Card of the Day - 2023-09-26

Wills Lucky Charms
W.D. & H.O. Wills [tobacco : UK] "Lucky Charms" (October 1923) - W675-195 : W62-156 : W/256.A

Libra is the star sign that occupies most of October, though it begins in September. The sign before, Virgo, is only in October for seven days, ending on September the 22nd. And Libra is replaced by Scorpio on October 23rd

Libra is an air sign, and its character is very interesting for it is the scales, or the balances, and that is the only sign which is not an animal or a human being. There is also another connection that you may not know and that is that to the Romans a Libra was a unit of weight, equivalent to 12 ounces. This is yet another reason for the scales. 

The card also shows its birthstone, right in the centre, the rainbow-hued opal. 

There is not much of a description on this set, even in our original Wills reference book, part IV, where it is simply described as :

256. LUCKY CHARMS. Fronts printed by letterpress in colour. Backs in grey, with descriptive text. Issued 1923. A. Home issue, with Wills` name and I.T.C. Clause at base of backs B. General Overseas issue, anonymous backs.

That is kind of useful, because I am fairly sure I have used this set before, so watch the front page of this website for a request to replace this, or that other, with that G.O.i

In the World Tobacco Issues Indexes it is shortened still, to just "LUCKY CHARMS. Sm. Nd. (50) See W/256.A". You will also find that anonymous issue, if you hunt, so to save you doing that it is under Anonymous Issues (1) - with letterpress on back. Or just follow the card codes, ZB6-46 in the original book, and ZB07-490 in the updated version.