Ghastly WWII Trading Cards at Auction

Coming to auction in California later this week is a "Horrors of War" trading card collection--Hitler and bubble gum for the kiddos, c. 1938. Produced by the Philadelphia-based Gum Inc., the graphic cards depict brutal scenes from the Japanese invasion of China, the Spanish Civil War, the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, and Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland.

According to the auctioneer, Profiles in History, a complete set of these collectible cards in mint condition sold for over $700,000 a few years back. This lot contains 196 cards (out of a total issue of 288), most in (graded) mint or excellent condition. The estimate is $8,000-12,000.

The June 11 auction also features less controversial historical fare, such as:

-Lot 116: Sir Isaac Newton signed rare document, estimated at $30,000-50,000.

-Lot 98: Abraham Lincoln autographed letter, estimated at $30,000-50,000.
 
-Lot 137: A third (New York) printing of "The Star Spangled Banner," estimated at $40,000-60,000.

-Lot 155: Fourteen WWII maps owned by Major General Geoffrey Keyes, General Patton's Deputy Commander.

You can see more at Invaluable's collectibles page.  

Images Courtesy of Profiles in History/Invaluable.