During the Gulf War in 1991, desert storms trading cards were produced showing images of the latest US and Coalition weapons and equipment being used in the conflict against Iraq. While not traditional baseball cards featuring athletes, these Gulf War cards captured the patriotic fervor felt by many Americans during this brief yet dramatic war.
The idea for Gulf War trading cards came from brothers Joel and Marc Cohen, owners of Studio 273 Publishing. Just two months into the war in early 1991, they saw an opportunity to produce collectible cards that paid homage to the incredible technological advances America and its allies were showing off in the deserts of Kuwait and Iraq. Previous wars had seen cigarette cards, album inserts, and other memorabilia produced highlighting weapons, vehicles, and heroes. The Cohen brothers wanted to continue this tradition for what was being called “the video game war” due to its surreal scenes of precision bombing played out in night vision on TV.
They worked quickly to get rights and permissions from the US Department of Defense to use official photos of things like tanks, planes, ships, bombs, missiles, etc. With help from retired generals as consultants, they compiled over 100 different cards showing everything from M1 Abrams tanks and F-15E Strike Eagles to Patriot missiles and laser-guided bombs. Uniform designs, unit insignias, and biographies of key commanders like General Schwarzkopf were also included. The cards had informative stats on the back detailing each item’s capabilities. Within just a few months, Studio 273 was able to produce and distribute over a million Gulf War cards across the country.
The Gulf War cards were an immediate hit with both kids and collectors. Their colorful graphic design captured the pulse of the high-tech war while instilling pride in America’s military might. Some cards even featured more lighthearted subjects like scenes from tents in Saudi Arabia where troops ate massive meals to stay energized or played video games on small portable systems. But many cards showed the serious business of combat from aerial bomb runs to naval bombardments. Various specialty sets were also produced beyond the original base cards, honoring certain units or focusing on captured Iraqi gear as trophies of war.
While not the typical sports heroes, famous American weapons achieved near cult status during the Gulf War. The stealthy F-117 Nighthawk that eluded Iraqi radar became an icon. Other attention-grabbing cards highlighted things like the radar-evading Maverick and Sidewinder missiles that devastated Iraqi armor columns. Patriot missiles intercepting Scud warheads over Tel Aviv became as iconic and collectible as any baseball play. Desert Storm even had its superstar pilots who were celebrated for their roles in missions like daylight precision bombing of targets in downtown Baghdad that showcased American air supremacy.
Desert Storm trading cards filled a void, creating collectible memorabilia from an otherwise forgettable war that ended really quickly with few US casualties. Despite its brevity, the scale of the US-led coalition and its high-tech tools captured imaginations. Many viewed the Gulf War less as a conventional war and more as “techno-war theater” where smart weapons did most of the fighting. The cards paid tribute to and sparked interest in these weapons while also preserving some history of the Gulf War for future generations. They satisfied peoples’ fascination with the war’s surreal images of laser-guided “surgical strikes” against Iraqi targets broadcast live on CNN.
At a time when baseball card collecting was an American pastime, Gulf War cards inserted military equipment into that hobby. They allowed people to assemble virtual “teams” of allied units, ships, and aircraft like they would baseball players. Some avid collectors traded and competed to amass complete sets. The cards flourished during the patriotic swell of the immediate post-war period in 1991-1992 before interest tapered off. However, Desert Storm collecting cards remain popular with military history buffs and 1990s memorabilia fans today. High-grade vintage cards from authenticated factory sets can draw strong prices on the secondary market.
By providing a tangible collectible aspect to an otherwise dry political conflict half a world away, Gulf War trading cards helped many Americans at home feel more connected to the rapid air campaign and ground invasion that liberated Kuwait. They filled the same grassroots passion for consuming information about an ongoing event that baseball cards traditionally did during summers. The Cohen brothers took advantage of that need for tangible mementos at a time before social media and when 24-hour war coverage was brand new. Their Gulf War cards stand as a unique artifact that captured both military technology and national pride from America’s brief post-Cold War military action in the Persian Gulf during 1991.
