A couple of months ago, I had heard that United Airlines was giving out trading cards but when I asked a friend who's a United frequent-flyer, he didn't know anything about it so I didn't follow up further.

Last month, I was visiting him in Florida, helping him with his business. One weekend, I helped his wife set up a sidewalk sale outside his workshop. She gets good business there because there are several antique stores up the road. We put out everything she had for sale and I noticed two blue tin containers wrapped in plastic with airplane illustrations on them. I looked at one and saw it had a list of contents. Both were amenity kits (free packs of travel accessories like eyeshades, mini-toothpastes, earplugs, socks, etc.) that United gives to first-class passengers (sometimes in a nice zipper-pouch) but these were special since everything was in a commemorative tin to celebrate the history of the 747 which was retired in the U.S. last November. What got my attention was that the list also included trading cards.

I asked my friend how much she wanted and she said I could have both for free. Later, I opened the tins and found a 5-card cello-pack in each one and then I looked online for more information. It's a 15 card set with the packs given only to first-class passengers or business-class passengers on certain transcontinental and international flights from last November to last January. After opening the packs, I had 8 different ones. Card #1 is the header in every pack so I had two of those and a duplicate of one of the other numbers. Also, none of the cards are dated nor list a manufacturer.

I just bought six more packs and am now only one card short of a set. What I've noticed is that I haven't had a pack that had two of the same number. A statistician would have to determine if some cards are likely short-printed or my haul is just a random sample of an overall even distribution.

From 8 packs I got the expected 8 number 1's plus the following:

2 #2's
2 #3's
4 #4's
2 #5's
2 #6's
2 #7's
1 #8
3 #9's
no #10
3 #11's
4 #12's
3 #13's
2 #14's
1 #15

The spread seems pretty even to me.

I read that some people received the whole set in a blue foil pack. I haven't seen those for sale.

The best review of the cards appears to be here:

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/10/united-747-kits/

This message has been edited. Last edited by: catskilleagle,

I just picked up a lot of 54 cards, but I'm missing 4 to complete my set. Maybe we can work a trade to complete each of our sets?

If someone could send me the full checklist with default card descriptions, I will get them thrown into the Beckett database ASAP. Hopefully, I will be able to get them priced in time for the upcoming Non-Sport Almanac that will be released at the end of summer. Please send the list to mbible@beckett.com. Thanks!

Okay, I'll email you.

quote:

Originally posted by aeolus14ummbra:
I just picked up a lot of 54 cards, but I'm missing 4 to complete my set. Maybe we can work a trade to complete each of our sets?

Card 1 is a header card with the checklist for the set on the back as follows:

1. Collection list
2. 747-400, current
3. 747-100 flight attendant promotional photo
4. 747-100 dedication
5. 747-100 entry into service
6. 747-100 "Friend Ship"
7. 747-200 United "Saul Bass"
8. 747-100 Continental "Saul Bass"
9. 747-200 Continental red "jetstream"
10. 747-200 PEOPLExpress
11. 747SP Pan Am hybrid
12. 747-400 "Battleship Gray"
13. 747-400 "Flying U"
14. 747-100 Continental "Globe"
15. 747-400 United "Globe"

I'll send the list to you as well.

I haven't heard of any bonus/chase cards of any kind nor any error/variant cards so far.

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by BeckettBible24:
If someone could send me the full checklist with default card descriptions, I will get them thrown into the Beckett database ASAP. Hopefully, I will be able to get them priced in time for the upcoming Non-Sport Almanac that will be released at the end of summer. Please send the list to mbible@beckett.com. Thanks!