1965 Philadelphia James Bond trading cards are considered the first to feature the iconic spy available in the United States (a couple of European sets like 1964 Somportex James Bond have the distinction of being the very first). This set might be simple, but it helped set the stage for one of the hobby’s longest-running and most popular entertainment lines.
1965 Philadelphia James Bond Checklist Details
Spanning 66 total cards, the 1965 Philadelphia James Bond checklist highlights the franchise’s first three films: Dr. No, From Russia with Love and Goldfinger. Each film is part of its own section with Dr. No taking the first 18 spots on the checklist. From Russia with Love follows with 23 cards before Goldfinger wraps up the set with the final 25 cards.
On the front, the design is simple. A white border gives way to a black and white image. Most are movie stills, although there are a couple of promotional shots mixed in. While James Bond is prominently featured, other characters also appear including lots of villains.The photos actually highlight a lot of action.
Backs bring in the details. James Bond: Secret Agent 007 is splashed across the top. Sometimes, that’s what this set is referenced as. The card’s caption is in bold followed by a sizeable recap of what’s on the front and its context within the film.
Lasting Significance and Value Considerations
As the first widely available set of James Bond trading cards available in North America, this set is considered to be extremely important. As for values, cards are generally quite affordable, though. That changes when you get into top-condition cards that have been professionally graded. Besides typical wear, centering is a common issue with a lot of cards.
You might expect to pay a premium for a couple of 1965 Philadelphia James Bond cards. Typical for sets from this era of rubber band stacks and shoebox storage, there’s card #1. Common at the top of any stack, first cards are often handled the most and are the first line of most damage. There’s also the fact that the image is a James Bond portrait.
Speaking of Bond portraits, there’s also #19, an iconic Sean Connery shot that continues to resonate in Bond lore today.
Mail-Away Badge
For those looking for a master collection of 1965 Philadelphia James Bond, they’ll need to look beyond just the trading cards. Wax wrappers included an offer for a 007 badge. It’s a simple black metal pin that says “Official Secret Agent 007” in gold.
To get one, collectors simply had to send in five wrappers and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
They’re not easy to find today, but they do exist.
1965 Philadelphia James Bond Checklist
66 cards.
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Dr. No
1 Debonair But Deadly
2 Vacation Over, Back to Work
3 Trouble in Jamaica
4 Passions Rise!
5 Quarrel
6 The Allies Meet
7 Licensed to Kill
8 Dr. No’s Pet
9 Bond Reduces the Enemy By One
10 The Dragon Tank
11 007’s Luck Runs Out, Almost!
12 A Prisoner of Dr. No
13 Dr. Julius No
14 Dr. No’s Underground Laboratory
15 Dr. No’s Tunnel of Torture
16 An Anxious Moment for Dr. No
17 Dr. No’s Finish
18 Where Is She? Quick!
From Russia with Love
19 James Bond, Secret Service Agent 007
20 The Big Three
21 Dress Rehearsal for Assassination
22 SPECTRE, International Crime Organization
23 Agents Of SPECTRE
24 Graduate of a College For Killers
25 Kronsteen, The Planner
26 Looking in on the Russians
27 The Lovely Tatiana
28 Double Bait
29 Head of Secret Service Station “T”
30 Attacked by the Russians
31 She Should Have Kept Her Mouth Shut
32 A Taped Message from the Middle East
33 The Fight with Grant
34 Hunted by Helicopter
35 James Bond vs SPECTRE
36 Armed With “Q’s” Special Equipment
37 Chase by Sea
38 Always Burn Your Boats Behind You
39 Rosa
40 The Dagger Shoes
41 SPECTRE’s Final Effort
Thunderball
42 007 Puts the Heat On
43 Gin Rummy by Radio
44 Not a Personal Affair, 007, a Job.
45 The Incredible Aston-Martin
46 A Study in Cheating
47 A Powerful Demonstration
48 Tilly Masterson
49 The 24 Carat Rolls-Royce
50 Captured at Last
51 The Incredible Laser Ray
52 Spying on a Spy
53 Felix Leiter of the CIA
54 The Hoods’ Convention
55 One Good Turn Deserves Another
56 Goldfinger vs. the United States
57 The U.S. Army Strikes Back!
58 A Treacherous Escape
59 Oddjob the Invincible
60 More Than a Demonstration
61 The Fight with Oddjob
62 Oddjob’s Deadly Derby
63 Death of a Killer
64 Racing the Clock at Fort Knox
65 Auric Goldfinger
66 The Final Encounter
