Merlin Publishing
trading card games | |
Owner | Topps |
---|
Merlin Publishing Limited, commonly known as Merlin and sometimes branded as Merlin Collections was a British publishing firm who released a variety of
In 1993 the company became known as Merlin Publishing International PLC before being bought out by Topps in 1995. They were absorbed into the company, being renamed Topps Europe Limited, although the name Merlin would continue as a brand under the Topps name initially until 2008. In 2014 the Merlin brand returned to the Premier League sticker collections until Panini was awarded the contract in 2019. Today the Merlin brand is used by Topps as a retro range designed around its UEFA Champions League trading cards.
History
Competition | License Held |
---|---|
2020– | UEFA Champions League |
1998 | Norwegian Tippeligaen |
1995–1999 | Danish Superliga |
1994–2019 | English Premier League
|
1992–2007 | Italian Serie A
|
Merlin Publishing Ltd was founded in 1989 by Robert and John Warsop and Robert Windmill. They had previously worked for Panini Group, but decided to leave after Panini were acquired by Robert Maxwell. Merlin grew very quickly to become a major player in the European market for collectable stickers and cards. It became public by 1993 as Merlin Publishing International PLC. By 1995, the company's progress was such that it won the prestigious Price Waterhouse/Independent on Sunday award for the fastest growing privately held British company.[1]
The company's official Premier League football collection launched in 1994 and has become, annually, the world's best selling sticker collection, the Merlin name would continue on the official collection until 2008 where it was rebranded as Topps before Panini won the contract in 2020. Merlin reached the old Panini levels, shifting 76m packets in the Premier League's early years, while Panini's last British domestic album dived to sales of no more than three to four million packets, in 1990.
In this period, as well as producing
In 1995, the Topps Company Inc. completed its takeover of Merlin Publishing. Merlin's official company name changed to Topps Europe Limited, but its products still carried the Merlin brand until 2008 as it was easily recognized by consumers.[2]
In 2014 Topps announced it would once again it would use the Merlin brand for its 2015 Premier League sticker collection.[3]
Products
Merlin's Premier League stickers
The Premier League was founded in 1992, but the only sticker album to feature the 1992–93 season was Panini's "Football 93" that wasn't an official product. In 1993 the Premier League chief executive David Dein approached Merlin about producing an album for the 1993–94 season, with Dein approaching Merlin because of his friendship with director Patricia Kluge.[4]
Merlin's Premier League 94 was the debut collection with Manchester United's Ryan Giggs and Arsenal's Paul Merson chosen as the players featured on the album cover. The album consisted of 479 stickers across 80 pages, featuring all twenty-two teams, each having 15 player stickers, a shiny glitter backed club crest, a team photo, shiny club jersey sticker and matchday programme sticker. The foreword was written by Sky Sports co-commentator Andy Gray. Other notable stickers include the "Number 1" which was the Premier League logo, the trophy and the Sky Sports logo. Merlin struggled to meet demand of reprints such was the popularity and demand.
In 1995 following the companies take over by Topps, The Merlin 95 collection included 3D stickers and inserted 3D glasses, stickers were also promoted by
The Merlin brand on the Premier League collections would run until 2008, when the collection was finally branded "Topps Premier League", this lasted until 2014 when the name Merlin was re-introduced as a brand.
In 2019, Topps would lose the Premier League contract for the first time with Panini winning the rights to take over the series for the impending 2019–20 season, thus ending the series.[9]
Games
On rare occasions, it is debated whether the game counts as the world's first CCG along with Magic. However, the game is not played with a deck and there is no collectibility involved. The Scrye guide acknowledges the limited playability of the game as "use them once and they're worthless" which strictly disqualifies it as a collectible card game.[10] Darwin Bromley of Mayfair Games noted that the scratch-offs would crack when shuffled, and once scratched off "you had to either play the game or collect it." "You couldn't have your cake and eat it too."[11]
In 1997 the company released a
In popular culture
In 2021, the "Searching for Shineys" podcast launched in which the presenters attempted to track down and interview players who featured in Merlin's Premier League 97 sticker album. The podcast ran for 20 episodes over two seasons.[13][14]
Legacy
Merlin's Premier League stickers have become a synonymous with British culture of the 90's, along with Panini's collections they are widely recognised amongst British football fans as a past time mainly collected by children and swapped about in school playgrounds.[15][16][17][18] The "Number 1" sticker (usually the Premier League badge) was often depicted as the most sacred sticker to collect, other childhood habits included dealing in such a way that a shiny sticker was worth the value of several normal stickers.[19]
In 2013, a man from Portsmouth found his old 'Premier League 96' album in his attic and realised he hadn't completed it like he thought. He then set off on a mission to locate the remaining six players to take his own photograph of them to stick in his book. It took him six months to locate and travel and visit each player they were Keith Curle, Stuart Ripley, Scott Minto, Gary Penrice, Lars Bohinen and Philippe Albert. He later wrote a book about the experience.[20][21]
In 2020, Topps released "Merlin Heritage 95" card collection for the seasons UEFA Champions League collection, the packaging and card design was based on the same design as the 'Merlin Premier League 95' collection.[22] In 2021, Topps announced their UCL cards for the 2021–22 season would be named "Merlin Heritage 97" and would be released using the same template designs used in from "Merlin's Premier League 97"[23]
Collections
Football
Football sticker and card collections released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[24]
Year | Collection Name | Competition / League / Team | Sticker/Cards in collection | Players Featured on Album Cover |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Merlin Heritage 97 2021–22 | UEFA Champions League | Phil Foden, Cristiano Ronaldo, Federico Chiesa, Jamal Musiala | |
2021 | Merlin Chrome 2020–21 | UEFA Champions League & UEFA Europa League | 2609 | Kylian Mbappe, Son Heung-min, Wesley Fofana
|
2020 | Merlin Heritage 95 2020–21 | UEFA Champions League | 1288 | None |
2018 | Merlin's Premier League 2019 | English Premier League
|
310 | Sergio Aguero
|
2017 | Merlin's Premier League 2018 | English Premier League
|
344 | Gabriel Jesus, Jamie Vardy, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Eden Hazard |
2016 | Merlin's Premier League 2017 | English Premier League
|
344 | |
2016 | Merlin's Premier League 2016 | English Premier League
|
505 | Theo Walcott, David Silva, Eden Hazard, Christian Eriksen, Anthony Martial |
2015 | Merlin's Premier League 2015 | English Premier League
|
505 | Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Aaron Ramsey
|
2007 | 2007–08 Super Campianato: The Evolution | Italian Serie A
|
440 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mauro Esposito, Simone Del Nero
|
2007 | Merlin's Premier League 2007–2008 | English Premier League
|
649 | Fernando Torres, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, John Terry, Michael Owen |
2007 | Merlin's Premier League 2007–2008: Kick Off | English Premier League
|
208 | Cesc Fabregas, Didier Drogba
|
2007 | Merlin's Premier League 06–07 | English Premier League
|
528 | Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Scott Parker, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard |
2007 | Calcio 2006–2007 Pocket Collection | Italian Serie A
|
445 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kaká, Francesco Totti
|
2006 | Merlin's Premier League 06–07: Kick Off | English Premier League
|
213 | Michael Carrick, Thierry Henry, Michael Ballack, Damien Duff |
2006 | Italia Passaporto per la Germania 2006 | World Cup 2006
|
124 | Gennaro Gattuso, Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti, Andrea Pirlo |
2006 | Worldstars 2006 Pocket Collection | World Cup 2006
|
92 | Hernan Crespo, Patrick Vieira, Fernando Carvalho
|
2006 | 2006 England | World Cup 2006
|
448 | Michael Owen, Frank Lampard, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney |
2005 | Calcio 2006 Pocket Collection | Italian Serie A
|
440 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Luca Toni
|
2005 | FA Premier League 2005–2006: Sticker Quiz Collection | English Premier League
|
236 | Tim Cahill, Cristiano Ronaldo, Edgar Davids, Fernando Morientes |
2005 | Premier Stars 2005–2006 | English Premier League
|
227 | Jay Jay Okocha, Ryan Giggs, Emile Heskey
|
2005 | Merlin's FA Premier League 06 | English Premier League
|
528 | Michael Owen, Thierry Henry, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard |
2004 | Merlin's Calcio 2005 Pocket Collection | Italian Serie A
|
456 | Adriano, Gennaro Gattuso, Emerson, Antonio Cassano |
2004 | Merlin's Kick Off 2004–2005 | English Premier League
|
402 | Juan Pablo Angel, Michael Owen, Thierry Henry
|
2004 | Merlin's Premier League 05 | English Premier League
|
574 | Milan Baros, Frank Lampard
|
2004 | Merlin's Calcio 2004 Pocket Collection | Italian Serie A
|
402 | Francesco Totti, Kaká, Obafemi Martins, Mauro Camoranesi |
2004 | Eurostars 2004 Pocket Collection | UEFA Euro 2004 | 208 | |
2004 | England 2004 | England national team for UEFA Euro 2004 | 384 | Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney |
2003 | FA Premier League 2003–04 Pocket Collection | English Premier League
|
162 | |
2003 | Merlin's Premier League 04 | English Premier League
|
598 | Juan Sebastian Veron, Thierry Henry
|
2003 | The Official FA Premier League 2002–2003 | English Premier League
|
578 | |
2002 | England 2002 | World Cup 2002
|
310 | Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham, Michael Owen |
2002 | Ireland 2002 | World Cup 2002
|
242 | Robbie Keane, Roy Keane, Ian Harte, Jason McAteer, Steve Finnan |
2002 | Calcio 2001–2002 | Italian Serie A
|
600 | |
2002 | The Official FA Premier League 2001–02 | English Premier League
|
508 | |
2001 | Calcio: Merlin Extreme | Italian Serie A
|
256 | None |
2001 | Calcio Merlin 2001 | Italian Serie A
|
686 | Zinedine Zidane, Alessandro Nesta, Francesco Totti, Christian Vieri, Andriy Shevchenko |
2000 | Calcio Merlin 2000 | Italian Serie A
|
712 | Zinedine Zidane, Oliver Bierhoff, Alessandro Nesta, Christian Vieri, Gabriel Batistuta |
2000 | The Official FA Premier League Collection | English Premier League
|
448 | Michael Owen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Paolo Di Canio |
2000 | Merlin's Euro 2000 | UEFA Euro 2000 | 195 | Steve McManaman, Paul Scholes, Alan Shearer, David Beckham, Michael Owen, Edgar Davids, Fernando Hierro, Emmanuel Petit |
1999 | Merlin's Premier Gold 2000 | English Premier League
|
160 | Tore Andre Flo
|
1999 | Serie A 2000 | Italian Serie A
|
324 | Alvaro Recoba
|
1999 | The Official FA Premier League 2000 | English Premier League
|
552 | Dwight Yorke, Harry Kewell, Thierry Henry, Gianfranco Zola |
1999 | Merlin's Faxe Kondi Ligaen 2000 | Danish Superliga | 153 | Peter Madsen |
1999 | Merlin's Premier League 99: Transfer Update Edition | English Premier League
|
67 | Dion Dublin, Duncan Ferguson, Wes Brown |
1999 | Kick Off 99 | Italian Serie A
|
228 | Christian Vieri, Andriy Shevchenko, Filippo Inzaghi, Marcelo Salas |
1998 | Merlin's Calcio 99 | Italian Serie A
|
644 | Gabriel Batistuta, Francesco Totti, Paolo Maldini, Christian Vieri, Alessandro Del Piero, Roberto Baggio |
1998 | Merlin's Calcio D'Inizio Kick Off 98–99 | Italian Serie A
|
210 | Ronaldo, Oliver Bierhoff, Alessandro Del Piero, Gabriel Batistuta |
1998 | Merlin's Premier Gold 99 | English Premier League
|
182 | Tore Andre Flo, Peter Schmeichel, Dennis Bergkamp
|
1998 | Merlin's Serie A 99 | Italian Serie A
|
226 | Hidetoshi Nakata, Roberto Baggio, Leonardo |
1998 | Merlin's Premier League 99 | English Premier League
|
557 | Dennis Bergkamp, David Beckham, Michael Owen |
1999 | Merlin's Premier League Kick Off | English Premier League
|
192 | Peter Schmeichel, David Ginola, Michael Owen, Dennis Bergkamp |
1998 | Merlin's Faxe Kondi Ligaen 99 | Danish Superliga | 152 | |
1998 | Premier Gold 98 | English Premier League
|
186 | Robbie Fowler, Alan Shearer, Steffen Iversen |
1998 | England 1998 | World Cup 1998
|
308 | Glenn Hoddle, Steve McManaman, Paul Ince, Alan Shearer, David Beckham |
1998 | Azzurri Con IP 1982–1998 | World Cup 1998
|
100 | None |
1998 | Merlin's Tippeligaen Trading Cards 98 | Norwegian Tippeligaen | 124 | |
1997 | Merlin's Calcio D'Inizio Kick Off | Italian Serie A
|
180 | George Weah, Ronaldo, Alessandro Del Piero |
1997 | Merlin's Premier League 98 | English Premier League
|
504 | Gary Neville, David Beckham, Roy Keane, Ian Wright, Eyal Berkovic, Gianluca Vialli, Gianfranco Zola |
1997 | Merlin's Premier League Kick Off 97–98 | English Premier League
|
217 | Tim Flowers, David Beckham, Gianfranco Zola |
1997 | Newcastle United Photocards 1997–1998 | Newcastle United | 172 | None |
1997 | Merlin's Faxe Kondi Ligaen 98 | Danish Superliga | 155 | |
1997 | Merlin's Calcio 98 | Italian Serie A
|
576 | Ronaldo, Alessandro Del Piero, Paolo Maldini |
1996 | Merlin's Premier Gold | English Premier League
|
196 | Eric Cantona, Fabrizio Ravanelli, Alan Shearer |
1996 | Merlin's Premier League 97 | English Premier League
|
563 | Eric Cantona, Alan Shearer |
1996 | FA Premier League Collector Cards | English Premier League
|
96 | None |
1996 | Liverpool FC Photocards | Liverpool | 72 | None |
1996 | Merlin's Faxe Kondi Ligaen 97 | Danish Superliga | 129 | |
1996 | UEFA Euro 96 | UEFA Euro 96
|
609 | None |
1996 | Merlin's Premier League 96 | English Premier League
|
530 | Nick Barmby, David Ginola, Jamie Redknapp |
1995 | Merlin Ultimate: Premier League Cards | English Premier League
|
245 | Jamie Redknapp, Alan Shearer |
1995 | Merlin's Coca-Cola Superligaen 96 | Danish Superliga | 240 | |
1995 | Merlin's Calcio Cards 95 | Italian Serie A
|
324 | Gabriel Batistuta, Fabrizio Ravanelli, Paolo Maldini |
1994 | Merlin's Premier League 95 | English Premier League
|
529 | Eric Cantona, Alan Shearer, Andy Cole. Alan Smith |
1993 | Merlin's Premier League 94 | English Premier League
|
479 | Ryan Giggs, Paul Merson |
1993 | Official Premier League Collectors Cards | English Premier League
|
120 | None |
1993 | Merlin's Calcio 94 | Italian Serie A
|
427 | Ruben Sosa, Giuseppe Signori
|
1992 | Calcio 92 | Italian Serie A
|
418 | David Platt, Lorenzo Minotti, Ciro Ferrara
|
1992 | Calcio Cards | Italian Serie A
|
54 | Gianluca Vialli |
1992 | Merlin Shooting Stars | Dutch Eredivisie
|
272 | Marc Overmars |
1992 | The Coca-Cola Collection | British International footballers | 17 | None |
1991 | Shooting Stars | English Football League | 408 | None |
1991 | Shooting Stars | Italian Serie A
|
363 | None |
1991 | Shooting Stars | Dutch Eredivisie
|
270 | Dennis Bergkamp |
1990 | World Cup Sticker Collection: Italia 1990 | World Cup 1990
|
344 | Gary Lineker, Richard Gough |
1989 | Team 90 | English Football League | 450 | None |
Other Sports
Other sports sticker and card collections released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[24]
Year | Collection Name | Competition / League / Team | Sticker/Cards in collection |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | WWE Heroes | World Wrestling Entertainment
|
230 |
2007 | WWE Champions | World Wrestling Entertainment
|
260 |
2008 | WWE Superstars: Uncovered | World Wrestling Entertainment
|
232 |
2008 | WWE Heroes | World Wrestling Entertainment
|
230 |
1999 | IRB Rugby World Cup 99 | Rugby World Cup 1999
|
252 |
1996 | Cyclisme 96 | Tour de France | 243 |
1996 | Merlin's Sky Sports 1996 | A collection of sports featured on Sky Sports. | 240 |
1995 | Giro d'Italia 78 | Giro d'Italia | 336 |
1995 | Rugby World Cup 1995 | Rugby World Cup 1995
|
288 |
1993 | WWF – World Wrestling Federation | World Wrestling Federation
|
300 |
1992 | WWF 1992 | World Wrestling Federation
|
300 |
1991 | WWF Superstars of Wrestling Series 2 | World Wrestling Federation
|
396 |
1991 | WWF Superstar | World Wrestling Federation
|
150 |
Film and television
Film and Television sticker and card collections released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[24]
Year | Collection Name | Related Show | Sticker/Cards in collection |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | The Adventures of Merlin | Merlin | 204 |
2008 | Ben 10 | Ben 10 | 204 |
2008 | Ben 10: New Adventures | Ben 10 | 206 |
2008 | Winx Club. Pocket Collection. Dalla A alla Z | Winx Club | 160 |
2008 | Winx Club. Enchantix. Pocket Collection | Winx Club | 190 |
2008 | SpongeBob | SpongeBob SquarePants | 200 |
2008 | Star Wars II: The Clone Wars | Star Wars | 240 |
2008 | Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Indiana Jones | 240 |
2007 | Winx Club: Pocket Collection | Winx Club | 160 |
2007 | SpongeBob | SpongeBob SquarePants | 250 |
2007 | Doctor Who 3 | Doctor Who | 264 |
2007 | TransFormers | Transformers | 200 |
2006 | Barbie au Bal des 12 Princesses | Barbie | 204 |
2006 | Winx Club: Pocket Collection | Winx Club | 160 |
2006 | Happy Feet | Happy Feet | 198 |
2006 | Doctor Who 2 | Doctor Who | 282 |
2006 | Doctor Who | Doctor Who | 208 |
2005 | Barbie Fashion | Barbie | 242 |
2005 | Dora the Explorer | Dora the Explorer | 169 |
2005 | SpongeBob | SpongeBob SquarePants | 160 |
2005 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Series 2 | Yu-Gi-Oh! | 256 |
2005 | La Principessa e la Povera | Barbie | 168 |
2005 | Star Wars: Episode III | Star Wars | 248 |
2005 | Pokémon: Ultimate Stickers | Pokémon | 368 |
2004 | Hamtaro: Series 2 | Hamtaro | 160 |
2004 | InuYasha | InuYasha
|
246 |
2004 | Mew Mew | Mew Mew
|
205 |
2004 | Pokémon Advanced | Pokémon | 241 |
2004 | Pretty Cure | Pretty Cure | 210 |
2004 | SpongeBob SquarePants | SpongeBob SquarePants | 264 |
2004 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Pocket Collection | Yu-Gi-Oh! | 58 |
2004 | Barbie Collection Princesses | Barbie | 246 |
2003 | Hamtaro Series 1 | Hamtaro | 201 |
2003 | Pokémon Advanced Pocket Collection | Pokémon | 222 |
2003 | Tourtes Ninja | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 248 |
2003 | Totally Spies! | Totally Spies! | 236 |
2003 | Yu-Gi-Oh! | Yu-Gi-Oh! | 110 |
2003 | Lord of the Rings: Return of the King | Lord of the Rings
|
248 |
2002 | Holly e Benji | Captain Tsubasa | 180 |
2002 | Pokémon 5: Johnto League Champions | Pokémon | 198 |
2002 | Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | Lord of the Rings
|
200 |
2002 | Star Wars: Episode II | Star Wars | 248 |
2002 | Spider-Man | Spider-Man | 168 |
2001 | Jurassic Park 3 | Jurassic Park | 134 |
2001 | Pokémon 4 | Pokémon | 198 |
2001 | Pokémon 3 | Pokémon | 126 |
2001 | Rossana | Rossana | 204 |
2001 | Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | Lord of the Rings
|
280 |
2003 | Lord of the Rings: Return of the King | Lord of the Rings
|
248 |
2000 | Pokémon 2 | Pokémon | 216 |
1999 | Magica Doremi | Ojamajo Doremi | 192 |
1999 | Medabots | Medabots | 216 |
1999 | Star Wars Episode I | Star Wars | 267 |
1999 | Magica Doremi | Ojamajo Doremi | 192 |
1998 | Small Soldiers | Small Soldiers | 206 |
1998 | Zorro | Zorro | 168 |
1997 | Goosebumps | Goosebumps | 180 |
1997 | Street Sharks | Street Sharks | 204 |
1997 | Star Wars Trilogy: Movie Trading Cards | Star Wars | 192 |
1997 | Rugrats | Rugrats | 174 |
1997 | Calimero | Calimero | 126 |
1996 | Dragon Flyz | Dragon Flyz | 204 |
1996 | Il Commissario Rex | Inspector Rex | 108 |
1996 | Lupin III. Lupin, L'Incorreggibile Lupin | Lupin the Third | 180 |
1996 | Manga | Manga | 168 |
1996 | Sailor Moon: New Series | Sailor Moon | 289 |
1996 | Sailor Moon | Sailor Moon | 163 |
1996 | The Mask: The Animated Series | The Mask | 160 |
1996 | Balto | Balto | 174 |
1996 | Independence Day | Independence Day | 156 |
1996 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park | Jurassic Park | 228 |
1995 | Holly e Benji | Captain Tsubasa | 180 |
1995 | Power Rangers 2 | Power Rangers | 198 |
1995 | Power Rangers: The Movie | Power Rangers | 198 |
1995 | Sailor Moon | Sailor Moon | 240 |
1995 | Taz-Mania | Taz-Mania | 180 |
1995 | The Adventures of Mighty Max | The Adventures of Mighty Max | 200 |
1995 | The Pagemaster | The Pagemaster | 204 |
1995 | Wallace and Gromit | Wallace and Gromit | 180 |
1995 | Batman Forever | Batman | 210 |
1995 | Pokémon | Pokémon | 276 |
1995 | Polly Pocket | Polly Pocket | 216 |
1995 | RoboCop | RoboCop | 228 |
1995 | The Smurfs | The Smurfs | 210 |
1994 | Power Rangers | Power Rangers | 246 |
1994 | Stargate | Stargate SG1
|
180 |
1994 | Super Street Fighter 2 | Street Fighter | 216 |
1994 | The Beano and The Dandy: All Time Greats | The Beano/The Dandy | 246 |
1994 | The Mask | The Mask | 168 |
1994 | Biker Mice from Mars | Biker Mice from Mars | 216 |
1993 | Captain Scarlet & The Mysterons | Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons | 192 |
1993 | Gladiators | Gladiators | 356 |
1994 | James Bond Jr. | James Bond Jr. | 246 |
1993 | Jurassic Park | Jurassic Park | 240 |
1993 | Marmalade Boy: Piccoli Problemi di Cuore | Marmalade Boy | 180 |
1993 | The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles | Young Indiana Jones
|
180 |
1992 | Gladiators | Gladiators | 192 |
1992 | Gladiators | Gladiators | 264 |
1992 | Tiny Toon Adventures | Tiny Toon Adventures | 162 |
1991 | Street Fighter 2 | Street Fighter | 240 |
1989 | The Magic of The Beano | The Beano | 224 |
1989 | Dragon Ball | Dragon Ball | 180 |
Other Collections
Film and Television sticker and card collections released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[24]
Year | Collection Name | Sticker/Cards in collection |
---|---|---|
2002 | Baby Animals | 144 |
2000 | Precious Kitties | 120 |
1994 | Crash Dummies | 180 |
1992 | Nintendo | 276 |
Games
Card released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[24]
Year | Collection Name |
---|---|
1997 | Merlin's Premier League 97 Flick-A-Balls |
1993 | BattleCards |
Pogs
Year | Collection Name | Competition/Theme |
---|---|---|
1996 | Merlin's Premier League 96 Magicaps | English Premier League
|
1995 | Merlin's Premier League 95 Magicaps | English Premier League
|
See also
- Association football trading card
- Sticker album
References
- ^ "Selling Stickers at Lunch: Q&A with Panini America CEO Mark Warsop - Beckett News".
- Independent.co.uk. 17 May 1995.
- ^ "Topps brings back Merlin brand for football stickers".
- ^ "History of Panini Stickers in British Domestic Football". 30 November 2017.
- ^ "Football Cartophilic Info Exchange: Merlin - Premier League 95". 14 January 2016.
- ^ "Merlin Magicaps > Premier League 95".
- ^ "Merlin Premier League 96 Sticker - Ian Rush McDonalds Sticker | Ian rush, Premier league, League".
- ^ "1996 Premier League 96 Merlin Stickers issued with Nabisco Shreddies cereal".
- ^ "Panini are set to launch launch their first ever Premier League sticker album". 12 December 2019.
- ^ Miller, John Jackson (2003), Scrye Collectible Card Game Checklist & Price Guide, Second Edition, p. 687.
- ^ Owens, Thomas S.; Helmer, Diana Star (1996), Inside Collectible Card Games, p. 142.
- ^ 90s Football [@90sfootball] (14 October 2014). "Who remembers collecting Merlin's 'Flik a Ball' Premier League marbles? http://t.co/3s7AfTy6fX" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 February 2023 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Searching for Shineys".
- ^ "Searching for Shineys: The 90s Football Podcast".
- ^ "Haunted by recurrent football stickers". BBC News. 30 May 2014.
- ^ "Swap you a Chris Waddle for an Arsenal 'shiny'... The magic of football stickers". 8 January 2013.
- ^ "Show and Tell | Merlin Sticker Album '97".
- ^ "Tales of Premier League sticker collection from two people who completed 1990s albums". 12 August 2017.
- ^ "Got, Got, Need: The things we learned from Premier League sticker collecting". 7 September 2015.
- ^ "Fan 'completes' 1996 Premier League sticker album". BBC News. 19 November 2013.
- ^ "Man finally completes 1996 football sticker album". 19 November 2013.
- ^ "The Best 2020–21 Topps Merlin Heritage '95 UEFA Champions League Cards: RCS, Guide, and Buying/Selling Advice". 12 April 2022.
- ^ "UEFA Champions League - Merlin97".
- ^ a b c d e f "Merlin".