You like Panini, I like Panini, we all like Panini
I must have been living under a rock since I first got interested in football and the World Cup back in 1986 because I never knew the Panini World Cup Sticker Album existing until this year.
You may think it’s a bit weird for 31 year old to be collecting stickers and it’s true that I do get some odd looks from those behind the counter of the various newsagents from which I purchase my packets of stickers. Not to mention that my girlfriend also thinks that I should find better things on which to waste my money. In light of this I asked my twitter followers if it was a little weird for a person of my age to be collecting Panini stickers. I got the following responses:
No, but it might be weird for a 31-year-old to be tweeting about collecting stickers
No. It just proves your passion for football. Which, obviously is a good thing.
I’m a 32y.o. doing the same
To be honest though I’m not the greatest of collectors as at most I will only purchase about ten packets a week and never have had the inclination to buy one of those blister packs. In fact it was only today that I completed my first swap (not being a big purchaser means I don’t have too many doubles). And to be brutally honest I don’t even think I will get round to completing the whole set.
One of the anomalies in the whole collecting of the Panini stickers is the prevalence or lack there of of certain stickers. In this article by Guardian writer John Crace he notes that:
Would Panini load the packs so some stickers appear more often, ensuring you fork out for more packets? Yes, says almost everyone who has ever collected them.
Chris Taylor, from Manchester, collects with five or six of his mates. “My album is now about two-thirds full and I’ve already ended up with a whole load of Lee Young-Pyos, Hameur Bouazzas and Vince Grellas,” he says.
“Definitely,” says Sarah. “Four years ago it was all Gary Nevilles and Marco Materazzis. This year I’ve got loads of Didier Drogbas and Wilson Palacios.” Meanwhile @benjilanyado tweets, “Panini seem to be flooding the packs with Javier Mascheranos and Blaise Nkufos”. In my collection, John Terry was an early front runner in the doubles stakes but then went awol; perhaps he’s hidden himself in the Panini Wag stickers.
Amongst collectors here in Australia there has been talk of a severe lack of Chilean players appearing in their packets of stickers and I myself am yet to get one myself which is a bit of shame as they are my second team for this World Cup behind Australia.
For those who are interested in swapping I have the following doubles available (list will be updated as I get more). Feel free to drop me a line if you are interested in doing a deal.
2, 23, 24(x2), 25, 92, 106, 155(x3), 161(x2), 163(x2), 171, 180, 185(x2),235, 250(x3), 251, 258, 279, 302, 343, 353, 388, 399, 440(x2), 452(x2), 502, 533, 589, 614, 617
updated: 26 June 2010 @ 11:45pm
