Desert Storm trading cards

Last updated

Desert Storm trading cards are sets of trading cards that feature people and equipment involved in the Persian Gulf War. The cards were published in the United States by various companies and the size of sets varied great in between companies (such as the nine-card set published by Crown Sports Cards, and the 250 card-set published by Pro Set). The cards were claimed to be educational, with proceeds of the sales benefiting the children of Persian Gulf War veterans, and were produced at a time when the trading card industry was expanding its range well outside of the traditional sports figures. These sets were fairly popular in 1991 and each box used by retailers included 36 Packs.

Contents

Topps set

George H. W. Bush was featured as card number 1 in the Topps set. Bush troops.jpg
George H. W. Bush was featured as card number 1 in the Topps set.

The Topps set is made up of 88 cards and 22 stickers, [1] and includes images of people and material from all sides of the conflict. [2] They display people such as Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. and Dick Cheney, [3] or military weapons or vehicles. [4] As Commander in Chief, George H. W. Bush was featured as the first card in the series. [2] The weapon and equipment cards give descriptions of each item's features, with information supplied by sources from The Pentagon and weapon suppliers. A package of nine cards and one sticker cost 50¢. Topps commented on the series stating it was "neither frivolous nor opportunistic", and the product did not "glamorize war". Topps insisted the cards provided adults and children educational information in a "non-sensational way". [1]

Topps issued the Desert Storm Collector Cards in three series: Series I: Coalition For Peace, Series II: Victory Series and Series III: Homecoming Edition.

George H. W. Bush Pro Set Trading Card George H. W. Bush Pro Set Trading Card.jpg
George H. W. Bush Pro Set Trading Card

Other sets

1991 Pro Set Desert Storm Box Pro Set Desert Storm Box.jpg
1991 Pro Set Desert Storm Box

Pro Set entered the field after Topps did and, they claimed, they took their inspiration from the troops themselves, who supposedly asked the company, "Why don't you do a set of cards to tell Americans what we're doing over here." They published a set of 250 cards (including foreign leaders and countries of the middle east), sold in packs of ten, with proceeds going to "charities for the children of Desert Storm veterans", according to the company's president. [5] Pacific Trading Cards published a 110-card set, and a set of nine caricatures was published by Crown Sports Cards. [2]

Background and popularity

Economic and political background

Desert Storm trading cards were part of a broader movement within the trading card industry, which looked to move away from an "oversaturated and...overpriced" market, and had begun printing cards featuring "cartoon heroes, television personalities, rock stars and even murderers". [6]

According to Steven C. Dubin, they were indicative of a wave of "patriotic fervor" that swept the US at the time of Desert Storm. [7] That the cards are iconic images of the combination of economics and patriotism has been noted by many writers. [8] [9]

Popularity and proceeds

The trading cards were popular outside of the typical "card collectors", and they sold quickly. Some stores sold their stock within hours of delivery, and others selling out within a week. Pro Set pledged to donate (the higher of) either $1 million or the entire proceeds from their Desert Storm trading card series to children of Desert Storm veterans, while Topps made unspecified donations, including to the United Service Organizations. [2]

Their popularity was attested by Colin Powell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993, who said that at the time he spent "a good part of [his] time" signing cards. Ten years later, Topps revisited the idea by printing a set of similar cards related to Operation Enduring Freedom. [10] Supposedly, the card with Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. was the inspiration for the title of the Beastie Boys' 1992 album Check Your Head . [11]

In the film Garden State (2004), a scene shows Andrew (Zach Braff) looking through a binder containing a near-complete set of the trading cards belonging to his friend, Mark (Peter Sarsgaard), who briefly discusses with him their significance.

Criticism

The trading cards have come under attack for at least two reasons, accuracy and cultural impact. The information on some of the Topps cards was criticized as being incorrect (such as saying NATO had 27 members, when in 1991 it had sixteen), redundant (such as "ground combat infantryman"), blatantly obvious ("Transport ships carry enormous weights"), or "simply incomprehensible" (such as the vague statement "Range and accuracy (of missiles) varies from a few feet to several hundred miles"). [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Mars Attacks</i> Trading card series

Mars Attacks is a science fiction-themed trading card series released in 1962 by Topps. The cards feature artwork by science fiction artists Wally Wood and Norman Saunders. The cards form a story arc, which tells of the invasion of Earth by cruel, hideous Martians under the command of a corrupt Martian government who conceal the fact from the Martian populace that Mars is doomed to explode and, therefore, proposes colonization of Earth to turn it into their new homeworld. The cards depict futuristic battle scenes and bizarre methods of Martian attack, torture and slaughter of humans, as well as various Earth nations being attacked. The story concludes with an expeditionary force of humans volunteering to embark on a counterattack on Mars, in which the Earth force attacks the Martians in their manner. This necessitates the Martians that are still on Mars to defend their homeworld. The Earth attack forces, after destroying the Martian cities and killing the Martians, depart just before Mars is destroyed in the predicted cataclysm, thus ensuring the peace and safety of Earth as the Martian race is seemingly doomed to extinction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garbage Pail Kids</span> Sticker trading cards

Garbage Pail Kids is a series of sticker trading cards produced by the Topps Company, originally released in 1985 and designed to parody the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, which were popular at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trading card</span> Picture cards that are collectable

A trading card is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing and a short description of the picture, along with other text. There is a wide variation of different types of cards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baseball card</span> Type of trading card related to baseball

A baseball card is a type of trading card relating to baseball, usually printed on cardboard, silk, or plastic. In the 1950s, they came with a stick of gum and a limited number of cards. These cards feature one or more baseball players, teams, stadiums, or celebrities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topps</span> American company

The Topps Company, Inc. is an American company that manufactures trading cards and other collectibles. Formerly based in New York City, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards. Topps also produces cards under the brand names Allen & Ginter and Bowman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleer</span> American bubble gum manufacturer

The Fleer Corporation, founded by Frank H. Fleer in 1885, was the first company to successfully manufacture bubble gum; it remained a family-owned enterprise until 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-sports trading card</span> Type of collectible card

Non-sport trading cards are a particular kind of collectible card designated as such because trading cards have historically prominently featured athletes from the world of sports as subjects. Non-sports cards are trading cards whose subjects can be virtually anything other than sports-themed.

<i>Wacky Packages</i> Trading cards featuring parodies of consumer products

Wacky Packages are a series of humorous trading cards featuring parodies of consumer products. The cards were produced by Topps beginning in 1967, first in die-cut, then in peel-and-stick sticker format. There were 16 series produced between 1973 and 1977, with some reprints and several new series released up to the present day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman Schwarzkopf Jr.</span> United States Army general (1934–2012)

Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. was a United States Army general. While serving as the commander of United States Central Command, he led all coalition forces in the Gulf War against Ba'athist Iraq.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O-Pee-Chee</span> Canadian confectionery company

The O-Pee-Chee Company, Ltd. was a Canadian confectionery company founded in 1911 based in London, Ontario. The company was best known as a maker of trading cards. It entered into a marketing agreement with the Topps Company in 1958, releasing several collections of baseball, gridiron football and ice hockey cards.

Bowman is a brand of trading cards owned by Topps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American football card</span>

An American football card is a type of collectible trading card typically printed on paper stock or card stock that features one or more American football players or other related sports figures. These cards are most often found in the United States and other countries where the sport is popular.

<i>Star Wars</i> trading card

Star Wars trading card usually refers to a non-sport card themed after a Star Wars movie or television show. However a common colloquial reference to trading card can also include reference to stickers, wrappers, or caps (pog) often produced along the same theme. Usually produced as either promotional or collectible memorabilia relating to Star Wars, the cards can depict anything from screen still imagery to original art. In addition, there have been various companies that have issued promotional Star Wars trading cards that include reference to or information about that corresponding company.

Panini is an Italian company that produces books, comics, magazines, stickers, trading cards and other items through its collectibles and publishing subsidiaries. It is headquartered in Modena and named after the Panini brothers who founded it in 1961. Panini distributes its own products, and products of third party providers. Panini maintains a Licensing Division to buy and resell licences and provide agency for individuals and newspapers seeking to purchase rights and comic licences. Through Panini Digital the company uses voice-activated software to capture football statistics, which is then sold to agents, teams, media outlets and video game manufactures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basketball card</span>

A basketball card is a type of trading card relating to basketball, usually printed on cardboard, silk, or plastic. These cards feature one or more players of the National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Olympic basketball, Women's National Basketball Association, Women's Professional Basketball League, or some other basketball related theme.

Prizes are promotional items—small toys, games, trading cards, collectables, and other small items of nominal value—found in packages of brand-name retail products that are included in the price of the product with the intent to boost sales, similar to toys in kid's meals. Collectable prizes produced in series are used extensively—as a loyalty marketing program—in food, drink, and other retail products to increase sales through repeat purchases from collectors. Prizes have been distributed through bread, candy, cereal, cheese, chips, crackers, laundry detergent, margarine, popcorn, and soft drinks. The types of prizes have included comics, fortunes, jokes, key rings, magic tricks, models, pin-back buttons, plastic mini-spoons, puzzles, riddles, stickers, temporary tattoos, tazos, trade cards, trading cards, and small toys. Prizes are sometimes referred to as "in-pack" premiums, although historically the word "premium" has been used to denote an item that is not packaged with the product and requires a proof of purchase and/or a small additional payment to cover shipping and/or handling charges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Association football card</span>

An association football card is a type of trading card relating to association football, usually printed on cardboard, silk, or plastic. These cards feature one or more players, clubs, stadiums, or trophies. Football cards are most often found in Europe, Asia and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merlin Publishing</span> British football sticker publisher

Merlin Publishing Limited, commonly known as Merlin and sometimes branded as Merlin Collections was a British publishing firm who released a variety of sticker collections during the late 1980s and 1990s, they also designed trading cards, card games and pogs. Although most notably releasing football stickers in particularly for the Premier League and Serie A, they also designed collections around television shows and other points of interest.

Pacific Trading Cards, Inc. was an American trading card company founded in 1980 by Mike Cramer and known for its brightly colored, die cut cards. The company invented the nine-card plastic sheets collectors use to store trading cards. The company also produced memorabilia such as bobbleheads and the Ken Griffey Jr. chocolate bar. The company was purchased by Playoff in 2004. In 2021, a Tom Brady rookie card produced by Pacific sold for $117,000 eBay.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hampson, Rick (11 February 1991). "Hardware heroes in new Gulf war trading cards". Hudson Valley Morning News (AP). Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Thorner, Jim (8 March 1991). "Trading card craze:Desert Storm is hot". Beaver County Times . Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  3. Romine, Rich (20 March 1991). "Desert Storm cards available". Oxnard Press-Courier . Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  4. "Military hardware 'Topps' list on Desert Storm trading cards". The Hour (AP). 12 February 1991. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  5. Stapleton, Arnie (5 March 1991). "Desert Storm cards ready for market". Point Pleasant Register . Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  6. Meier, Barry (19 September 1992). "In Trading Cards, A New Ball Game". The New York Times. p. 48. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  7. Dubin, Steven C. (2001). Displays of power: controversy in the American Museum from the Enola Gay to Sensation. NYU Press. p. 157. ISBN   9780814718902.
  8. Ehrhart, William Daniel (2002). The madness of it all: essays on war, literature, and American life. McFarland. p. 14. ISBN   9780786413331.
  9. Slyomovics, Susan (2001). "Sex, Lies, and Television: Algerian and Moroccan Caricatures of the Gulf War". In Suad Joseph, Susan Slyomovics (ed.). Women and power in the Middle East. U of Pennsylvania P. pp. 72–3. ISBN   9780812217490.
  10. Hackett, Thomas (4 November 2001). "War Is in the Cards For Kids". NY Daily News . Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  11. Coleman, Brian (2007). Check the technique: liner notes for hip-hop junkies. Random House. p. 27. ISBN   9780812977752.