Factory No. 17, 2nd District of Virginia
These cards were issued by the American Tobacco Company and printed at Factory No. 17, located in the Tobacco 2nd District of Virginia, in the heart of Richmond’s historic Tobacco Row. Factory 17 served as a major Southern manufacturing and distribution hub during the 1910s and is a confirmed production site for the T68 “Heroes of History” set. T68 cards bearing the Royal Bengals back and marked Factory No. 17, 2nd Dist. VA were circulated widely throughout the South as part of American Tobacco’s regional distribution strategy.
Collectors track factory numbers like 17 to identify variations in printing, card stock, and regional output. Compared to Factory 2 in New Jersey, cards from Factory 17 may reveal subtle distinctions in color tone, alignment, and surface texture—providing important clues into decentralized production techniques. As a central player in Richmond’s tobacco economy, Factory 17 stands as a key location in the T68 story, linking historical branding with Southern distribution during the American Tobacco Company’s peak.
A passion for tracing origins
Factory No. 17, 2nd District of Virginia, stood at the crossroads of Richmond’s booming tobacco industry. As a key site for the insertion of Royal Bengals cards in the T68 “Heroes of History” series, this facility connects collectors to the southern lineage of America’s tobacco card legacy—where regional industry, federal oversight, and collector heritage converge.
Historic Factory Site
Explore the Richmond roots of Factory No. 17—linked to the historic Philip Whitlock Federal Cigar Company near East Cary Street and later absorbed by American Tobacco and Lorillard. This area formed the heart of Tobacco Row, one of the most concentrated tobacco manufacturing zones in the country.
Factory Stamp Identifier
Learn to recognize the “Factory No. 17, 2nd Dist. VA.” imprint on the backs of Royal Bengals T68 cards. This stamp connects your card to the Richmond-based facility and helps track southern distribution runs of the 1911 set.
Richmond Distribution Role
Factory 17 served as a vital card insertion point for the American Tobacco Company’s southern distribution network. Situated in a dense corridor of rail and warehouse access, the site supported tobacco and promotional product flow across the southeastern United States.
Archival Research
Uncover Richmond’s industrial past through factory directories, advertisements, and government tax records tracing the evolution of Factory 17 from its days as a cigar hub to a cigarette card packing center. Records span operations under Whitlock, American Tobacco, and Lorillard.
Photo Archive Project
We are building a visual archive of the Factory 17 area—including the Whitlock Branch, South Richmond Complex, and Tobacco Row structures. Collectors and researchers are invited to contribute scans, maps, or original site photos to preserve this vital piece of T68 history.
Royal Bengals Legacy — Southern Insertions Confirmed
Factory 17 in Richmond is confirmed as one of only two sites known to have inserted Royal Bengals backs in the T68 “Heroes of History” series. These cards bear the “Factory No. 17, 2nd Dist. VA.” stamp—signaling southern packaging origin. While the printing was centralized at the American Lithographic Company, insertion occurred locally, making these cards valuable for their geographic rarity and stamp specificity.
Attributed to American Tobacco Company Facility in Richmond, VA (Factory No 17)
In 1910–1911, Factory No. 17 in Richmond, Virginia, operated under the American Tobacco Company as part of its nationwide infrastructure for tobacco production and promotion. Although Lorillard did not formally establish operations in Richmond until after the 1911 Sherman Antitrust enforcement, Factory 17 was already active during this time—likely rooted in the Philip Whitlock Federal Cigar Company complex near East Cary Street. The factory was used for the insertion and packaging of Royal Bengals-branded cigars and T68 “Heroes of History” tobacco cards, with surviving cards marked “Factory No. 17, 2nd Dist. VA.” confirming their southern origin.
This site functioned as a key distribution hub in the South and operated in tandem with Factory No. 2, 5th Dist. N.J., located in Jersey City, New Jersey. Together, these two facilities enabled wide-scale circulation of Royal Bengals cards across regional markets while supporting the American Tobacco Company’s promotional strategies during its final years as a unified trust. Factory 17’s legacy offers collectors a traceable connection to the Richmond industrial corridor and a rare glimpse into early 20th-century tobacco marketing logistics.
Factory 17 Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|
| Pre-1911 | Operated as Philip Whitlock’s Federal Cigar Company 2300 E. Cary Street |
| 1911 | Used by American Tobacco Company for T68 card insertion |
| 1911–1914 | Control transitioned to P. Lorillard post-trust breakup 24th and East Cary Street (Tobacco Row) |
| 1916 | New Whitlock Branch constructed at the Cary Street site |
| Mid-1900s | Site repurposed by Philip Morris for storage and research |
“Richmond is the natural home of the tobacco trade in America, where every leaf tells a story and every factory breathes the scent of history.”
— Richmond Times Dispatch, early 20th century trade commentary
Royal Bengals 17 Branding/Insertion Highlights
- Associated with American Tobacco Co. during peak promotional campaigns
- Inserted at Richmond’s Factory No. 17, confirmed by “Factory 17, 2nd Dist. VA.” back stamp
- Cards featured the Royal Bengals design with iconic tiger imagery on the box
- Served as part of a multi-site insertion model (with Factory 2) during 1911 release
- Reflects ATC’s southern card distribution network prior to Lorillard’s Richmond takeover
Graded Royal Bengals from Factory 17
- Encapsulated by PSA and SGC Professionally graded and slabbed Factory 17 examples help preserve card quality and verify production variation across factory sites. Note: PSA and SGC currently do not distinguish Factory 17 from Factory 2 on their labels, making provenance research critical for collectors.
- Verified Factory Origin Cards stamped “Factory No. 17, 2nd Dist. VA.” are directly tied to the American Tobacco Company’s Richmond, Virginia operations — part of the city’s historic Tobacco Row district. These backs confirm Factory 17’s role in T68 production during the 1910–1911 era.
- Set Building Milestones Factory 17 Royal Bengals are a core requirement for collectors pursuing a complete Factory No. 17 subset or assembling dual-factory examples for comparison and historical study.
- Dual Factory Print Legacy Royal Bengals remain the only T68 back confirmed to have been printed at multiple factories — Factory 2 in New Jersey and Factory 17 in Virginia. Factory-stamped cards provide essential insight into American Tobacco Company distribution practices and printing timelines.
“Factory No. 17 opened the door to Richmond’s deep tobacco heritage. These cards connect me to a Southern tradition of craftsmanship, commerce, and culture that helped shape the American tobacco story.”
Derick Sikes
T68 Historian & Collector