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With all the hype surrounding the biggest tournament in the world comes a raft of traditions, and one of the most important of these is the Panini World Cup sticker album. In this guide, we're going to look at some of the key facts surrounding football stickers, as well as their fascinating history.
The popularity of sticker albums
The goal of World Cup sticker albums is to collect all the stickers and complete the book. However, because stickers are bought in blind packets, this isn't as easy as it seems, with fans having to trade with other collectors to find stickers they need and to get rid of any doubles – and there are usually quite a few of those!
Clearly, this repetitive challenge makes for a highly lucrative industry. It has become a timeless practice that is a staple of the playground and has only increased with the use of the internet. Adults and children alike are enthralled by the prospect of completing a collection and finding rare stickers that will only increase in value as they get older.
World cup sticker albums
The first World Cup took place in 1930, but the first version of the World Cup sticker album appears to be from 1950. Sticker albums back then were not as we recognise them today and were only published in certain countries, making them hard to get hold of.
The craze really kicked off in 1970, when Panini released their first World Cup sticker album worldwide, for the tournament in Mexico. This started the trend that exploded into the sticker collecting phenomenon that we recognise today. A completed version of this iconic album sold at auction for €12,000 in 2017, having been signed by Pelé.
Panini World Cup sticker album cost
A pack of four stickers cost about 5p each back then. This year, a pack of five stickers costs 90p, although they can be bought in bulk for cheaper. They can be found at most supermarkets and newsagents, but they are also available from the Panini website or often on second-hand online stores such as eBay.
It is estimated that the album will cost around £883.80 to complete based on retail price, probability and a total of 670 players to collect. However, trading any doubles can lower this total, with fans using #GotGotNeed online to connect with other collectors.
The most valuable sticker from this year's book (an ‘extra sticker’ of Lionel Messi) has already been valued at over $500. Rare stickers of highly rated players like this are the ones that are the most desirable and expensive, but Panini says that they print all their stickers in equal proportions.
Panini World Cup stickers and albums become collectable items as they age, with even unopened packets in good condition selling for over £5000 at auction. Fans often keep their collections in fantastic condition, keeping them in storage boxes for decades in the hope that they will be worth a jackpot in the future. Others simply treasure them as nostalgic memorabilia for this iconic sporting event.
The Solent Plastics team will be enjoying the World Cup and obviously, we will be cheering our boys on. Here we go, here we go, here we go!