1914 Adkin Sporting Cups and Trophies Set and Checklist

‘It’s In The Details’

Title Adkin Sporting Trophies
Year 1914
Size 1 1/2″ x 2 5/8″
Images Color
Type Tobacco
Number in Set
30

1914 Adkin Sporting Cups and Trophies Set Overview

Adkin Sporting Trophies.jpgThis interesting set was issued by Adkin & Sons for its Adkin’s Cigarettes products. Instead of athletes, the set features trophies that could be won in various sports. Golf and tennis were among the sports featured. Others including things like soccer, horse racing, polo, yachting, and rifle shooting.

Golf is featured on three cards, including card No. 8 through the Amateur Golf Gold Challenge Vase. The cup was said to be solid gold and, at the time, had a value of approximately $1,200 at the time. The trophy was up for grabs as part of an open competition among amateur players from around the world. The tournament was played on a London-area golf course and, to compete, all players needed to be a scratch golfer. The other two golf trophies included were the Daily Mail Golf Challenge Cup and the Runner Up for that award.

Tennis was represented through the Ladies Covered Court Championship.

Fronts of the card pictured the trophy in question and the back offered a description of it. Backs also indicate there were a total of 30 cards in the set and assign each one a card number.

While other pre-war tobacco trophy sets existed, these cards are unique and distinguishable by their green color scheme on the front. Each trophy is against a light green background and the cards have a dark green border surrounding that.

In general, the cards are pretty rare and not often seen. As Adkin & Sons was a branch of the Imperial Tobacco Company of Britain and Ireland, this was an international issue and is not easy to find in the U.S.

1914 Adkin Sporting Cups and Trophies Checklist

  1. King’s Gold Vase
  2. Ascot Gold Cup
  3. Waterloo Cup
  4. Manchester Cup
  5. Coronation Cup
  6. The Amateur Gold Challenge Vase
  7. Royal Hunt Cup
  8. The Elcho Challenge Shield
  9. Sheriff of London Charity Shield
  10. Henley Grand Challenge Vase
  11. Stewards Cup
  12. Daily Mail Golf Runner Up
  13. Daily Mail Golf Challenge Cup
  14. Sculling Championship of the World
  15. The New English Cup
  16. Lipton Bowling Cup
  17. Sir Thomas Dewar Bowling Cup
  18. Metropolitan Inter Borough Miniature Rifle Challenge Cup
  19. Aldershot Foot Ball Cup
  20. Grand National Cup
  21. King’s Cup Cowes Regatta
  22. Ladies Covered Court Championship
  23. American Polo Cup
  24. Hurlingham Championship
  25. British Empire Michelin Cup
  26. Gordon Bennett Aviation Cup
  27. Coupe de France
  28. Daily Telegraph Cup
  29. Croquet Championship Cup
  30. Coupe Internationale

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