Still not quite there . . .
 

I'd agree that this has some good attributes, with the short print and iconic set. But the year is later than the original qualification.

And in my opinion, it still doesn't quite have the same draw as the T206 Wagner yet. But maybe in 10 years after it continues to get more publicity . . .

Yep
 

Agree on the date of issue and the potential for this card.... it is perhaps too rare, however. I have not seen enough copies to comply with somebody else’s standard of “at least getable” by coming to auction every now and then.

Here in the British Isles, until today, the main soccer collectible has been the match program (programme) because it has related to a specific game. That has been the primary collectible because those kids attending games got one and kept it and those kids who weren’t able to attend wished they did.

Program collecting would be the closest UK sports comparable to baseball card collecting albeit much smaller values at the high end i.e. it still raises eyebrows when a program sells over $10k or equivalent.

However, program collecting is slowly declining - prices have been falling generally (or at best static for really top end items) for over a decade. More so, this will be significantly impacted by the increasing decision of clubs not to issue program for individual games - so fewer kids will get into the hobby. Ultimately, the match day program may, to some extent, go the same way as the daily newspaper.


Cards were collected in the past. Since Panini (and a number of rivals) made it big here some decades ago, cards were eclipsed by stickers as a collectible. Kids do collect Panini stickers but, in the 1980s and 1990s they sold much higher numbers than today. Interestingly, the attraction to Panini stickers here tends to be more from adults who did collect them and swap them in the prior generations.

To give you an example, my beloved Northern Ireland qualified for the 2016 European Championships, the first tournament they qualified for since 1986. It elicited excitement for many people of my age (heading towards mid 40s) because it meant we’d have Northern Ireland in a Panini sticker album for the first time since the 1986 World Cup. I’ve got completed 1982 & 1986 Panini albums because of the Northern Ireland team.

So there’s definitely a place for stickers / cards but, of the serious collectors over here (serious in terms of money spent, albeit generally modest versus US), they don’t want to spend their money on stickers or cards of players.

For anyone interested in the UK soccer sticker craze (started by Panini) of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, there is a very good documentary called “Stuck on You”.

For some reason, I do not appear able to add a link but search “stuck on you Panini” on YouTube to access it.

I’m not suggesting for one moment that cards don’t have a place - just that the place they have will never be comparable to the place that baseball cards have had in the US.

Some of the earlier Spanish cards of the 1920s through to 1940s are great and can be picked up at low prices. I am not a card colector nor claim knowledge of cards but I do buy these types of items regularly and have other Irish cards of well known footballers of the pre war era that are very rare - albeit not necessarily valuable.

Very cool insight
 

Thanks for sharing your perspective. It is always good to see what others see in their local markets!