[Johnphotoman]

Understand there is a more logical order of how and when the squared corner cards were issued. It does appear that Ted Z and others wanted the round cards to be the first issue, because they did bend the truth to fit their agenda. This investigation has shown that there is no empirical or tangible evidence for this theory, other than that is what people wanted the narrative to be. We have empirical and tangible evidence that the square cut cards were circa 1947.
What is that evidence? People who have said they saw the squared corner cards circa 1947. Yes, people like Ted Z said, they saw the cards in 1949, but that does not mean an issue date of 1949. That is probably when they did first see the cards, and that is the problem. Just because these people did not see the cards in 1947 does not mean they were issued in the year they saw them (1949). If they were the case, Bond Bread did not come out until the 1960, because that is when I first saw one.

For the sake of confusion, just for now - let's call the 1947 round and square cornered card the “Main Bond Bread Set”. Some of the other sets associated with Bond Bread were printed and issued before 1947. Yes, there were other sets associated with Bond Bread that were issued circa 1949-1950, but none of them were from the main 1947 sets. I understand that it would be possible to take the 1947 main Bond Bread sets and reissue them circa 1949-1950s or later, but there is no proof that there was ever a reissue of 1947 main Bond Bread cards: in any form or time. On the other hand, we have first hand knowledge for the issuing of the main Bond Bread cards circa 1947, information gathered through direct collecting of the cards.

What we do know is that the Bond Bread cards inserted into loaves of bread were more an East coast regional issue of cards. Whereas the squared corner cards we call Bond Bread W571 were more a nation issue. Think about them as you would S&H Green Stamps. For those of you who don’t know-S&H Green Stamps were a loyalty rewards program that allowed customers to earn stamps at participating retailers. The stamps could be collected in booklets and redeemed for products from the S&H catalog. This program became popular nationwide.The squared corner cards were kind of like that, retailers would give them out, they were distributed as part of a rewards program to customers.

Customers would receive the cards at the checkout counter of supermarkets, department stores and gasoline stations among other retailers. All information points to Aarco Playing Card company, as the company that offered the cards to retailers. This is why we can not find a single issuer of cards but many different issuers of the cards. This is why people say they receive their cards from many different retailers. Retailers had a choice of subjects to choose from, Sports Stars, Cowboys, Hollywood Screen Stars, cards were all offered for sale by Aarco Playing company as a loyalty rewards program for retailers: and the evidence is that the loyalty rewards program cards were all printed with square corners. Yes, other cards were offered for sale in boxes or sheets but they had round corners or were perforated cards.

We do know that Bond Bread had a rewards program or say free promotional giveaway with their D 302 Jackie Robinson set. The 13 cards that make up the 1947 Jackie Robinson Bond Bread set were available for free at grocery stores and other distribution methods. See ad from the August 19, 1947 Baltimore Afro American Newspaper, it seems to back this up. See the promotional ad that says: Free offer! Your grocer will give you a pocket-size reproduction of this Jackie Robinson photograph free for the asking. Get yours today.


Although the square cut cards W571 set, has long been believed that they were promo cards, like the D302 from Bond Bread, there is no proof for Bond Bread being the distributor. All information suggests Aarco was the seller and manufacturer of these cards. Aarco would sell the W571 square set to any retailer who wanted to distribute the cards. We understand that the D305 set of Jackie Robinson Bond Bread cards was an East coast regional promo issue of cards. Whereas the squared corner cards we call Bond Bread W571 were more a nation promo issue for any business to use. The W571 set includes all square cut cards like the David Festberg warehouse find of Bond Bread cards in the 1980s, and the BCS sets offered in 1988.