Why are so many T202 folded in the middle?

[rhettyeakley]

Hassan packs are flat 10's and rather wide from side to side (unlike Piedmont/Sweet Caporal which came as two rows of 5 cigarettes and were relatively thin from side to side, the Hassan (and Mecca) packs however were much thinner overall--much like a cigarette case is. That being said the T202's were issued with the end panels folded over the card and placed in the package that way--no folding down the middle. The wider pack is the reason most Hassan/Mecca cards are larger-- like the T218 Athletes, T73 Indians, T118 Explorers, T53 Cowboys, T77 Lighthouses, etc.

As far as the center crease is concerned I think the simplest explanation is most likely correct. People saving these probably had saved the T206 and T205 cards and in order to store them all together they likely folded down the middle to make neat stacks. In vntage finds when you find T202's they are usually either all folded down the middle or mostly not folded-- likely just depending on the method of storage of the previous owner.