According to my research, in the world of collectible sports cards you’ll find at least the following types: Football, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Golf, Hockey, and Racing. In the world of non-sports collectible cards the type-number is too vast to list them!

Step outside the realm of cards and the collectible possibilities are without end! Since coming to the Archives I have learned that early Salvationists made the most of promoting events, happenings, you name it, and they did so by placing pictures, emblems, or information on all kinds of collectibles. Open almost any drawer in this place, containing artifacts, and you’ll find William &/or Catherine’s picture applied to a tremendous number of trinkets and the like – some I’ve already displayed and the rest will likely show up here eventually!

There are spoons, plates, bookmarks, mugs, buttons, badges, thimbles, ribbons, medallions, planners, ornaments, pictures, calendars, and keychains. There may be others but that’s what I remember seeing thus far. While we don’t have any here I’ve even seen a few bobble heads featuring SA generals and others. You need to know as well that this profuse practice applied to other Army leaders not only in Booth’s day, but throughout the decades since! People love to collect things!

Oh yes, there is one other item - following up on a recent inquiry I was led to Cabinet 26, Drawer 1 where I was excited to find 1 Package of SA Personalities Cards (Sorry – no Bubble Gum!)

On the Facebook page of the “SA Historical & Philatelic Association” (USA), contributor Santa Robert Callet describes them (It appears that Mr. Callet found his set on E-Bay), as follows:

[[-- a set of 36 American issued trade-style cards of notable International “leaders of The Salvation Army”... Interestingly, the set starts with Comm. William McIntyre as the #1 card. The Founder and Catherine are #s 5 and 6. Officers, soldiers and friends of the Army are included in the 36 card set.--]]

You will notice that Mr. Callet says they are “trade-style” meaning - it wasn’t a matter of collecting them one at a time or in smaller sets. When purchased – you got them all at once!

Can you imagine if it were otherwise? Maybe collecting them one at a time from certain War Crys? They could have been special inserts issued with Sunday School curriculum or Corps Cadet lessons.

“Let’s see - I’ll trade you two EVANGELINES for one WILLIAM!” (LOL)

Or “I’ve got Clarence Wiseman's Lieutenants (Rookie) Card! What’ll you give me for it?” (LOL)

I don’t know if other divisions or territories in the Army world (I'm told these are from USA Western) produced anything similar to these cards but at the time I would say they were probably popular as a good teaching tool. Maybe someone will consider creating new collectible items as fundraisers for missions and the like. I think it might have very real possibilities and if anyone does the “card thing” I hope they add Bubble Gum this time!