Sunday, January 17, 2010

World On Wheels 1953 Topps

1953 Topps World On Wheels


A little while back from Ebay I got my first four cards from the 1953 World On Wheels set from Topps. The set is mostly sports cars and classic cars, but there are some futuristic fantasy cars and some Military Vehicles. These cards remind me of the images you would see on the front of the boxes of old model car kits. I think that is what drew me to these cards, and at first I thought they had been cards inserted into model kits (they were not). My first four cards (#33, 55, 62, and 85) are from the first series cards number 1 through 160 cards 161 trough 180 are series 2. Series one has all Red Backs while series two (which was released in 1954) supposedly has Blue Backs and Red Backs.

I just have these four right now, but would like to get the rest. Apparently series 2 is much harder to obtain but have never really been too expensive. Before the internet and before Ebay these cards were very scarce and hard to obtain. I vaguely recall seeing the entry for them in one of the early 1980s Sport Americana Non-Sports Price Guides I own. At the time I wasn't really impressed, it may have been the sample image the guide showed of a classic car or two. It also states that cards 1 - 170 have Red backs and cards 171-180 are Blue backs. There is a blog Chuckman's Non-Sports Trading Cards of the 1950s (Volume 1) that shows all the cards fronts in the set and a sample of the wrappers.

I am really satisfied about the condition of the cards I got, I was expecting them to be all beat up and terrible but the four I have so far are in excellent shape for their age, although it was weird to me that the seller shipped them in "Rookie Card" toploaders. Well I guess they are rookie cards of these vehicles LOL.

And Now the Cards:

38 Kenz Twin Ford

Card number 38: KENZ Twin Ford "World's Fastest". Maybe in the mid 1950s this car was the fastest, I'm guessing a few have passed it's record since. When I first saw this card I thought it was a futuristic car, apparently there was an actual racer built of this. According to the back it took 8 months and $10,000 to build. It has two, thus the "twin", engines one in the front one in the back both V-8. As I said when I first saw this car I thought it was a fantasy future car, but it seems to have been a real car. This was the first card I got from this series and was going to be the only one until I saw some of the Military vehicle cards. It reminds me of the cars that Snake drives, and all the other villain drivers, in the Speed Racer cartoons.


55 2 1/2 Ton Truck

Card number 55: The two and a half ton truck, one of the power workhorses of the U.S. Army. Built to carry troops and equipment. Not much else to tell about this one. It is a cool looking truck.


62 40-MM M2 Dual Self-Propelled Guns

Card number 62: 40-MM M2 Dual Self-Propelled Guns Armored Gun Carrier. Translation a light armored tank with a little fire-power. I got this card because I thought it looked cool, I think it was the first of the military cards I selected, or maybe the tank in the next card number 85 was the first of the military. I don't recall.


85 48 Medium Gun Tank

Card number 85: 48 Medium Gun Tank. I forget if this was the first military card I picked out or if it was the previous card (#62). The stats on the back state that this 48 Ton tank can "Stop on a dime, turn within it's own length" among other things. Wow that is amazing for a beast of this nature. As tanks go it looks pretty nice.

As usual with sets I am collecting if you have some of them let me know what you got and what sort of sale/trade can be worked out. Of course simple donations are also accepted.

11 comments:

  1. I have a number of these that I was planning to put on ebay, however I am happy to trade cards for cards. My primary interest is old Chicago Bears and Cubs cards. If you have anything in that area, we should talk.

    -DJChas

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  2. DJ,

    I'll have to check what I've got. I tend to collect vintage as well so I might not have a lot available. Also how old are you talking? I have some 60s and 70s but I'm not sure offhand what I have in the way of Bears and Cubs available.

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  3. Card #38 the KENZ twin ford was also known as the Odd Rod from 1949 HOTROD magazine car of the year, except the Odd Rod was a 1934 truck built by Bill Kenz in the early 40's. When he teamed with Mr Leslie and a sponsor later on it became the project of Kenz&Leslie in the late 40's they took the cab off and put on that stream liner body and the cockpit was between both motors. Further on into the same vehicle they took the cockpit out and put in a third V/8 and added the cockpit on the back of the car,- I dont know the end speed record for the streamliner but Kenz&leslie was the inovators of the period.

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  4. I have 58 cards from this series. The numbers range from 29 to 62 and they all have the red backs. I am not interested in trade, but would be willing to sell. Let me know if interested in making an offer or if you need the specific numbers that I have. The cards are in good condition.

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  5. I have 58 cards from the World on Wheels series. The numbers range fro 29 to 161. They are all red backed. I am not interested in trade, but would consider an offer for purchase. Let me know if you need to know the specific card numbers that I have. The cards are in good shape.

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    Replies
    1. Lori,
      I am interested in purchasing what you have I will need to know the numbers you have to make a reasonable offer. I will also need a contact email address

      Delete
  6. Lori,
    yes I would be interested in purchasing the cards from this series that you have.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Numbers 39, 32, 41, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 52, 53, 54, 55, 59, 62, 63, 67, 71, 72, 74, 78, 79, 81, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 107, 111, 114, 117, 118, 119, 121, 122, 123, 127, 129, 130, 132, 134, 136, 137, 138, 14, 161, 162. Contact me at chicagostitcher@juno.com

      Delete
    2. Numbers 29, 32, 41, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 52, 53, 54, 55, 59, 62, 63, 67, 71, 72, 74, 78, 79, 81, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 107, 111, 114, 117, 118, 119, 121, 122, 123, 127, 129, 130, 132, 134, 136, 137, 138, 144, 161, 162

      Contact me at chicagostitcher@juno.com

      Delete
  7. Does anybody have a price list for these W O W cards? I have a couple hundred, in various conditions and was thinking of putting them on Ebay.

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  8. can't go wrong with an old deuce and a half, whether cardboard, plastic, or the real deal. Love them Army trucks.

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