In 1979, the British company Venorlandus Ltd. released a 48-card set called “Our Heroes World of Sport”, commonly known as the Venorlandus Flik-Cards. These small, colorful cards measured about 44mm x 71mm (1¾” x 2⅞”) with rounded corners and were distributed mainly in the United Kingdom.
The set featured prominent sporting stars of the era. In auto racing, it included two notable cards: James Hunt (card #5), the 1976 Formula 1 World Champion, and Mario Andretti (card #6), the American racing legend who had just won the 1978 Formula 1 World Championship and was also a major IndyCar star. These two cards remain popular among collectors interested in vintage motorsport memorabilia.
The set also highlighted boxing great Muhammad Ali and the legendary Brazilian footballer Pelé. While the collection covered many other sports such as tennis, golf, cricket, and gymnastics, the cards of Ali, Pelé, Hunt, and Andretti are generally considered the most desirable today.
Originally an affordable pack of flik-cards for British kids, the 1979 Venorlandus set has become a charming and increasingly collectible snapshot of late-1970s sporting heroes, especially for fans of multi-sport and Formula 1 memorabilia.
“Our Heroes World of Sport”
Card #5 James Hunt
“Our Heroes World of Sport”
Card #5 James Hunt
“Our Heroes World of Sport”
Card #6 Mario Andretti
“Our Heroes World of Sport”
Card #6 Mario Andretti