1964 Coop (FR) “L’Auto A Travers Les Ages”

The 1964 Coop “L’Auto A Travers Les Ages” classic French promotional collection, part of Coop’s “Instruire et Amuser” (Educate and Entertain) series, was released in 1964. It contains 100 metal plaques with four tabs (thin, durable, silkscreened tin plates, roughly 7.7 × 5.8 cm) designed to be collected and mounted in a spiral-bound album (about 19 × 19.5 cm) sold at Coop supermarkets.

Distribution was straightforward: Coop stores across France offered the empty album for sale or as a premium, while individual plaques came as purchase incentives with groceries or were bought separately—classic 1960s supermarket collectible style to encourage repeat visits.

Each plaque focuses on a car: the front shows a vibrant illustration or photo of the vehicle (from 19th-century pioneers like Benz and Panhard, through pre-war classics, racing prototypes, to 1960s icons like Citroën DS, Renault 4L, Porsche, and more), plus basic specs. The back adds educational text with year, top speed, cylinders, and historical notes.

The set ties into motorsport as well. Cards cover Grand Prix cars and others, with backs referencing star drivers of the era. Confirmed examples include plaques directly linked to Jim Clark, Juan Manuel Fangio, and John Surtees.

Complete albums with all 100 plaques are rare and sought-after. Below are the plaques that tie directly to auto racing.

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