I have a collection of sticker albums, predominantly ‘Panini’, for football tournaments (World Cup and Euros) dating back to Euro 88 in West Germany.
I would love to know the estimated current value and whether it is worth selling now or hanging on for a price surge in the next 20 years.
They are generally in ‘good/very good condition’ and all are complete. Additionally, I have a few thousand unstuck ‘spare’ stickers.
I have enjoyed collecting, but after collecting they just remain in storage and I don’t know if the time has come to sell, make a little money, and let someone else enjoy them. Chris, Swindon.
Back of the net? Chris has sent in his collection of Panini sticker albums, including from every World Cup since Mexico 86
Dan Hatfield, resident This is Money expert valuer, replies: Happy New Year to you all – I’ve dusted off my trusty valuer’s loupe and raring to unearth more of your Modern Treasures in 2025 (read the box at the bottom on how to get your items valued…)
My new resolution for 2025 is to take up more sport and I’ve decided to tackle a different kind of sporting activity this week – valuing football sticker albums.
With the volume of football albums you sent in, I’m confident the physical exertion of wading through them all will be exactly the same as hitting the pitch for 90 minutes.
The heritage of sticker albums can comfortably be associated with the well-known company, Panini but looking through your collection, I can also see a 2024 UEFA album which is when controversy hit the sticker market and the rights for stickers was awarded to US rivals, Topps.
Before we delve into that, let’s dive into the origins of the football sticker book. In 1961, brother Benito and Giuseppe Panini stumbled into the sticker business, almost by accident because they bought a huge batch of football stickers than someone else couldn’t shift, so decided to try and sell the product themselves.
Fast forward 60 years and Panini is a name that is as much a part of football culture as muddy boots and chants on the terraces.
With some entrepreneurial flair, the brothers bundled the stickers into sets and sold them from a newspaper stand in Modena, Italy.
To their surprise, the stickers flew off the shelves. Sensing they were onto something big, they began producing their own stickers, featuring the footballing stars of the day.
But it was their idea to pair the stickers with an album, a sort of trophy case for fans, that really struck gold.
In 1970, Panini went global, launching their first international sticker collection for the FIFA World Cup in Mexico. It was a masterstroke.
Sticker mania swept across playgrounds, offices, and even drinking establishments around the world as adults and children alike got involved.
By the 1980s, swapping duplicates and chasing that elusive final sticker had become as much a part of the game as the goals themselves.
So, could your collection of this Italian phenomena could buy you football club?
Your collection is certainly impressive, though hard not to wish it included my favourite, the Panini 1970 World Cup edition.
Recently, a completed copy of this historic album sold for £2,400 at auction because of its rarity and the fact it was the first international football sticker album to be sold.
While you don’t have this, you do have plenty of other albums that should score you a decent final result.
Starting with your World Cup albums, the more recent editions from 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 hold steady at around £30 to £40 each.
These albums were produced in huge quantities, so while they’re a great reminder of thrilling tournaments, they haven’t yet gathered significant value but who knows what the future might bring as they age.
Germany 2006 brings a small improvement at £40 to £50, but things get much more interesting with Korea/Japan 2002, which is worth £90 to £100.
France 1998 and USA 1994 also deliver solid valuations of £100 each, while Italia 1990 takes things a step further at £100 to £120.
Turning to your UEFA albums, the 2024 tournament marks the first time since 1977 that Panini didn’t produce the official album, with rights shifting to rival company, Topps.
American sport merchandising giant, Fanatics, owns Topps and had the financial muscle to topple Panini as it aggressively sought to expand into the European football sticker market.
This led to a rather tense and uncomfortable head-to-head, with Panini releasing its own unofficial version.
Panini could still compete and release a sticker book titled, ‘England 2024’, using rights held by England, Italy, Germany and France that were not part of UEFA’s deal – available only from M&S.
Regardless of any dispute, both albums are currently valued at the same price of £40 to £50 each completed.
Looking at your earlier UEFA editions from 2020, 2016, 2012, and 2008, these are holding a steady value of around £30 each.
The Portugal 2004 album rises slightly to £50, but it’s the Belgium/Netherlands 2000 and England 1996 editions that stand out, each valued at £100 to £150.
The Sweden 1992 and West Germany 1988 albums follow close behind, commanding prices between £120 and £150.
These older albums, with their classic designs and rarer stickers, are the real highlights of your collection.
For your collection on a whole, I would value it between £1,200 to £1,500 which is perfectly respectable and I’m sure has bought you years of pleasure.
You also have a huge collection of individual stickers. It’s hard to put a price on these, but on a rainy afternoon, it’ll be worth sifting through them individually in case any of them are rare or sought after.
Euros: In the collection are completed Euros stickers albums since Euro 88
If you do want to sell them, it could be worth visiting a trade show and doing a deal with a sports card dealer.
And while not to burst your bubble, let’s for a second take a look at what it costs to complete one of this sticker books.
Back in the day, a single sticker cost the equivalent of 5p in today’s money.
Now, each sticker sets you back a whopping 18p. In 2022, it was estimated that completing a modern album would cost £120.60 if you were lucky enough not to get any duplicates.
But in reality, it could cost you nearly a grand to secure each individual sticker. So not a great return on your investment if you are doing it for cash purposes but most people,I know who collect these are for enjoyment – especially with their children.
I really do love your collection; it’s a slice of football history and a commemorative piece of the beautiful game.
With the digital age firmly taking hold, these albums may grow significantly in value over the next few decades, so look after them but for now, I hope you enjoy the years of passion you have put into collecting them.
Send in your Modern Treasures
Dan Hatfield: Our columnist is ready to value your Modern Treasure
Dan Hatfield is This Morning’s money-making expert and resident pawnbroker. He is an international specialist in antiques, jewellery, diamonds and collectibles.
Dan’s first non-fiction book, Money Maker: Unlock Your Money Making Potential (£16.99, published by Hodder Catalyst) is available now.
This is Money’s Modern Treasures column is after your items and collections for valuations.
Please send in as much information as possible, including photographs, to: editor@thisismoney.co.uk with the email subject line: Modern Treasures
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