Finally, WaxPackHero has come to cover a wrestling set. Today, I want to introduce the Millions, and Millions of WaxPackHero fans to the…..most….electrifying set in sports entertainment! In 1986, Carnation included a small set of wrestling cards in their packets of hot cocoa. The set would include a mix of both AWA and NWA stars.
The Smackdown
In the mid-90s, the WWF was picking up steam and the competing leagues like the AWA and NWA were looking to do whatever they could to maintain relevance in the changing pro wrestling landscape. One of those efforts was the production of toys, cards, and promotional items like these 1986 Carnation Major League Wrestling cards.
Base on a thread in the Net54 forum, a poster shared that the cards came two to a pack. Flair/Kamala, Road Warriors/Rick Martel, and The Koloffs/Sergeant Slaughter were the pairings and is the reason why you may find the same person selling these pairings in some online listings.
Because of how these were packaged, condition can be an issue. They are generally viewed as being somewhat scare, especially in great condition. There doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer on whether their scarcity is based on actual production or is driven more by condition issues.
I first learned about this set through a podcast interview I did with Zhan Mourning (@Zhanmourning). The era of the cards and the oddball/food issue nature of the set were enough to inspire me to track some of them down.
You can check out the full podcast episode below.
Here is the back of the 1986 Carnation “The Koloffs” card.
I started with a Kamala card which is in pretty rough shape, but it was cheap enough that I was ok with it. Right around the same time I picked up a Koloffs card which was in much better condition from another seller.
The front of the cards show a centered picture of the wrestlers. A Major League Wrestling Cards banner tops the card, and the name and Title are in the lower left corner. Well, except for Kamala. His card did not reflect a title, just his nickname. In the lower right corner is a Gold Trophy with the date 1986.
This date creates a bit of confusion for collectors because the back of the card shows a copyright date of 1985. It seems they were produced in 1985 but were not released in the Carnation packaging until 1986. Sometimes you will see them listed for sale as 1985 Carnation cards, but more often they will show up as 1986. I just wanted to make sure you were aware that if you are trying to track them down, it would be a good idea to use both searches.
In addition to the cards, it looks like there was also the opportunity to buy a special poster. All you had to do is send a check for $2.50 to Kalamazoo MI and wait six weeks to have some new decorations to hang in your bedroom.
Only a handful of these cards seem to be available and any given time on eBay or COMC and typically sell for $15-$100 depending on condition. High grade copies can sell for even more.
Checklist
Kamala - The Ugandan Giant
Ric Flair - NWA World Champion
Rick Martel - AWA Heavyweight Champion
Sergeant Slaughter - American Champion
The Koloffs - NWA Tag Team Champions
The Road Warrior - AWA World Tag Team Champions