A fast food chain getting a full set of trading cards? The ’90s were wild times. McDonald’s isn’t just any fast food chain, either. They’re the undisputed kings of burgers and fries (even if they’re not your favorite). 1996 Classic McDonald’s trading cards delve into the company’s history, bringing some distinctly 1990s hobby trends along for the ride.
1996 Classic McDonald’s Checklist Details
The 50-card base set essentially tells the McDonald’s story. From early restaurants to retro menus to classic ads, there’s a lot of hamburger history packed into the checklist. There are also Ronald McDonald — the creepy first one that had a cup for a nose and a box of food on his head. For McDonald’s fans, Ray Kroc may be the biggest name in the set, but for the masses there are a couple of base cards featuring NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley who starred in several ads over the years.
The entire base set has Gold parallels. Fairly tough to find today, they landed 1:9 packs. Each has a small gold foil stamp in the corner letting collectors know that they’d “Found Ronald.”
Every pack of 1996 Classic McDonald’s has an acetate Cel card. The first half of the 20-card checklist highlights McDonaldland characters while the remaining cards have other McMemories.
For a short time in the 1990s, phone cards battled pogs for side collectible supremacy. There are no pogs to be found here but there are lots of phone cards. $2 Phone Cards (1:12) are basically a second set of base parallels, putting a long distance spin on all 50 cards. The Cel inserts are given a makeover with 20 $5 Phone Cards. These are one per box.
For fans of McDonald’s, this is the only comprehensive set of mainstream trading cards to focus specifically on the franchise. It’s not exceptionally rare but it’s not nearly as common as a lot of other products from this era, either. Values are also solid but not out of reach.
1996 Classic McDonald’s Checklist
Click on the links to shop for cards on eBay or to check current market values.
Set size: 50 cards
Cards per pack: 5
Packs per box: 24
Shop for 1996 Classic McDonald’s boxes on eBay.
Base Set Checklist
50 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 Look for the Golden Arches – 1961 Billboard
2 Wait – The Finest Just 10 Min. Ahead on Rt. 17 – 1960’s Billboard
3 McDonald’s 50 cents All-American – 1960’s Billboard
4 McDonald’s Hamburgers – 1960’s Billboard
5 Try this… for sighs – 1960’s Billboard
6 McDonald’s in Tokyo, Japan (At Night #2) – Established 1971
7 McDonald’s in Tokyo, Japan (At Night) – Established 1971
8 Ronald McDonald – 1970’s Japanese Advertisement
9 McDonald’s in Tokyo, Japan (Two Stories) – Established 1971
10 McDonald’s in Tokyo, Japan – Established 1971
11 Come and Get em! – 1950’s Print Advertisement
12 Delicious McDonald’s Cheeseburger – 1957 Print Advertisement
13 50 Million Hamburgers – 1950’s Print Advertisement
14 We’re Open Now – 1950’s Print Advertisement
15 McDonald’s We’ve got it all! – 1976 Menu
16 Whatever The Occasion – 1940’s Corporate Logo
17 I’m Speedee – 1940’s Corporate Logo
18 McDonald’s 30th Anniversary – 1985
19 McDonald’s Speedee Service Menu 1 – 1953 McDonald’s Menu
20 McDonald’s Speedee Service Menu 2 – 1955 McDonald’s Menu
21 On The Riverboat (Mississippi Riverfront, St. Louis, MO)
22 Over The Highway (Oklahoma)
23 On The Strip (Las Vegas)
24 Two Story Restaurant (Houston)
25 Walk-in Restaurant (California)
26 McDonald’s Famous Hamburgers – 1940’s
27 McDonald’s Employees Entering Restaurant – 1940’s
28 McDonald’s At Night With Spotlight – 1940’s
29 McDonald’s Classic Drive Thru
30 McDonald’s Hamburgers Over 100 Million Sold – 1958
31 The Ultimate Drive-Thru
32 Food Folks and Fun – 1990 Advertising Campaign
33 Coast to Coast McDonald’s Self Service System Hamburgers – 1950’s Artist Rendering
34 McDonald’s Hamburgers (15 cents)
35 McDonald’s Restaurant – 1963
36 Mac on top of Hamburger – 1987 Advertising Campaign
37 Mac Tonight – 1987 Television Advertisement
38 Mac at Amusement Park (1) – 1987 Television Advertisement
39 Mac at Amusement Park (2) – 1987 Television Advertisement
40 Get Mac Tonight Card
41 Ray Kroc
42 Hamburger University
43 Hamburger University – 1978
44 Hamburger University Diploma – Marketing Orientation Course
45 Hamburger University Diploma – Intermediate Operations Course
46 Charles Barkley (1) – 1995 Television Commercial
47 Charles Barkley (2) – 1995 Television Commercial
48 The Original Ronald McDonald – 1963
49 We Do It All for You
50 TwoAllBeefPattiesSpecialSauceLettuceCheesePicklesOnionsOnaSesameSeedBun
Gold Foil Parallels
50 cards.
1:9 packs.
$2 Phone Cards Checklist
50 cards.
1:12 packs.
1 Look for the Golden Arches – 1961 Billboard
2 Wait – The Finest Just 10 Min. Ahead on Rt. 17 – 1960’s Billboard
3 McDonald’s 50 cents All-American – 1960’s Billboard
4 McDonald’s Hamburgers – 1960’s Billboard
5 Try this… for sighs – 1960’s Billboard
6 McDonald’s in Tokyo, Japan (At Night #2) – Established 1971
7 McDonald’s in Tokyo, Japan (At Night) – Established 1971
8 Ronald McDonald – 1970’s Japanese Advertisement
9 McDonald’s in Tokyo, Japan (Two Stories) – Established 1971
10 McDonald’s in Tokyo, Japan – Established 1971
11 Come and Get em! – 1950’s Print Advertisement
12 Delicious McDonald’s Cheeseburger – 1957 Print Advertisement
13 50 Million Hamburgers – 1950’s Print Advertisement
14 We’re Open Now – 1950’s Print Advertisement
15 McDonald’s We’ve got it all! – 1976 Menu
16 Whatever The Occasion – 1940’s Corporate Logo
17 I’m Speedee – 1940’s Corporate Logo
18 McDonald’s 30th Anniversary – 1985
19 McDonald’s Speedee Service Menu 1 – 1953 McDonald’s Menu
20 McDonald’s Speedee Service Menu 2 – 1955 McDonald’s Menu
21 On The Riverboat (Mississippi Riverfront, St. Louis, MO)
22 Over The Highway (Oklahoma)
23 On The Strip (Las Vegas)
24 Two Story Restaurant (Houston)
25 Walk-in Restaurant (California)
26 McDonald’s Famous Hamburgers – 1940’s
27 McDonald’s Employees Entering Restaurant – 1940’s
28 McDonald’s At Night With Spotlight – 1940’s
29 McDonald’s Classic Drive Thru
30 McDonald’s Hamburgers Over 100 Million Sold – 1958
31 The Ultimate Drive-Thru
32 Food Folks and Fun – 1990 Advertising Campaign
33 Coast to Coast McDonald’s Self Service System Hamburgers – 1950’s Artist Rendering
34 McDonald’s Hamburgers (15 cents)
35 McDonald’s Restaurant – 1963
36 Mac on top of Hamburger – 1987 Advertising Campaign
37 Mac Tonight – 1987 Television Advertisement
38 Mac at Amusement Park (1) – 1987 Television Advertisement
39 Mac at Amusement Park (2) – 1987 Television Advertisement
40 Get Mac Tonight Card
41 Ray Kroc
42 Hamburger University
43 Hamburger University – 1978
44 Hamburger University Diploma – Marketing Orientation Course
45 Hamburger University Diploma – Intermediate Operations Course
46 Charles Barkley (1) – 1995 Television Commercial
47 Charles Barkley (2) – 1995 Television Commercial
48 The Original Ronald McDonald – 1963
49 We Do It All for You
50 TwoAllBeefPattiesSpecialSauceLettuceCheesePicklesOnionsOnaSesameSeedBun
$5 Phone Cards Checklist
20 cards.
1:24 packs.
MC1PC Hamburglar
MC2PC Ronald McDonald
MC3PC Ronald McDonald
MC4PC CosMc
MC5PC Birdie The Early Bird
MC6PC Grimace
MC7PC Fry Girls
MC8PC Ronald & Grimace SN2520
MC9PC Ronald & Birdie
MC10PC Ronald & Hamburglar
MC11PC Dutch Treat – 1970’s Dutch Menu
MC12PC 1978 Annual Report
MC13PC The World’s Community Restaurant
MC14PC McDonaldland SN5510
MC15PC Real Good – 1950’s Print Advertisement
MC16PC Nobody Can Do It Like McDonald’s Can – 1979 Advertising Campaign
MC17PC Keep Your Eyes On Your Fries – 1978 Advertising Campaign
MC18PC Ronald And Friends
MC19PC Celebrating 10 Years In Germany – 1981 Advertising Campaign
MC20PC McDonald’s Celebration
Cels Checklist
20 cards.
1 per pack.
MC1 Hamburglar
MC2 Ronald McDonald
MC3 Ronald McDonald
MC4 CosMc
MC5 Birdie The Early Bird
MC6 Grimace
MC7 Fry Girls
MC8 Ronald & Grimace
MC9 Birdie & Ronald
MC10 Ronald & Hamburglar
MC11 Dutch Treat – 1970’s Dutch Menu
MC12 1978 Annual Report
MC13 The World’s Community Restaurant
MC14 McDonaldland
MC15 Real Good – 1950’s Print Advertisement
MC16 Nobody Can Do It Like McDonald’s Can – 1979 Advertising Campaign
MC17 Keep Your Eyes On Your Fries – 1978 Advertising Campaign
MC18 Ronald And Friends
MC19 Celebrating 10 Years In Germany – 1981 Advertising Campaign
MC20 McDonald’s Celebration
