginia, and Factory 30, 2nd Dist. New York. The 150 Series with factory overprint were issued out of Factory 649, 1st Dist. New York. These overprints originally were printed with a Factory 30 designation.
Sweet Caporal 150 No.25 Checklist Sweet Caporal 150 No.30 Checklist Sweet Caporal 150 No.649 Checklist Sweet Caporal 350 No.25 Checklist Sweet Caporal 350 No.30 Checklist
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During production of the 460 Series, four different Sweet Caporal backs were printed. These backs were printed using subjects from groups 3, 4 and 5. A majority of the 460 Series subjects were printed with three of these backs, but only group 5 (Super Print) subjects were issued with all four. The Factory 42 overprint back is the only 350-460 Sweet Caporal back that all 109 available subjects were issued with. These overprints originally were printed with a Factory 30 back. The issued Factory 30 back is thought to mirror the Sovereign 460 group and includes only group 4 and 5 subjects. The Factory 42 no-overprint group is thought to mirror the red Hindu group. The Factory 25 back is thought to be the more difficult to find of the four and was printed using group 3, 4 and 5 subjects. The 350-460 Sweet Caporal backs were issued out of Factory 25, Virginia; Factory 30, New York; and Factory 42, North Carolina.
Sweet Caporal 350-460 No.25 Checklist Sweet Caporal 350-460 No.30 Checklist |
Tolstoi |
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Tolstoi backs were issued with one design and printed in black. This advertisement is classified as an assorted-brand back specifying no series and was printed during the 350 and 460 Series using group 2 (350 Only), group 3 (350-460), group 4 (460 Only) and group 5 (Super Print) subjects. All Tolstoi backs were issued out of Factory 30, New York.
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Ty Cobb |
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Ty Cobb backs were issued with one design and printed in green. This advertisement is classified as an assorted-brand back specifying no series. This back can be found only with a Ty Cobb red portrait and is the rarest of all T206 back brands, with less than 15 examples known. It is also one of the more controversial backs regarding whether it should be considered a T206. Many aspects of this card still remain a mystery. All Ty Cobb backs were issued out of Factory 33, North Carolina.
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Uzit |
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Uzit backs were issued with one design and printed in blue. This advertisement is classified as an assorted-brand back specifying no series and was printed during the 460 Series using group 3 (350-460) and group 4 (460 Only) subjects. Uzits are one of the scarcest backs, with many subjects still not confirmed that are thought to have been printed. All Uzit backs were issued out of Factory 30, New York.
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