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Defunct

Scanlens

Scanlens was Australia’s defining football card maker, producing rugby league, VFL/AFL and cricket sets.

1963–1993 Australia Sydney, Australia
Sports cardsAustralian rules footballRugbyCricket
Image gallery (6) Pre-grade a card
Scanlens 1965 Cricket Card #26 Geoff Boycott , England .*Excellent Condition*
Scanlens 1965 Cricket Card #26 Geoff Boycott , England .*Excellent Condition*

Scanlens at a glance

Scanlens was Australia’s defining football card maker, producing rugby league, VFL/AFL and cricket sets.

Full history, sources and grading notes below. Last verified · Published · Confidence: Medium

Company history

Australian sports cards[1][2]

Scanlens began producing cards in Australia in the 1960s, covering rugby league, Australian rules football and cricket. The cards were sold with gum and became part of the country’s sporting culture.

Stimorol and later years[1][2]

Scanlens Stimorol sets are among the most collected Australian cards of the 1970s and 1980s. The company wound down in the early 1990s as the Australian market changed, and its cards remain the reference for vintage Australian sports collecting.

Timeline

Dated milestones with a source for each event. Hover a marker for the short label; the list below carries the detail.

Scanlens timeline
Scanlens timelineDated milestones in the history of Scanlens.1963: Company activeCompany active19631970: VFL/AFL setsVFL/AFL sets19701980: Stimorol eraStimorol era19801993: Company closesCompany closes1993
View timeline events
YearEventDetail
1963Company activeScanlens begins producing Australian sports cards.
1970VFL/AFL setsScanlens football sets become a national staple.
1980Stimorol eraScanlens Stimorol cards become a collector favourite.
1993Company closesScanlens ends production.
  1. 1963
    Company active[1]

    Scanlens begins producing Australian sports cards.

  2. 1970
    VFL/AFL sets[2]

    Scanlens football sets become a national staple.

  3. 1980
    Stimorol era[2]

    Scanlens Stimorol cards become a collector favourite.

  4. 1993
    Company closes[1]

    Scanlens ends production.

Brand identity

Image archive

Local, provenance-recorded images. Captions and source credits are part of the record; a missing section is shown as an explicit gap rather than filled with a placeholder.

Card fronts & backs

Open the full gallery →
Scanlens 1965 Cricket Card #26 Geoff Boycott , England .*Excellent Condition*
Card fronts · 1965Scanlens 1965 Cricket Card #26 Geoff Boycott , England .*Excellent Condition*eBay listing image
Scanlens 1965 Cricket Card #26 Geoff Boycott , England .*Excellent Condition* — reverse.
Card backs · 1965Scanlens 1965 Cricket Card #26 Geoff Boycott , England .*Excellent Condition* — reverse.eBay listing image
Signed 1986 1987 England Men's Test Cricket Scanlens Card - Ian Botham — reverse.
Card backs · 1986Signed 1986 1987 England Men's Test Cricket Scanlens Card - Ian Botham — reverse.eBay listing image
1981/82 Scanlens Cricket Card #16 Len Pascoe , Australia .
Card fronts · 19811981/82 Scanlens Cricket Card #16 Len Pascoe , Australia .eBay listing image
Signed 1986 1987 England Men's Test Cricket Scanlens Card - Ian Botham
Card fronts · 1986Signed 1986 1987 England Men's Test Cricket Scanlens Card - Ian BothameBay listing image

Notable sets

Notable sets
YearSetWhy it mattersSource
19631963 Scanlens Rugby LeagueAn early Australian rugby league card set.[2]
19701970 Scanlens VFLA key Australian rules football set.[2]

Grading notes

How this manufacturer's stock, cutting and production method affect the four grading pillars.

Small format[2]

Scanlens cards are small and thin, with frequent corner wear and creases.

Centring[1]

Cutting was imprecise; off-centre examples are normal.

How to identify Scanlens cards

1960s-1990s[1]

The Scanlens name appears on the card; Australian football and cricket subjects are typical.

Stimorol[1]

Scanlens Stimorol cards carry both brand names and are common in 1970s-80s sets.

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Frequently asked questions

When did Scanlens start making cards?

Scanlens began issuing cards in 1963.

Who owns Scanlens now?

Scanlens is defunct; its brand assets have changed hands over time.

What is Scanlens known for?

Scanlens was Australia’s defining football card maker, producing rugby league, VFL/AFL and cricket sets.

Sources & methodology

Every factual claim in the profile is tied to the numbered sources below. Translated sources are tagged with their original language. Media provenance is recorded per image; images are stored locally and credited to their source.

  1. Wikipedia: Scanlens (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)
  2. Cardboard Connection: Scanlens (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)

Unverified or incomplete

  • Text-first draft; media, design evolution and people/place sections are pending.

Cite this profile

PreGradeCards Research. “Scanlens.” Card Manufacturers Directory. Last verified 2026-11-07. https://pregradecards.com/manufacturers/scanlens

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