A&BC Chewing Gum, 1958/59, Topstars – Series 1 card sizes
The 1958/59 football cards were issued in two forms: with and without an offer at the top of the cards, often referred to as the ‘Planet’ offer as you sent off to PLANET LTD. to obtain the Topstars album. All Planet offer cards had black and red backs. The cards were issued in two series, Series 1 (1 to 46) and Series 2 (47 to 92). Some cards in Series 1 were issued with blue and red backs without the Planet offer, while all Series 2 cards had the Planet offer. Perhaps these Series 1 cards without the Planet offer were issued first, and then in a subsequent reprinting the Planet offer was added. To further complicate matters the Series 1 cards without the Planet offer came in two different sizes. Series 1 cards therefore have three different possibilities:
1. Cards which never had the Planet offer, blue and red backs, with smaller image size;
2. Cards which never had the Planet offer, blue and red backs, with larger image size;
3. Cards with the Planet offer, black and red backs.
Many thanks to Mark for helping with this information and for the sized images