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Art M.I personally conducted a T206 survey from 1996 to 1999 or so where I asked collectors and dealers from around the country about specific T206 back brands that they own or have owned in the past. Below is the survey information that appeared in the VCBC magazine.
The survey that Brian mentions is an on-going study of confirmed front/back combinations.
Art
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T206 Back Survey
During the time period from the fall of 1997 through the end of 1999, the authors (Art Martineau actually) conducted a T206 back survey for the purpose of validating the relative rarity of the various backs. Top collectors, dealers, and hobby veterans were contacted with a questionnaire asking about specific back types in their collections, along with backs they had previously owned. A total of 45 individuals participated in this survey and 437,553 T206 cards were studied. The six toughest back types were included in this survey and the results follow.
This study clearly corroborates our current ranking of backs in order of rarity. Out of a total of 437,553 cards the following were noted:
1. Broad Leaf, 460 subjects – 8 cards (approximately 1 in every 54,694 cards)
2. Drum, 350 subjects – 29 cards (approximately 1 in every 15,088 cards)
3. Uzit– 63 cards (approximately 1 in every 6,945 cards)
4. Lenox (no designation as to brown or black) – 112 cards (approximately 1 in every 3,907 cards)
5. Broad Leaf, 350 subjects – 160 cards (approximately 1 in every 2,735 cards)
6. Carolina Brights – 368 cards (approximately 1 in every 1,189 cards)
The only surprise was probably the Broad Leaf 460. This is most likely due to the fact that many back collectors are more properly categorized as “brand” collectors. Generically the Drum brand back is definitely rarer than the Broad Leaf, but the Broad Leaf 460 series is considerably rarer as a distinct back.
One back excluded from the survey was the Ty Cobb back. With only 13 examples known; this brand is unquestionably the rarest.