If you are of a certain vintage, then you may recall collecting football cards and stickers as a child.
However, collecting football cards and stickers has become a much bigger business. Mostly because of the demand for certain ‘vintage’ cards or stickers.
This has created a market for vintage football stickers that feature some of the top stars in world football history.
And it is a lucrative market, with plenty of old packs offering collectors a chance to open them up and perhaps land a card or sticker that could be worth hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of pounds.
The phenomenon has spread onto social media and there are a number of accounts now that offer ‘pack opening’ live sessions. We’ll explore these in more detail in the section below.
With several new collections available each year, could football cards and sticker collecting become your next soccer hobby? Alongside betting on the sport with bet365 Sport?
Let’s take a closer look and find out more about what this hobby has to offer.
BET365
BONUS CODE: BET247
Get up to €100 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365
Bet365 Review
Min deposit €5
Up to €100 in Bet Credits
Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code BET247 can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. Registration Required.What Are The Top Football Cards & Sticker Collections
That depends on how you want to collect your football cards and stickers.
If you want to do this as a hobby, then you should start with the current card and sticker collections available at this moment in time.
At the time of writing, you can find a selection of football sticker and card selections available including: –
- Topps Euro 2024 Sticker Album
- Topps UEFA Champions League Superstars Stickers
- Topps Euro 2024 Match Attax
- Topps Euro 2024 Match Attax Golden Glory
- Topps Match Attax Extra
- Topps Match Attax
- Panini England XL 2024 Trading Cards
- Panini Score Premier League 23-24
- Panini Premier League Sticker Collection
- Premier League Adrenalyn XL Trading Cards
- Panini FIFA World Class Stickers 2024
However, if you are in the market for stickers and cards of a rarer vintage, and perhaps as an investment, then you are better looking on auction sites such as Ebay or similar.
Additionally, you can purchase packs which will be opened live on air by a pack opener on social media sites such as Tik Tik, Paolo Panini is a good example of just such an operator.
Who Collects Football Cards and Stickers?
Anybody and everybody does nowadays.
Gone are the days when collecting football stickers and cards was the domain of children and adolescents. While many children still do enjoy collecting the cards, there is a thriving scene for adults of all ages too.
In fact, many towns and cities across the country will organise meetings where people can attend to trade, sell, buy or swap cards from a wide selection of collections.
Given that some cards can prove to be an investment too, there are a considerable numbers of collectors looking for rare cards. And they will pay a fair amount to acquire them too.
Why Has Collecting Football Cards and Stickers Become So Popular?
A number of factors have combined to making football cards and sticker collecting very popular, especially for vintage and hard-to-find stickers.
Firstly, the interest in sporting memorabilia is huge. Stickers and cards are a simple and affordable way to get started in this industry.
Secondly, as some of the top companies have been around since the 1970s, there is now an extensive backlog of older card collections, some of which have hard-to-find stickers that have become in high demand.
Additionally, the popularity of ‘card opening’ accounts on social media sites has re-engaged interest in football cards and sticker collections.
However, the thrill of opening packs of cards to see what is inside remains as exciting as ever and even adults still get that tingle of anticipation when they tear open their first pack in many a year.
How Can I Start Collecting Football Cards and Stickers?
That depends on what you want to collect in terms of the football cards and stickers available.
For older, vintage collections. Check out ebay and similar sites for the sale of older cards and stickers. You will find many. However, a much cheaper source is to visit car boot sales and similar where you can sometimes find some great collections.
You should also follow many of the links we’ve provided below.
For more modern collections, look at the current collections with providers such as Panini and Topps to help gauge which collection will most suit your interest.
What Are The Most Valuable Football Cards & Stickers?
There’s a huge market for the most sought-after football cards and stickers.
The most expensive sticker ever sold was a 1979 Panini Calciatore sticker that featured a 19-year-old Diego Maradona.
Given its rarity and exclusivity, the sticker sold at auction in 2021 for an incredible £470,000.
A special one-off sticker featuring Lionel Messi made for the 2014 World Cup collection by Panini was sold for £115,000 in a 2022 auction.
However, the most expensive sports card ever sold was a 1952 Topps Rookie card for US Baseball player Mickey Mantle. That sold for an incredible $12.6 million (£10,810,000) at auction in 2022.
Single stickers for sought-after players can command fees of hundreds or thousands of pounds, while some of the rarest items can fetch thousands or even tens of thousands.
Completed sticker albums, especially those from older tournaments, can also fetch a good price, with many being offered for sale for several hundred or even thousands of pounds.
Top Social Media Accounts & Sites to Follow for Football Card & Sticker Collectors
Outlined below are some social media links to excellent accounts for football card and sticker collectors.
Classic Football Stickers
Topps Match Attax
Panini UK and Ireland
Storied Figurine
Footie Cards Stickers
A Sticker’s Worth 500 Words (Blog)
Topps Football Cards
Scottish Footy Cards
Got Dem Cards (American Sports)
The Cardboard Connection
Paolo Panini
Retro Footy Stickers and Cards
You can also find Ebay a very good source for purchasing rare stickers, or older sticker packs. One great source is: –
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?item=355673346294&rt=nc&_trksid=p4429486.m3561.l161211&_ssn=profootballstickers
Top Books for Football Card & Sticker Collectors
Alongside a wide variety of social media accounts, there are also some excellent books to consider if you would like more information.
Some of the best titles include:
Panini Football Stickers The Official Celebration by Greg Lansdowne (Bloomsbury)
Stuck on You – The Rise & Fall & Rise of Panini Stickers by Greg Lansdowne (Pitch)
There are also a number of Panini Football Collection sticker books available as collections. They are as follows:
Panini Euro Cup Football Collection (1960 – 2020)
Panini World Cup Football Collection (1970 – 2014) *(updated version available including 2018 and 2022 World Cup Finals)
Panini UK Football Sticker Collection 1 (1978 – 1985)
Panini UK Football Sticker Collection 2 (1986 – 1993)
