A Beatles fan has been left in shock after finding an incredible piece of memorabilia in a charity shop – but others were quick to point out the same issue with the item
A Beatles fan has stumbled upon an amazing find in a charity shop, leaving everyone making the same remark.
The black and white snap of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr was found in a second-hand store, with the lucky finder sharing their discovery on a Reddit forum.
Other fans of the Fab Four have since been trying to trace the origins of the piece, speculating the print may date back to the 1960s and is one of a series of 60 photos showcasing the band behind the scenes or on tour. While the print seems to bear Ringo Starr’s signature, some have questioned whether the autograph is genuine.
Regardless, the postcard is an authorised print for sale by The Beatles. It’s thought the photos were released in the early-to-mid 1960s.
The original poster spent two days researching their find and discovered the cards were printed in the US as part of a promotion with a chewing gum brand. User Inner-Treat4346 posted a photo and wrote: “Bought a framed Beatles poster/photo that included a small black and white photo 3 1/2″ x 2 1/2” that is marked on the back: “#51 in a series of 60 photos T.C.G. Printed in USA. I will do some more googling but if anyone has any info to share that would be great. Thanks!”
Beatles buffs were quick to set the record straight about the prized piece of memorabilia. Revealing the true origins, one fan explained: “In 1964 there were trading cards made TCG is Topps chewing gum,” highlighting that the value might not be as significant as the original poster hoped.
They added: “Each one had one of The Beatles signature printed on it too.”
Ringo Starr’s autograph was spotted printed in the bottom left of the photo, but despite initial excitement, it is not thought to have been genuine. Another savvy user pointed out the collectable’s modest worth: “In case you were wondering, the value of this is negligible.
“If you had a set of the 60 cards in mint condition there would be some value in that.” Still, the item could carry sentimental significance for fans, as one expressed: “Not sure if it has a lot of monetary value… I feel like everything of the Beatles does if it’s vintage. If I found that I’d treasure it for sure. How fun.”
Another individual shared they, too, had one of these cards. They wrote: “Yes, it’s a bubble gum card. I have it and about 40 others that my sister and I collected in 1964, when I was 11 years old and she was 8.
“We used to take them to school to trade with friends. There were certain ones that were particularly coveted, as I recall. We kept them in a Beatles lunch box along with newspaper and magazine clippings and photos about the Beatles.”