Card of the Day - 2024-01-23

Boxcar Elvis
The Donruss Co. [trade : bubble gum : O/S : USA and Australia] "Elvis" (1978) 54/66 - RB.30/ZG10-4-7

So here we have Elvis Aaron Presley, The King of Rock and Roll, and another of the first ever inductees to the Hall of Fame. He was born on January 8th, 1935, in Tupelo Mississippi, and died on August 16th, 1977. 

The strange thing about this card is that nowhere does it say Donruss. It credits "Boxcar Enterprises Inc. 1978. Lic. by Factors, Etc, Inc, Bear. De ." However if you get an original packet, on the back flap it does credit Donruss.

It also tells you that there was a stick of gum, so these are truly cartophilic, and also that the title, perhaps, ought to have been "Elvis Collectors Series", because that is what it says on the wrapper.

Now Factors Etc is still located in Bear, Delaware, and they are printers. 

Donruss were based in Memphis, Tennessee, but their cards were also issued in Australia, the earlier ones, from 1965 until 1980, being issued by Scanlens, and the later ones, from 1980, by Dinnie Bundle. That means we do have a card code, but from our original Australian & New Zealand Index, and I am not sure if the cards differ. Anyway the set is listed in the section for Donruss, but you are told that they are : "Elvis" - see Anonymous set ZG10-4-7". When you get there it catalogues them as : 

-7 Titled "Elvis". 89 x 63. Back with text and illustration of Elvis. Nd. (66)