So here we have Abba, probably the most successful competitors to appear in the Eurovision Song Contest. They were not, however, formed for that show, they had started two years earlier, and were already well known across Europe, with a succession of hits.
However when they appeared to represent Sweden in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, with a catchy little number called "Waterloo", and won, it made their flight to fame even more spectacular. Even today, they are still performing, and their new hologram show, in which they appear as avatars, is extraordinarily popular. And their music formed the basis for a musical and two major motion pictures, "Mamma Mia" and "Here We Go Again".
At one time they were two married couples, but they split up in the late 1970s and early 80s. All remarried, with varying degrees of success.
The 1974 Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Brighton Dome, in Sussex. Luxembourg had won the previous competition, two years running, but could not afford to host, so the UK agreed to do that for them.
Eighteen countries signed up to take part, including a newcomer, Greece, but France withdrew quite late when the President of France died. Such a small number of entries must seem very odd to people who were not alive then.
The Trading Card Database / Abba tells us that there are seventy four cards of Abba but they do not list this set, nor the two sets which were issued in the mid 1970s by Allen and by Scanlens in Australia, with either pink or blue borders. I have found a checklist of those Antipodean sets though.
Monty Gum sounds American, and perhaps that was their intention, but they actually come from Holland, from the city of Leiden. Their first cards were issued overseas in the 1950s, whilst their first English issue was a football set, "International Football Teams", which included twelve teams from England. The cards do not say Monty Gum at all, and are in Dutch, but the packet, at least the packet produced for the United Kingdom, says "Monty Bubble Gum" just below the middle, straight across.
You can read the story of Monty Gum at http://www.montyplaatjes.nl/ - it is in Dutch but if you go through google it does offer you a translation.
These cards are often confused in listings with a set of round or otherwise shaped stickers that also feature, and are also called "Pop Stars". However I have been unable to track any cards like this down that do not show Abba. I am certain there are some other stars in the set though, or it would not have been graced with the title of "Pop Stars", it would have been called something like Abba cards. So do lend a hand if you are a Monty collector or if you just happen to know any other names that appear on cards of this design.