1909-11 T206 El Principe De Gales Walter Johnson Portrait – PSA EX-MT 6 (Pop 3, None Higher)

The T206 set stands as one of the most celebrated issues in the entire hobby, and within that set few backs carry the rarity and mystique of El Principe De Gales. Offered here is a genuine example of the Walter Johnson Portrait pose on this scarce back, graded PSA EX-MT 6 with a jaw-dropping population of just three graded at this level, none higher anywhere on the planet. This is, quite simply, the finest obtainable example of this back and pose combination that a collector can hope to own.

El Principe De Gales backs are among the true condition rarities of the T206 series. Distributed in far more limited quantities than the mainstream Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, or American Beauty backs, surviving examples in strong Excellent-Mint condition are seldom seen at auction, and this Johnson stands at the very summit of the PSA population report for the back and pose.

The card itself shows a young “Big Train” in his Washington uniform, cap off, hair combed, rendered in the soft yellow-background portrait style that made these early tobacco issues so visually striking. The centering, color, and paper quality on this example are outstanding for the grade, with clean corners and strong contrast that immediately set it apart from typical survivors of this notoriously fragile back.

Walter Johnson remains one of the most important pitchers ever to take the mound, and any T206 example bearing his name commands attention. Paired with a back this scarce and a population report this dominant, the card becomes something rarer still, a genuine condition census piece. For advanced T206 back collectors and Johnson specialists alike, an opportunity to acquire the finest known example of this pose on this back may not present itself again for years.