This was a rather crafty clue, but we were after the basic meaning of the word "tradition", which means handed down from one generation to another, often by action rather than in a written form
Apologies if I have the wrong set here in respect to whether these are large or small numerals. Perhaps if there was a bit more difference in the size it would be easier, read on....
Now the earliest cataloguing of these that I own comes from the London Cigarette Card Company catalogue for 1950. That starts with three columns, "Ref No." (which refers to its number in a table when all the sets of that maker are listed in alphabetical order irrespective of date - and this set is No.19), "Size" (A, which means standard size) and "Printing" (which is actually the colour of the card, and ours is "C" meaning coloured). As far as the actual catalogue entry, that reads :
19. A. C. 25. Traditions of the Army and Navy (? 1917)
A. Large numerals ..................................... 3/- a card - £12 a set
B. Smaller numerals, back redrawn ........between 2/6 and 7/6 a card - £10 a set
In our original World Tobacco Issues Index the same order is followed, though we have added the dimensions of part of the wording too, not that there is much difference, as I kvetched above. The text reads :
TRADITIONS OF THE ARMY & NAVY. Sm. 66 x 36. Nd. (25) ... S16-22
A. Back with larger numerals. "Series of 25" 28 m/m long
B. Back with smaller numerals, redrawn. "Series of 25" 29 m/m long.
In our updated version, it reads,
TRADITIONS OF THE ARMY & NAVY. Sm. 66 x 36. Nd. (25) ... S041-580.A
A. Back with larger numerals. "Series of 25" 28 m/m long
B. Back with smaller numerals. "Series of 25" 29 m/m long.
which is a bit curious as it does not mention that the smaller numbered cards (or more correctly, their backs) were redrawn.
Armed with this information I went on a hunt online, and think I have discovered a much better way to tell the two versions apart, that does not immediately alienate anyone who is mathematically challenged, and that is to look at the top of the cartouche in which the number appears. I will, some time, also add a picture to make it even clearer. Now this cartouche is a circle with the bottom part in a kind of heart shaped form, and the top part, above the number, with a kind of bauble hanger on it, and that is in either a wide-ish bell shape, or a more definite triangle. Still not sure which is which size wise, but do let me know that if you can! Anyway our card is the bell shape.