A&BC Gum was formed in 1949 by four men recently de-mobbed from the Army, following the end of WWII. At this point sugar and confectionary were still rationed, but they set out with the aim of making chewing gum – something which had become much more commonplace during the war years.
The men in question were Simon Aynsz, Rudy Braun, Tony Coakley and Douglas Coakley, and initially they had planned to call the company simply “ABC” using the first letter of each of their surnames, but that name was opposed by A.B.C. Company, so they opted instead for A&BC Chewing Gum Limited
The gum itself was made of chewable plastic and not the normal Chicle which is derived from the Sapodilla Tree of South America. They also used an artificial sweetener due to the difficulty in sourcing sugar at the time, thus avoiding the need for people buying the gum to need sweet ration coupons.
Initially the gum was produced from a small factory in Cricklewood, North London, with just nine employees including the four partners, though was to grow quickly and consistently from this small starting point, moving to larger premises firstly in Colindale, North London and then onto Romford, Essex.
The company produced it’s first cards in Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation Year of 1953, with the “Royal Portraits” series. This set was somewhat controversial as it was not an officially approved set of Royal Portraits and was seen to be “cashing in” on the Royal events of the year, but the set was allowed to go ahead.
In 1959 a tie up with The Topps Company of the USA, where in return for A&BC being able to produce the popular US “Bazooka” gum in the UK, A&BC would agree to produce the Topps USA cards for the UK market (all of which were printed in the UK and marked A&BC).
FOOTBALL
Hugely popular with collectors is the vast array of A&BC Football themed cards, which started with the 1958/59 season, and stretched right through to the 1974/75 season, along with a number of related sets featuring crests, transfers, tattoos, star players and so on.
FOOTBALLERS – 1958/59 (Planet)
Size 94mm x 64mm. Coloured. Issued as 2 sets of 46. Numbered 1-92. Issued in 1958. Back in black and Red.
#1. Eddie Bailey – Nottingham Forest
#2. James Barrett – Nottingham Forest
#3. Bobby Charlton – Manchester United
#4. John Mudie – Blackpool
#5. Brian Clough – Middlesbrough
#6. Stewart Williams – West Bromwich Albion
#7. Bobby Robson – Newcastle United
#8. Richard Keith – Newcastle United
#9. Ray Barlow – West Bromwich Albion
#10. Colin MacDonald – Burnley
#11. Ted Ditchburn – Tottenham Hotspur
#12. Ronald Baynham – Luton Town
#13. Alan Arnell – Liverpool
#14. Alan A’Court – Liverpool
#15. John Bond – West Ham United
#16. John Hewie – Charlton Athletic
#17. William Cunningham – Leicester
#18. Peter McParland – Aston Villa
#19. Derek Ufton – Charlton Athletic
#20. Derek Tapscott – Arsenal
#21. Alan Shackleton – Burnley
#22. Albert Cheesebrough – Burnley
#23. John Slater – Wolverhampton Wanderers.
#24. Harry Leyland – Blackburn
#25. Derek Kevan – West Bromwich Albion
#26. Terence Medwin – Tottenham Hotspur
#27. William Eckersley – Blackburn Rovers
#28. Don Howe – West Bromwich Albion
#29. Tom Finney – Preston North End
#30. Robert Smith – Tottenham Hotspur
#31. William Wright – Wolverhampton Wanderers
#32. Melvyn Hopkins – Tottenham Hotspur
#33. Don Revie – Sunderland
#34. Leonard Duquemin – Tottenham Hotspur
#35. Ron Reynolds – Tottenham Hotspur
#36. Sidney Owen – Luton Town
#37. James McIlroy – Burnley
#38. John Molyneux – Liverpool
#39. Malcolm Allison – West Ham United
#40. John Dixon – Aston Villa
#41. Bobby Evans – Celtic
#42. George Robb – Tottenham Hotspur
#43. Tommy Banks – Bolton Wanderers
#44. Tom Cummings – Burnley
#45. Jimmy Hill – Fulham
#46. Nat Lofthouse – Bolton Wanderers
#47.
#48.
FOOTBALLERS – 1960/61
Size 89mm x 64mm. Coloured. Issued as 2 sets of 42. Numbered 1-84. Issued in 1960. Back in black. 2 versions of card 41 exist, with the rarer one being with white text on black background, which was originally issued incorrectly with the text from card 25 instead of that of card 41. This was subsequently “corrected” by applying a black background and white text to the block, but the original text shows through in places.
#1. Jimmy Scoular – Newcastle United
#2. Don Donovan – Grimsby Town
#3. Charlie Hurley – Sunderland
#4. Harry Davis – Rangers
#5. Ron Flowers – Wolverhampton Wdrs.
#6. Frank Haffey – Celtic
#7. Tony Knapp – Leicester City
#8. Ron Wylie – Aston Villa
#9. Brian Clough – Middlesbrough
#10. Les Smith – Aston Villa
#11. Bert Trautmann – Manchester City
#12. Jock Davidson – Hull City
#13. Kevin McHale – Huddersfield Town
#14. Albert Dunlop – Everton
#15. Doug Holden – Bolton Wanderers
#16. Ronnie Clayton – Blackburn Rovers
#17. Jim Langley – Fulham
#18. Wilbur Cush – Leeds United
#19. Willie Telfer – Rangers
#20. Graham Shaw – Sheffield United
#21. Jimmy Armfield – Blackpool
#22. Ray Pointer – Burnley
#23. Albert Quixall – Manchester United
#24. Jack Burkitt – Nottingham Forest
#25. Tom Wilson – Nottingham Forest
#26. Don Howe – West Bromwich Albion
#27. Ron Springett – Sheffield Wednesday
#28. John Groves – Luton Town
#29. Derek Reeves – Southampton
#30. Bobby Brennan – Norwich City
#31. Jimmy Melia – Blackpool
#32. John Watts – Birmingham City
#33. Ken Malcolm – Ipswich Town
#34. Derek Sullivan – Cardiff City
#35. John Atyeo – Bristol City
#36. Joe Walton – Preston North End
#37. Brian Bulless – Hull City
#38. Alex Scott – Rangers
#39. Alex Young – Hearts
#40. Johnny Baxter – Hibernian
#41. John Wilson – St. Mirren
#41. Standard reverse of card 41
#41. John Wilson – St. Mirren
#41. Variant reverse of card 41 with white text on black background
#42. Series 1 Checklist – Wolves
#42. Reverse
#43. Harry Leyland – Blackburn Rovers
#44. Tommy Banks – Bolton Wanderers
#45. Brian Pilkington – Burnley
#46. Bill Perry – Blackpool
#47. Ernie Taylor – Sunderland
#48. George Cummins – Luton Town
#49. Jimmy Harris – Everton
#50. Bobby McKinlay – Nottingham Forest
#51. Peter McCall – Bristol City
#52. John Elsworthy – Ipswich Town
#53. Dennis Viollet – Manchester United
#54. Bob Cairns – Stoke City
#55. Willie Cunningham – Preston North E
#56. Clive Colbridge – Manchester City
#57. Dennis Uphill – Watford
#58. Peter Broadbent – Wolverhampton W
#59. Graham Leggat – Fulham
#60. Edwin Holliday – Middlesbrough
#61. Neil Mochan – Celtic
#62. Sammy Baird – Rangers
#63. Ron Moran – Liverpool
#64. Alan Hodgkinson – Sheffield United
#65. Eric Caldow – Rangers
#66. Gordon Marshall – Hearts
#67. Tommy Bryceland – St. Mirren
#68. Peter Dobing – Blackburn Rovers
#69. Maurice Setters – Manchester United
#70. Pat Saward – Aston Villa
#71. Tom McAnearney – Sheffield Weds
#72. Bob Morton – Luton Town
#73. Jimmy Adamson – Burnley
#74. Stan Matthews – Blackpool
#75. Dick Keith – Newcastle United
#76. Joe Kennedy – West Bromwich Albion
#77. Derek Hogg – West Bromwich Albion
#78. Brian Harris – Everton
#79. Dave LcLaren – Plymouth Argyle
#80. Roy McCrohan – Norwich City
#81. George Showell – Wolverhampton W.
#82. Geoff Twentyman – Liverpool
#83. Eric Kerfoot – Leeds United
#83. Reverse
#84. Series 2 Cheklist – Blackpool
#84. Reverse
FOOTBALLERS – 1961/62 (SCOTTISH)
Size 90mm x 64mm. Black and white glossy photograph. Numbered series of 44. Issued in 1961. Front picture of a player with an autograph. Plain back. Anonymous issue not inscribed A&BC.
#1. Gordon Marshall – Hearts
#2. Pat Quinn – Motherwell
#3. Andy Kerr – Kilmarnock
#4. Dave Barry – Rangers
#5. Willie Fernie – Celtic
#6. Willie Hunter – Motherwell
#7. Frank Haffey – Celtic
#8. Ian Ure – Dundee
#9. George Smith – Partick Thistle
#10. Davie Holt – Hearts
#11. Sandy McLaughlin – Kilmarnock
#12. Therolf Beck – St. Mirren
#13. Alex Scott – Rangers
#14. Billy Henderson – Rangers
#5. Bertie Black – Kilmarnock
#16. Eddie Connachan – Dunfermline
#17. Dave McParland – Partick Thistle
#18. Tommy Bryceland – St. Mirren
#19. Harry Davis – Rangers
#20. Bobby Cummings – Aberdeen
#21. Tommy Preston – Hibernian
#22. Ernie Yard – Kilmarnock
#23. Johnny Lawlor – Stirling Albion
#24. Andy Leigh – Raith Rovers
#25. Eric Caldow – Rangers
#26. Charlie Dickson – Dunfermline
#27. John Ogston – Aberdeen
#28. Bobby Cox – Dundee
#29. John Hughes – Celtic
#30. Bobby Kirk – Hearts
#32. Jimmy Millar – Rangers
#33. Gordon Smith – Dundee
#34. Pat Crerand – Celtic
#55. Ralph Brand – Rangers
#66. Gerry Baker – Hibernian
#37. Bobby Shearer – Rangers
#38. Harry Melrose – Dunfermline
#39. George Mulhall – Aberdeen
#40. Andy Weir – Motherwell
#31. Joe Walters – Clyde
#41. Celtic FC 1961/62
#42. Hearts FC 1961/62
#43. Dundee FC 1961/62
#44. Rangers FC 1961/62
FOOTBALLERS – 1962/63 (BAZOOKA)
Size 81mm x 56mm. Coloured. Numbered series of 82. Issued in 1962. Red back inscribed “Bazooka The Chew of Champions” (see card 80).
#1. George Eastham – Arsenal
#2. Bobby Thomson – Aston Villa
#3. Jimmy Harris – Birmingham City
#4. Ron Clayton – Blackburn Rovers
#5. Tony Waiters – Blackpool
#6. Eddie Hopkinson – Bolton Wanderers
#7. Ray Pointer – Burnley
#8. Alan Harrington – Cardiff City
#9. Bobby Tambling – Chelsea
#10. Billy Bingham – Everton
#11. Johnny Haynes – Fulham
#12. Ian King – Leicester City
#13. Peter Dobing – Manchester City
#14. Shay Brennan – Manchester United
#15. Dick Le Flem – Nottingham Forest
#16. Alan Hodgkinson – Sheffield United
#17. Ron Springett – Sheffield Wednesday
#18. Bill Brown -Tottenham Hotspur
#19. David Burnside – West Bromwich Alb.
#20. Bobby Moore – West Ham United
#21. Ron Flowers – Wolverhampton Wdrs.
#22. Larry Carberry – Ipswich Town
#23. Les Massie – Huddersfield Town
#24. Roger Hunt – Liverpool
#25. Tony Knapp – Southampton
#26. Dennis Viollet – Stoke City
#27. Charlie Hurley – Sunderland
#28. Ivor Allchurch – Newcastle United
#29. Roy Jennings – Brighton & Hove Alb.
#30. Roy Little – Crystal Palace
#31. John Charlton – Leeds United
#32. Brian Thurlow – Norwich City
#33. Colin Taylor – Walsall
#34. Stuart Leary – Charlton Athletic
#35. Jimmy McEwan – Aston Villa
#36. Bryan Douglas – Blackburn Rovers
#37. Roy Gratrix – Blackpool
#38. Malcolm Edwards – Chester
#39. Jimmy Robson – Burnley
#40. Mel Charles – Cardiff City
#41. Alex Elder – Burnley
#42. Jimmy Gabriel – Everton
#43. Alan Mullery – Fulham
#44. Frank McLintock – Leicester City
#45. Bobby Kennedy – Manchester City
#46. Noel Cantwell – Manchester Utd
#47. Tony Richardson – Sheffield Utd
#48. Peter Swan – Sheffield Weds.
#49. Ron Henry – Tottenham Hotspur
#50. Alec Jackson – West Bromwich Albion
#51. Eddie Stuart – Wolverhampton Wdrs.
#52. Ted Phillips – Ipswich Town
#53. Stan Anderson – Sunderland
#54. Brian Miller – Burnley
#55. Peter Brabrook – Chelsea
#56. Bobby Charlton – Manchester United
#57. Cecil Coldwell – Sheffield United
#58. John Fantham – Sheffield Wednesday
#59. Maurice Normal – Tottenham Hotspur
#60. Don Howe – West Bromwich Albion
#61. Peter Broadbent – Wolverhampton W.
#62. Ray Crawford – Ipswich Town
#63. Adam Blacklaw – Burnley
#64. Mel Scott – Chelsea
#65. Graham Shaw – Sheffield United
#66. Jimmy Greaves – Tottenham Hotspur
#67. Jimmy Armfield – Blackpool
#68. John Connelly – Burnley
#69. Andy Malcom – Chelsea
#70. Alex Young – Everton
#71. Tony Macedo – Fulham
#72. Bill Leivers – Manchester City
#73. Mark Pearson – Manchester United
#74. Derek Pace – Sheffield United
#75. Tony Kay – Sheffield Wednesday
#76. John White – Tottenham Hotspur
#77. Bobby Robson – West Bromwich Alb.
#78. Johnny Byrne – West Ham United
#79. Kevin Lewis – Liverpool
#80. Len Ashurst – Sunderland
#80. Reverse
#81. Checklist – England Team
#82. Checklist – Tottenham Hotspur Team
#82. Reverse
FOOTBALLERS – 1963/64 (Scottish – Green “Make-a-Photo” Backs)
Size 81mm x 56mm. Coloured. Numbered series of 81. Issued in 1963. Red back inscribed “Make-a-Photo” (see card 80).
#1. Tommy Duncan – Airdrie
#2. Frank Haffey – Celtic
#3. John Colrain – Clyde
#4. Hugh Brown – Kilmarnock
#5. Charlie Aitken – Motherwell
#6. Neil Duffy – Partick Thistle
#7. Dick Beattie – St. Mirren
#8. Finlay McGillivray – Third Lanark
#9. Charlie Cooke – Aberdeen
#10. Walter Carlyle – Dundee United
#11. William Fulton – Falkirk
#12. George Farm – Queen of the South
#13. Robert Bryce – Stenhousemuir
#14. Matt Tees – Airdrie
#15. Duncan McKay – Celtic
#16. Dan Currie – Clyde
#17. Sandy McLaughlan – Kilmarnock
#18. Matthew Thomson – Motherwell
#19. Joe Hogan – Partick Thistle
#20. Therolf Beck – St. Mirren
#21. Jimmy Goodfellow – Third Lanark
#22. George Kinnell – Aberdeen
#23. Stuart Fraser – Dundee United
#24. Hugh Maxwell – Falkirk
#25. John Rugg – Queen of the South
#26. Robert Orr – Stenhousemuir
#27. Alex Hamilton – Dundee
#28. Harry Melrose – Dunfermline
#29. David Holt – Hearts
#30. Tommy Preston – Hibernian
#31. William Henderson – Rangers
#32. Jack Bolton – Raith Rovers
#33. Robert Gilmour – Stirling Albion
#34. Ian Ure – Dundee
#35. Alex Smith – Dunfermline
#36. Gordon Marshall – Hearts
#37. Willie Toner – Hibernian
#38. Jimmy Millar – Rangers
#39. Tommy McDonald – Raith Rovers
#40. David Brown – Stirling Albion
#41. Checklist – Series 1
#42. Billy Reid – Airdrie
#43. Billy McNeill – Celtic
#44. Tom McCulloch – Clyde
#45. Jackie McGrory – Kilmarnock
#46. Bobby McCallum – Motherwell
#47. George Niven – Partick Thistle
#48. Jim Clunie – St. Mirren
#49. Jimmy Robb – Third Lanark
#50. Ernie Winchester – Aberdeen
#51. John Ogston – Aberdeen
#52. Dennis Gillespie – Dundee United
#53. Tommy Lowrie – Falkirk
#54. Neil Martin – Queen of the South
#55. John Hughes – Celtic
#56. Robert Kennedy – Stenhousemuir
#57. Alan Gilzean – Dundee United
#58. George Peebles – Dunfermline
#59. Johnny Hamilton – Hearts
#60. Aly McLeod – Hibernian
#61. Ralph Brand – Rangers
#62. Bobby Gilfinnan – Raith Rovers
#63. John Lawlor – Stirling Albion
#64. Paul Tonquin – Airdrie
#65. John McGuinness – Stirling Albion
#66. Jim Richmond – Kilmarnock
#67. Bobby Roberts – Motherwell
#68. George Smith – Partick Thistle
#69. Donald Kerrigan – St. Mirren
#70. Jackie Robertson – Third Lanark
#71. Tommy Neilson – Dundee United
#72. William Wigham – Falkirk
#73. Willie Morrison – Queen of the South
#74. Robert Morrison – Stenhousemuir
#75. Robert Seith – Dundee
#76. Eddie Connachon – Dunfermline
#77. John Cumming – Hearts
#78. John Fraser – Hibernian
#79. Willliam Ritchie – Rangers
#79. Reverse
#80. Bobby Adamson – Raith Rovers
#80. Reverse
#81. Checklist – Series 2
#81. Reverse
FOOTBALLERS – 1968/69 (SCOTTISH)
Size 81mm x 56mm. Coloured. Numbered series of 45. Issued in 1968. Yellow back inscribed “Football Quiz” (see card 44).
#1. Checklist – Celtic FC
#2. Peter Cormack – Hibernian
#3. Harry Hood – Clyde
#4. Willie Henderson – Rangers
#5. Jackie Sinclair – Newcastle United
#6. Tommy McLean – Kilmarnock
#7. Tommy McMillan – Aberdeen
#8. Pat Stanton – Hibernian
#9. Bobby Lennox – Celtic
#10. Jim Baxter – Nottingham Forest
#11. Andy Penman – Rangers
#12. Pat Crerand – Manchester United
#13. Joe Mason – Morton
#14. Billy Bremner – Leeds United
#15. Eric Sorenson – Rangers
#16. Jack McGrory – Kilmarnock
#17. Jim Townsend – Hearts
#18. Ian St. John – Liverpool
#19. Jimmy Johnstone – Celtic
#20. Eddie McCreadie – Chelsea
#21. Alex Edwards – Dunfermline
#22. Jimmy Wilson – Aberdeen
#23. Alex Ferguson – Rangers
#24. Jimmy Smith – Aberdeen
#25. Alan McGraw – Hibernian
#26. John Clark – Celtic
#27. Ron McKinnon – Rangers
#28. Ron Yeats – Liverpool
#29. Jim McLean – Dundee
#30. Billy McNeil – Celtic
#31. Alan Anderson – Hearts
#32. Bobby McCallum – Motherwell
#33. Tommy Gemmell – Celtic
#34. Ian Mitchell – Dundee United
#35. John Madsen – Hibernian
#36. Alan Gilzean – Tottenham Hotspur
#37. Willie Callaghan – Dunfermline
#38. George Stewart – Dundee
#39. Charlie Cooke – Chelsea
#40. John Greig – Rangers
#41. Joe Davis – Hibernian
#42. George McLean – Dundee
#43. Ronnie Simpson – Celtic
#43. Reverse
#44. Jim Whyte – Aberdeen
#44. Reverse
#45. Checklist – Dunfermline
#45. Reverse
FOOTBALL TRANSPARENCIES – 1970/71
Size 57mm x 44mm. Coloured. Unnumbered series of 72. Issued in 1970. Issued with Footballers English Issue 1970/71 Series 2 & 3
#1. Jeff Astle – West Brom
#2. Alan Ball – Everton
#3. Gordon Banks – Stoke City
#4. Roy Barry – Coventry City
#5. Colin Bell – Manchester City
#6. Peter Bonetti – Chelsea
#7. Tony Book – Manchester City
#8. Billy Bremner – Leeds United
#9. Tony Brown – West Bromwich Albion
#10. Willie Carr – Coventry City
#11. Jackie Charlton – Leeds United
#12. Bobby Charlton – Manchester United
#13. Martin Chivers – Tottenham Hotspur
#14. Allan Clarke – Leeds United
#15. Frank Clarke – Ipswich Town
#16. Ralph Coates – Burnley
#17. Charlie Cooke – Chelsea
#18. Terry Cooper – Leeds United
#19. Wyn Davies – Newcastle United
#20. Alan Durban – Derby County
#21. Peter Eustace – West Ham United
#22. Alun Evans – Liverpool
#23. Charlie George – Arsenal
#24. Johnny Giles – Fulham
#25. Bobby Graham – Liverpool
#26. George Graham – Arsenal
#27. Eddie Gray – Leeds United
#28. Jimmy Greaves – West Ham United
#29. Tony Greem – Blackpool
#30. Ron Harris – Chelsea
#31. Colin Harvey – Everton
#32. Kevin Hector – Derby County
#33. Terry Hennessey – Derby County
#34. Alan Hinton – Derby County
#35. Bobby Hope – West Bromwich Albion
#36. Alan Hudson – Chelsea
#37. Emlyn Hughes – Liverpool
#38. Geoff Hurst – West Ham United
#39. Ian Hutchinson – Chelsea
#40. Mick Jones – Leeds United
#41. John Kaye – West Bromwich Albion
#42. Steve Kember – Crystal Palace
#43. Brian Kidd – Manchester United
#44. Brian Labone – Everton
#45. Francis Lee – Manchester City
#46. Jim McCalliog – Wolverhampton Wanderers
#47. Roy McFarland – Derby County
#48. Frank McLintock – Arsenal
#49. Bob McNab – Arsenal
#50. Bobby Moncur – Newcastle United
#51. Ian Moore – Nottingham Forest
#52. Bobby Moore – West Ham United
#53. Willie Morgan – Manchester United
#54 – Alan Mullery – Tottenham Hotspur
#55. Henry Newton – Nottingham Forest
#56.Keith Newton – Everton
#57. John O’Hare – Derby County
#58. John O’Rourke – Coventry City
#59. Peter Osgood – Chelsea
#60. Martin Peters — Tottenham Hotspur
#61. Fred Pickering – Blackpool
#62. Jimmy Robertson – Ipswich Town
#63. Bryan Robson – Newcastle United
#64. Joe Royle – Everton
#65. David Sadler – Manchester United
#66.Tommy Smith – Liverpool
#67. Alex Stepney – Manchester United
#68. Mike Summerbee – Manchester City
#69. Peter Thomson – Liverpool
#70. David Wagstaffe – Wolverhampton Wanderers
#71. Gordon West – Everton
#72. Tommy Wright – Everton
Footballers 1971/72 English Players (Series 1/2/3)
Issued in 1971 in 3 separate series as follows:
Series 1: A set of 109 Cards, numbered 1-109. (81mm x 56mm)
Series 2: A set of 110 Cards, numbered 110-219. (81mm x 56mm)
Series 3: A set of 71 Cards, numbered 220-290. (81mm x 56mm)
Card #277 is a checklist, of which 2 variants are known: One ends at card #290 and other at card #293.
“Film & TV Stars” was produced in 3 separate sets; Series 1 (70mm x 49mm) included 48 cards numbered 1-48 with plain backs and was issued in 1953; Series 2 (70mm x 49mm) included 48 cards numbered 49-96, where the even numbers had printed black and white backs and the odd numbers had coloured plain backs (70mm x 49mm). Series 3 included 48 cards numbered 97-144 and was issued in 1954. All cards in series 3 had plain backs, but they were issued in both thick and thin card.
A further set was issued in 1953 comprising 25 unnumbered plain back cards in a larger format (203mm x 255mm), and these were only issued in exchange for cards from Series 2. Cards included on these sets include legendary names such as Gregory Peck, David Niven, Marilyn Monroe, Robert Wagner, Sheila Sim,
One of the most iconic and collectable of the A&BC cards are the Batman sets released in 1966 and 1967. In total there were 5 sets issued over the 2 year period, and even within those there are a number of variants.
These were released in a numbered set of 55 cards of 81mm x 56mm.
Within this series there are 4 variants: 1 & 2) “Join the official Batman Fan Club” to rear, issued in both matt and varnished front 3 & 4) without Fan Club wording to rear, issued in both matt and varnished fronts
1967 also saw the release of a series of 38 cards with black backs containing “The Riddler’s Riddle”, sized 80 x 57mm. A “Secret Decoder” was also issued with this set, and is effectively Card #39.
There was also a foreign language release of this set, with the words “Het Raadsel Van De Raadoleman” to the rear. (Belgian/Dutch?)
1960 saw the release of the “Golden Boys” sets, which were released in a 36 card Matt front format (96 x 67mm), and a 40 card Glossy front format (89 x 64mm).
The sets incorporated 8 different artists of the time, with their signatures in blue ink across the front. The artists were Adam Faith, Billy Fury, Tommy Steel, Vince Eager, Elvis Presley, Joe Brown, Marty Wilde and Dennis Lotis.
1964 saw the first set of cards related to “The Beatles” issued (The Beatles – Signatures). The set consists of 60 Black & White images of the band, with blue ink signatures. There are 4 known variants of the set, namely 1) Light blue ink for the signature and a matt front, 2) Light blue ink for the signature and a varnished front, 3) Dark blue ink for the signature and a matt front, 2) Dark blue ink for the signature and a varnished front,
The 1965 “Rolling Stones” set of 40 cards is one of the harder to find of all of the A&BC sets. At the time of it’s potential issue, A&BC had several dedicated stores throughout the UK where they would trial potential new sets. The Rolling Stones set turned out to be one that the public did not take to, so it was cancelled was never rolled out into full production and distribution, hence there being relatively few sets in circulation.
The 1967 “The Monkees Hit Songs” set consists of just 30 cards, each with a colour front and song lyrics to the rear, sized 81mm x 56mm. The text to the rear states “Collect all 26”, despite the set being made up of 30.
Classic songs such as “I’m a believer”, “Mary Mary” and “Take a Giant Step” are all included.
Notable rare sets include; the 1965 “Rolling Stones” series, where trials indicated little appetite amongst the gum buying public, so the cards were never fully rolled out; The 1959 “Elvis Presley Series” which was one of the first of the Topps USA cards produced by A&BC; The 1973 “Walt Disney Characters Tattoos”, which due to their very nature were normally stuck onto the buyer and rarely held back in collections.
BUBBLES Inc.
Aside from the well known A&BC cards, it is acknowledged that A&BC in the UK very likely produced the notorious “Mars Attacks” and “Outer Limits” sets accredited to Bubbles Inc., as part of their agreement with Topps USA (These sets were produced in the US under the Topps brand).
Why they were produced as Bubbles Inc remains a mystery, but it may well be due to the controversy that surrounds the graphic nature of the cards, so perhaps it was an attempt to slightly distance themselves from the cards.
Acknowledgents & Further Reading
Acknowledgements to Nigel Mercer at “Nigel’s Webspace” for sections of the information noted above. Please take a moment to visit Nigel’s website as it truly is a font of knowledge!
