Flag Cigarette Cards (Collectables)

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Flags started out as a military tool, used in battlefield co-ordination. It is unclear when flags were first used to symbolize nationalities. National Flags are an effective tool in nurturing the identity and loyalty of a country's citizens. However, flags do have darker undertones and have been abused by dictators and still have strong associations with their military origins. We will always be haunted by Hitler's blood red, Nazi Flag, which appears in the cigarette card set "National Flags and Arms", issued in 1936 by John Player & Sons.

I've listed a small selection of flag cigarette card and trading card sets below. I've provided scans of a sample card from each set and tried to include all card titles.

Name Of Set: Flags, Colours and Standards S873

Manufacturer: Liebig Extract of Meat Co

Issue Year: 1906

Card Number: 6

Card Titles: -

Name Of Set: Flag Girls of All Nations

Manufacturer: British American Tobacco

Issue Year: 1908

Card Number: 50

Card Titles: Norway, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Abyssinia, Algeria, Servia, Wales, Siberia, America, Australia, Belgium, China, Canada, Denmark, Cuba, Arabia, Australia, Bavaria, Bohemia, Bulgaria, Brazil, Burma, Chili, Finland, Hungary, England, Egypt, France, Germany,Greece,Holland,Italy,Ireland,Japan,Mexico,Iceland,India, Korea, Madagascar, Martinique, Montenegro, Morocco, Persia, Polland, and Roumania.

Name Of Set: Countries Arms And Flags

Manufacturer: John Player and Sons

Issue Year: 1912

Card Number: 50

Card Titles: British Colony, France, Portugal, United States of America USA, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Servia, Turkey, Switzerland, Italy, Bulgapia, Denmark, Russia, Greece, Austria and Hungary, Scotland, Great Britain, Belgium, India, Cape Colony, Holland, Germany, Corea, Ireland, The Channel Islands, New Zealand, Tunis, The Isle of Man, Argentine Republic, Peru, Costa Rica, Morocco, Chili, Egypt, China, Liberia, Persia, Montenegro, Mexico, Roumania, Venezuela, Wurtemburg, Bavaria,Saxony, Jamaica, Hesse, Canada, Prussia, and Siam.

Name Of Set: The Allies Flags

Manufacturer: Gallaher

Issue Year: 1914

Card Number: 25

Card Titles: France National, Union Flag, New Zealand, Britain & France & Belgium & Russia, India, Unity is Strength, Canada, United Kingdom, Union Jack and White Ensign, Ireland, Royal Standard and Union Jack, Russian & Great Britain & Belgium & Russia & France & Japan, Servia Standard, Australia, Royal Standard, United Kingdom, United Kingdom, Scotland, Russia Imperial Standard, Belgium Royal Standard, Belgium Merchant, Japan, and Japan Imperial Standard.

Name Of Set: Flags Of The League Of Nations

Manufacturer: John Player and Sons

Issue Year: 1928

Card Number: 50

Card Titles: Chile, Canada, Bulgaria, British Empire, Belgium, Austria, Australia, Argetine Repuplic, Albania, Abyssinia, Germany, France, Finland, Estonia, Domincan Repuplic, Denmark, Czechoslavakia, Cuba, Columbia, China, Liberia, Latvia, Japan, Italy, Irish Free State, India, Hugary, Haiti, Guatemala, Greece, Poland, Persia, Paraguay, Panama, Norway, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Lithuania, Venezuela, Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden, South Africa, Siam, Kingon of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Salvador, Roumania, and Portugal.

Name Of Set: National Flags and Arms

Manufacturer: John Player and Sons

Issue Year: 1936

Card Number: 50

Card Titles: Albania, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Czechoslavakia, Denmark, Egypt, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Irish Free State, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Roumania, Scotland, Siam, South Africa, The Soviet Union, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, The United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vatican State, Wales, and Yugoslavia.

Name Of Set: Flags of All Nations

Manufacturer: Carreras

Issue Year: Unissued

Card Number: 60

Card Titles: Afganistan, Albania, Argentinia, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, Ceylon,Chile,Colombia,Cuba,Czechoslovakia,Denmark,Ecuador,Ethiopia,Federal Republic of Germany,Finland,France,Ghana,Greece,Hungary,Iceland,India,Iraq,Irish Republic, Israel,Italy,Jamaica,Japan,Lebanon,Liberia,Libya,Madagascar,Mexico,Netherlands,New Zealand,Nigerial,Norway,Pakistan,Persia,Peru,Philippine Republic,Poland,Portugal,Rumania,Saudi Arabia - Royal Standard,South Africa,South Korea,Soviet Union,Spain,Sweden, Thailand,Turkey,United Arab Republic Egypt,United States of America, and Yugoslavia.