Help identify 40s/50s (?) Jim Thorpe Euro issues

[polakoff]

Purchased these today on a lark...wasn’t super cheap but not so expensive that I’d be ruined if they’re worthless. Can’t find any reference to the Apollinaris, found only one reference to the Parein on the internet in a single post on this forum where someone noted it was 1950. But, I have no info on either, or how they were distributed, exact year, approximate value, etc. Any help is appreciated!

Photos here: https://imgur.com/a/rF50y2S

[oldeboo]

The cards note Thorpe's passing in 1953, so they were definitely made after that.

The French translation mentions finding Spirou stamps on the following products listed and also in Spirou. Spirou is a French comic book with the equivalent of Roobedoes in Dutch. It appears that these comics made stamps in 1988 and in more recent years. These stamps look like postage stamps with comic artwork.

These Thorpe cards were used to promote the umbrella of products listed and also to get kids to buy the Spirou comic books. Point of sale giveaway? Tucked in a newspaper? No clue.

For whatever it's worth, they don't seem that common and point to a series with the numbering, but they sure aren't easy to find.

This is all from a few quick google searches, but my guess would be that these cards are relatively modern, not from the 50s. Again, just a guess based on the mention of stamps. I'm sure you can research the companies listed and pinpoint it more or find more mentions with deep digging. Maybe they are from the 50s, who knows.

Most likely, someone will eventually chime in on here that is an expert on these.

[polakoff]

Thanks! Not sure how I missed the 1953 mention on the Apollinaris one. I don’t see one on the Parein though. My googling suggests that Parein Merced and ceased to exist in the mid-60s so I would think that was issued before then. And as noted the only mention I found of the Parein card was someone on net54 who very matter-of-factly called it a 1950 issue. But I can’t imagine that cards with such a similar design were all that far apart — maybe a few years at most.

This website seems to suggest Spirou stamps started in 1961, I think? http://www.toutspirou.fr/

[oldeboo]

Late 50s or early 60s would seem to make sense then. I just figured there must be a connection to the stamps it refers too and if you found a mention of stamps from the 50s/60s period, there you go. Since there's not much from Thorpe's football playing days, surprised these have gone so unnoticed even being from after his passing and European. Considering the 1955 Topps All American card of Thorpe is rather desirable maybe this card, whatever it is, is comparable to the Bond Bread Jackie Robinson. Just had to throw a Bond Bread shout out in there.

Either way, cool looking cards with bold images and seemingly rare!