These cards, produced in 1938 by Philadelphia-based Gum, Inc. (later Bowman), produced a political furor unlike any other. The idea for these cards was introduced by George Moll, a Sunday-school teacher and Gum, Inc.'s advertising counsel. Warren Bowman, owner of Gum, Inc., claimed that he wanted to "teach peace by exposing the horrors of war." [link is to an archive of trading cards featuring cartoonish racism/violence/godknowswhat] [more inside]
posted by Think_Long on Jul 3, 2012 - 9 comments

My Brief OkCupid Affair With a World Champion Magic: The Gathering Player. Jon Finkel's winnings topped $300,000 from 1997-2008, during his most active Magic: The Gathering years. These days, jonnymagic00 heads out on the professional poker circuit instead. But loyal Magic fans still have his back.
posted by misha on Aug 29, 2011 - 357 comments

Minecraft mastermind Markus "Notch" Persson has officially announced his company's next project: a hybrid online board game/trading card system called Scrolls. Spearheaded by Mojang co-founder Jakob Porser (interview) and with backstory penned by Penny Arcade wordsmith Jerry "Tycho" Holkins, the game will consist of turn-based battles between collectible "scrolls," illustrated character cards strategically deployed on an abstract gaming grid. In an interesting inversion of the Minecraft model, the game itself will be free, while updates in the form of additional scroll packs will cost a nominal fee -- a business model gaming analyst Sean Maelstrom decries as "snake oil." Mojang, for their part, is unafraid and even eager to target an untested slice of the gaming market, and is angling to get their playable prototype of Scrolls ready for a possible Alpha release this summer.
posted by Rhaomi on Mar 2, 2011 - 128 comments

After the gum is gone, you still have the bubble gum cards. Browse a collection of scanned cards from the 1960s (Ugly Stickers and Ugly Names), 70s (Monster Initials, Marvel Super Heroes) and the 80s (Pee Wee Herman). The initials series have word generators (IE only!): Love Initials, Mod Initials, Monster Initials (similar, previously). [via] [more inside]
posted by filthy light thief on Apr 26, 2010 - 18 comments

Artist and podcaster Len Peralta (with assistance from Paul and Storm) has embarked on the Geek A Week Challenge, an eventual set of 52 trading cards covering all your favorite geek heroes, including MeFi's own jscalzi.
posted by Horace Rumpole on Apr 20, 2010 - 26 comments

Do you kind of wish Pokemon cards had REAL creatures not FAKE creatures? [more inside]
posted by jonesor on Jan 21, 2010 - 34 comments

Librarians at the University of Rochester -- River Campus Libraries create trading cards viewable on Flickr. They apparently got the idea from the Carlton College librarians. More examples.
posted by GenjiandProust on Sep 25, 2009 - 49 comments

Moody's Collectibles sells vintage postcards, but they also make available a huge catalogue of their stock. You can browse geographically by US State, by country, and by topic. Or, you can search for anything from alligators to the California Zephyr. They also have a blog. [more inside]
posted by Rumple on Apr 26, 2009 - 8 comments

Obsessed with Jews is a hilariously delightful documentary short about Jewish memorabilia collector, Neil Keller. Keller speaks effusively about Jews in basketball ("Ossie Schechtman, great story. Ossie Schechtman scored the first basket in NBA history.") and Jews in hockey ("The first Jew in hockey was Samuel Rothschild."), although contrary to the Chanukah Song, Keller provides a letter where Rod Carew explains he's not Jewish. The documentary is by Jeff Krulik, that mensch responsible for Heavy Metal Parking Lot. For more Jeff Krulik documentary shorts and a great article on Krulik's days in cable access TV, check the multimedia article here. (Click through the pages. It's worth it!)
posted by jonp72 on Feb 22, 2009 - 24 comments

Classic trading card scans from 1930-1980. Okay, I confess, I had some of the Sgt. Pepper's (movie, not album) cards. What young 70s girl didn't swoon over Peter Frampton as Billy Shears (sigh)? A boy down the street from me had most of the Star Wars cards, but I would never trade my Charlies Angels or my Six Million Dollar Man cards with him, although he really wanted Farrah.
posted by amyms on Jun 18, 2007 - 19 comments

I’ll trade you my Ebola for your Hantavirus! This Christmas give the little scientist in the family infectious diseases trading cards!
posted by arse_hat on Dec 1, 2004 - 11 comments

Disease Trading Cards! Here's set two! There's diseases for everyone at the CDC 'kids' page!
[warning; squeam factor, PDF]

Caveat: Several search attempts to verify it's not got the Double Post Syndrome. Does not include bubble gum.
posted by moonbird on Jul 7, 2004 - 3 comments

"I don't want anyone saying, ‘I'll give you two firefighters for an airline pilot.' " The latest in a long line of trading cards? (aka Top Trumps)
posted by MintSauce on Nov 22, 2002 - 2 comments

I'll Trade You A Harken for an ImClone. Corporate scandal trading cards, certainly not a limited edition.
posted by owillis on Jul 20, 2002 - 11 comments

Cards of the 50's and 60's I'll trade you Derek Jeter for Uncle Fester anyday.
posted by Voyageman on Dec 19, 2001 - 9 comments

Psychedelic Republican trading cards! Get them while they are hot!
posted by Rastafari on Nov 20, 2001 - 7 comments

Get your Enduring Freedom Trading cards! Topps releases a new series "documenting America's greatest challenge". But don't worry, they didn't include any "disturbing images from national newscasts". Will Wizards of the Coast be next?
posted by kaefer on Nov 6, 2001 - 32 comments

People Cards featuring everyday people. Reality TV hits trading cards?
posted by 120degrees on Jul 6, 2001 - 14 comments

E-pest trading cards I suppose they should put "spurious metafilter poster" in there too...
posted by mecran01 on Aug 3, 2000 - 4 comments