If I understand you correctly, you're more interested in the actually numerical scarcity of a card rather than it being a grade rarity. For example, most T206 with Polar Bear backs are fairly easy to obtain, in the P to Ex grade range. But it would be very rare to find one in NM-Mint grade.
It's been my experience that most T206 are available. Of course, for a few, you'll have to pay 10's of thousands to 100's of thousands to obtain one. It's fairly normal for several of the Big Four (Wags, Doyle, Plank, Magie) to show up in major auctions from time to time. There's nothing stopping a person from picking one up except for the $$$.
The next two would be Demmitt and O'Hara St. Louisians. They were only printed with Polar Bear backs, in equal distribution with other polar bear backs. So, if Polar Bears were the only back on T206's, these wouldn't be rare. But, because other cards were also printed with Piedmont, Sweet Cap, etc backs, they make the Demmit and O'hara less prevalent in the overall distribution of T206's. On ebay, I'd say they show up in low grade at least monthly, but again it is the $$ that determines who gets 'em.
So, if we can put Demitt and O'hara STL's in with Wags, Doyle, Plank, Magie, we have the Big Six.
Next come the Small Six:
George Brown Batting Washington
Bill Dahlen Portrait Brooklyn
Kid Elberfeld Portrait Washington
Brown and Dahlen are 350 series that only made it onto a few of the 350 backs - Pied, OM, Sov, and 2 SCs. I don't believe they made it onto AB, BL, Cyc, Drm, EPDG, PB, or Tolstoi Backs. Poor Kid Elberfeld did even worse, he only appears on the Pied, OM, and one of the SC backs.
Carl Lundgren Ready to Throw Chi Cubs
Lundgren only appears on P150, P350, and EPDG backs, whereas his colleagues in the 150 - 350(Rare) Group managed to get on some Brown Hindus, Sovs, and up to three different SCs.
Red Kleinow Catching Boston Red Sox
Frank Smith White Cap Chi & Bos
The Kleinow and the Smith are 460-only subjects but in theory share a 460 series back profile with 350/360 RP subjects.
Of the Southern Leaguers, Ed Foster has the impression of being rare, but I don't really believe he's anymore scarce than other southern leaguers. I believe there is some hording of Foster cards in order to drive the value up, but I have no proof (and since I have my OMSL & P350 Foster, I don't really care!)
I won't comment on the rarity of Nodgrass, Murr'y, or Dopner since I believe these were unintentional print freaks that were not meant to be and were soon corrected.
As far has the T206 commons go, inevitably, the one you end up needing to complete a subset or team set or whatever will be the toughest darn card to find! Something to do with Murphy's law. I put together an all polar bear back set last year and nearly finished it by mid-summer, but still needed two cards: Abbattichio Blue Sleeves and Camnitz Hands Over Head. I had previously seen them so I knew they existed. Finally, a couple of weeks ago I found and picked up the Abbattichio. I'm still looking for the Camnitz.
There are a lot of great people on this forumn that can give you a far better explanation than I can, but I hope this at least helps the discussion get started.
best regards,
craig
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