International Flags

INTERNATIONAL FLAGS was a promotional game issued by Mobil Oil in 1969. This was a collect-and-win game with instant winners. The game consisted of a game piece given free to customers each time they visited a participating Mobil gas station, which were to be collected for a chance to win a cash prize. The game pieces are plastic lenticular (3D 'flicker') squares depicting one of 18 different world flags.

The game pieces could be affixed to the International Flags game card (also free) which was divided into four sections. If all the stamps in any one of the sections could be collected, the player won the prize for that section. The prizes were $25, $100, $1,000 and $5,000. In addition, there were seven different instant winner stamps available with prizes ranging from 50-cents to $5,000.

The lenticular printing gave the appearance of a waving flag when viewed from different angles. This is the only oil company game that used lenticular-printed game pieces.

The game cards have gum (like the back of an old postage stamp) in the areas where the flags are to be affixed. The player needed to wet the gum, then press the game piece onto the game card to get it to stick.

Interestingly, there is a statement printed on the game card explaining why the U. S. flag is not included as one of the 18 international flags. It reads "Use of the American flag on this card might not conform with certain state laws."

Above is the front and back of an 'INTERNATIONAL FLAGS' game card. No flag stamps are affixed to this card.

Above is a newspaper ad in the Progress-Bulletin (Pomona, California) 4/21/69.
Amusingly, the game card pictured is an attractive mock-up and not at all like the actual game cards issued.

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