Here are some really cool cards I recently grabbed but, quite frankly, can't tell you anything about, other than what is visible on the cards themselves.

(Perhaps our old pal CTYankee Jim A. is lurking out there, or maybe Big Amigo Don Hayes, and we can convince them to come home to the Forum and educate us further on these cool little cards!)

Anyway, they appear to be called US Army "Know Em Charts" and were published by "G.G.M.", copyright 1942. Cards say "There are 12 charts".

What is so cool is that these cards are mechanicals, with a little wheel mounted in a card sandwich, which by rotating will show off different info. The artwork is quite a familiar style, from the WW2 candy box cards and the like.

Dimensions, excluding the little bit of wheel that juts out, is 2" by 2 7/16".

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Anybody have an ACC reference or other hints on this one?

hey ralph, when you submit them to psa how will you be able to turn the wheels? just kidding of course. they look like a flea market find, what a great group. congrats

Great stuff Ralph! I've never seen those before

. . . perhaps our Webmaster can take a break and give us an answer on these? You ever seen these before, Dan?

I sold a few of the "Know 'Em " wheels on ebay over the years. Same style and date:1942. I believed that they were from General Mills until I read the NSB page 463. Chris makes an argument for them being a candy insert from George Milkes of Chicago.

Thanks for that NSB reference -- I shoulda known better and looked more carefully in Chris's masterpiece.  And I do agree with the speculation that the publisher was not General Mills.  The copyright (as you can clearly see on the blow-up of that one card) is not for "G.M.", but for "G.G.M.".

Bill, by the way, if any other Know Em Charts pass through your hands, please feel free to send them to me, to help complete this little set -- as you can see, above, I am missing some of the 12!

Very cool...never seen those before!

Ralph,

If I locate any of these, I'll be sure to contact you. They are really cool WWII items.