Cardboard History History of Cardboard: 1940-1949

The 1940s saw World War II rage on, changing life throughout the entire world seemingly forever. 75 years later, the repercussions are still being felt. In fact, the repercussions are still being felt in the trading card hobby. Before the war, most cards were European in origin, with the vast majority being British, but with cards also coming out of Germany, France, and other places. After the war, US companies, always producing cards, moved into the forefront and have remained there ever since. The most damaging aspect though is that in the 1940s is when cards took on the notion of being for kids. For the first 60 years of the hobby, cards were marketed towards adult collectors. With the adults all fighting, or working on production, the marketing of cards switched towards kids, and the hobby has been unable to shake that reputation, despite the fact that the actual cards being produced have switched back towards adult collectors. If you've ever been insulted for collecting cards because they are for kids...it's Hitler's fault.

1940

1940 Gum, Inc. Superman

1941

1941 Wings Cigarettes Series B

1942

1942 Gum Inc. War Gum

1943
1944

1944 Card-O US Navy

1945
1946
1947

1947 Traindex Birds

1948

1948-49 Bowman

1949

1949 Bowman Wild West Picture Card Gum

1940s cards are rare, not just in my collection. During the days of 1943 in particular there were almost no cards produced, I could find record of only 6 regional baseball promos and one non-sports set that appears to be based on a movie serial, although it's possible there are other rarer issues I didn't find, as I was just checking to see if there were any cards made in the year. The Superman set from 1940 is the first comic book based set ever, and that would play a major role in my collecting in the future, as I was not yet born in the 1940s. Military themes dominated the war years, and also the immediate post war years as well. The first basketball set must get the slot for 1948, although the set represents the 1948-49 season. Although I do not have any examples, the hobby would be changed in one other massive way in the late 1940s, as Topps released their first set in 1948. Going forward, Topps would go on to become one of the "Big Three", with Fleer and Upper Deck, that dominated the hobby for decades. I would really like to get a card from 1946, as that was the year my dad was born. The pickings are somewhat slim, but they are out there, and do fit into my collection, so it's really only a matter of time before the year appears in an update post.