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Defunct

American Tobacco Company

The American Tobacco Company issued the T206 set, the most famous tobacco-era baseball card issue and home of the Honus Wagner card.

1890–1911 United States Durham, North Carolina, USA
Sports cardsBaseball
Image gallery (6) Pre-grade a card
T206 Dubuc Sweet Caporal Baseball Card - Stains & Creases
T206 Dubuc Sweet Caporal Baseball Card - Stains & Creases

American Tobacco Company at a glance

The American Tobacco Company issued the T206 set, the most famous tobacco-era baseball card issue and home of the Honus Wagner card.

Full history, sources and grading notes below. Last verified · Published · Confidence: Medium

Company history

The T206 set[1][2]

The American Tobacco Company used its cigarette brands to distribute the T206 baseball set from 1909 to 1911. The cards are small, colour lithographs with a white border, and they were issued with backs advertising Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Hassan, Mecca and other brands. The set includes Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Walter Johnson and the Honus Wagner card that became the hobby’s most valuable item.

The trust and its legacy[1][3]

The American Tobacco Company was dissolved by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1911 under antitrust law. Its brands were split among successor companies, and the tobacco-card era continued through other manufacturers. T206 remains the benchmark for tobacco-card rarity, back collecting and condition standards.

Timeline

Dated milestones with a source for each event. Hover a marker for the short label; the list below carries the detail.

American Tobacco Company timeline
American Tobacco Company timelineDated milestones in the history of American Tobacco Company.1890: Company formedCompany formed18901909: T206 beginsT206 begins19091911: T206 endsT206 ends19111911: Trust dissolvedTrust dissolved1911
View timeline events
YearEventDetail
1890Company formedJames B. Duke consolidates American tobacco interests into the American Tobacco Company.
1909T206 beginsThe T206 baseball set is issued across multiple cigarette brands.
1911T206 endsThe final T206 series is distributed.
1911Trust dissolvedThe Supreme Court dissolves the American Tobacco Company.
  1. 1890
    Company formed[1]

    James B. Duke consolidates American tobacco interests into the American Tobacco Company.

  2. 1909
    T206 begins[2]

    The T206 baseball set is issued across multiple cigarette brands.

  3. 1911
    T206 ends[2]

    The final T206 series is distributed.

  4. 1911
    Trust dissolved[1]

    The Supreme Court dissolves the American Tobacco Company.

Brand identity

Image archive

Local, provenance-recorded images. Captions and source credits are part of the record; a missing section is shown as an explicit gap rather than filled with a placeholder.

Card fronts & backs

Open the full gallery →
T206 Dubuc Sweet Caporal Baseball Card - Stains & Creases
Card frontsT206 Dubuc Sweet Caporal Baseball Card - Stains & CreaseseBay listing image
T206 Jacklitsch Sweet Caporal Baseball Card - Paper Loss Back Damage
Card frontsT206 Jacklitsch Sweet Caporal Baseball Card - Paper Loss Back DamageeBay listing image
T206 Dubuc Sweet Caporal Baseball Card - Stains & Creases — reverse.
Card backsT206 Dubuc Sweet Caporal Baseball Card - Stains & Creases — reverse.eBay listing image
T206 Chappelle Piedmont Baseball Card - Back Damage / Paper Loss — reverse.
Card backsT206 Chappelle Piedmont Baseball Card - Back Damage / Paper Loss — reverse.eBay listing image
T206 Chappelle Piedmont Baseball Card - Back Damage / Paper Loss
Card frontsT206 Chappelle Piedmont Baseball Card - Back Damage / Paper LosseBay listing image

Notable sets

Notable sets
YearSetWhy it mattersSource
19091909-11 T206The defining tobacco-era baseball set and home of the Honus Wagner card.[2]
19111911 T205A gold-bordered companion set from the same tobacco era.[2]

Grading notes

How this manufacturer's stock, cutting and production method affect the four grading pillars.

Backs and brands[2]

T206 cards exist with many advertising backs; back scarcity and condition affect value independently of the front.

Fragile stock[2]

Tobacco-era stock is thin and brittle; creases, paper loss and back damage are common and heavily penalised.

How to identify American Tobacco Company cards

1909-1911[1]

The T206 front uses a colour lithograph with a white border; the back names the cigarette brand.

Tobacco backs[1]

Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Hassan and Mecca are the common backs; rarer backs command a premium.

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Frequently asked questions

When did American Tobacco Company start making cards?

American Tobacco Company began issuing cards in 1909.

Who owns American Tobacco Company now?

American Tobacco Company is defunct; its brand assets have changed hands over time.

What is American Tobacco Company known for?

The American Tobacco Company issued the T206 set, the most famous tobacco-era baseball card issue and home of the Honus Wagner card.

Sources & methodology

Every factual claim in the profile is tied to the numbered sources below. Translated sources are tagged with their original language. Media provenance is recorded per image; images are stored locally and credited to their source.

  1. Wikipedia: American Tobacco Company (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)
  2. Wikipedia: T206 (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)
  3. Cardboard Connection: tobacco cards (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)

Unverified or incomplete

  • Text-first draft; media, design evolution and people/place sections are pending.

Cite this profile

PreGradeCards Research. “American Tobacco Company.” Card Manufacturers Directory. Last verified 2026-11-07. https://pregradecards.com/manufacturers/t206-makers

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