The 1955 “100 Years of Motoring” card set, issued by Robert Miranda Ltd. (a British confectionery company), is a collection of 50 small-sized trading cards (approximately 68mm x 37mm) distributed with sweets or candy. Released to commemorate roughly a century of automotive development (spanning from early 19th-century steam vehicles to mid-20th-century models), the set features colorful illustrations of historic vehicles on the front, with descriptive text on the back detailing each car’s name, year, and key features. It begins with pioneering inventions like the 1834 Maceroni and Squire’s Steam-Coach and progresses through early steam cars, pioneering motor-cars such as the Panhard Levassor, veteran and vintage automobiles, racing cars, and later production models up to the 1930s or so. Highly regarded among collectors of vintage non-sport or automotive-themed cards, it remains a charming, educational snapshot of motoring history from the pre-WWII and early post-war eras.
The 1955 “100 Years of Motoring” set issued by Miranda Confectioners (also known as Robert R. Miranda Ltd.) and the 1964 “100 Years of Motoring” set from Lyons Maid feature identical card fronts with the same vintage vehicle illustrations and descriptive text for corresponding cards in their respective series.
The primary differences lie in the card backs, promotional branding (ice cream for Lyons Maid versus confectionery for Miranda), and minor production details, making many individual cards appear the same at first glance on the picture side despite being released nearly a decade apart by different British companies.
There are four cards from the Miranda Confectioners “100 Years of Motoring” set that directly relate to auto racing, spotlighting motorsport vehicles and milestones within this classic 50-card set.
Daimler Racing Car – 1907
Fiat Racing Car – 1919
Jaguar XK 120-C Racing Car – 1953
