The 1938 W.D. & H.O. Wills Speed card set is one of the most attractive and historically important prewar tobacco issues related to motorsport and transportation. Issued in Great Britain by W.D. & H.O. Wills, the complete set contains 50 color cards measuring approximately 35 mm x 67 mm (often listed as 1 3/8 x 2 5/8 inches). The set was distributed as cigarette insert cards, placed one per pack of Wills cigarettes as both a protective stiffener and a collectible premium, a popular marketing method of the era. Collectors could also purchase a matching album from tobacconists for one penny to mount the complete set.
The series celebrates the fascination with speed in the late 1930s, featuring Grand Prix racing cars, motorcycles, record-breaking land speed machines, trains, aircraft, and high-speed ships. For auto racing enthusiasts, the set is especially notable for its depictions of famous prewar drivers and machines, including legends such as Rudolf Caracciola and Capt. G.E.T. Eyston with his record-breaking machines. Richly illustrated with vivid artwork and detailed text on the reverse, the Speed set captures the glamour, technology, and daring spirit of prewar racing and remains a favorite among both tobacco card collectors and motorsport historians today.
Card #15 Thunderbolt
“Flying Spray”
Card #17 Speed of the Wind
Card #18 Mormon Meteor
Card #19 Napier Railton
Card #20 M.G. Magnette
Card #21 E.R.A.
Card #22 Mercedes-Benz
Card #23 Auto-Union
