There may be a bit of shuffling here as this is a Card of the Day and so it would be good to use the home issue rather than the Channel Islands one. But we will do that once all the cards in all the newsletters are added to the index.
The sets first appear in our original reference book to John Player, RB.17, issued in 1950, described as :
- 67. 50. CYCLING. Small cards. Produced with the co-operation of the Editor of "Cycling". Fronts in colour. Backs in grey, with descriptive text. Issued May, 1939, with special album. Variety : No.9 is found with a text variation.
A. Home issue, with I.T.C. and album clauses, adhesive
B. Channel Islands issue without I.T.C. and album clauses, adhesive
C. Irish issues, with I.T.C., but without album clause. Large green numerals overprinted.
1. Adhesive backs
2. Non-adhesive backs
Now when we move on to our original World Tobacco Issues Index, these sets are all over the shop. First up, as card code P72-86, is the non adhesive Irish issue, in section 2.B. You have to wait until section 2.C to find our home issue, and it is, curiously, combined with the other Irish issue, as :
- CYCLING. Sm. Nd. (50) See RB.17/67 ... P72-159
A. Home issue, with album offer
B. Irish issue. Back with large green numerals overprinted
As for the fourth version, that waits until section 3.C, a section for cards issued in the Channel Islands and Malta. And it is given the card code of P72-216.
This rather strange scheme of listing the cards is also continued in our updated World Tobacco Issues Index, where they are card coded, respectively, P644-180 for the non-adhesive Irish version, and P644-664 for the Channel Islands/Maltese one. Our version is again sharing space with the adhesive Irish version, as :
- CYCLING. Sm. Nd. (50) See RB.17/67 ... P644-320
A. Home issue, with album offer
B. Irish issue. Back with large green numerals overprinted