Collecting Panini cards can be a fun and even lucrative hobby. You need to understand some basics before you get started.
Panini cards have been around for over 60 years and have undergone many changes. Panini stickers have become popular very soon after their introduction. Sports fans loved collecting stickers of their favourite teams and discovering one or the other valuable treasure in their sticker packs.
By now, the company produces stickers for many other topics, too. In 2023, you can get Panini stickers for Warhammer, Jurassic World, Minecraft, Harry Potter, Marvel, various sports, and more. There’s even a Panini sticker album for the Netflix series Stranger Things.
This article teaches you all you need to know about Panini cards to get started with your collection.
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History of Panini Cards
It all began because two Italian brothers found a collection of stickers nobody else wanted to buy in 1960. The Paninis saw an opportunity and divided the huge collection into small packs that only cost 10 lire. They sold three million of these packs. This unexpected success led to the founding of Panini. The company sold 15 million sticker packs in 1961 and 29 million in 1962. The Paninis had found something that sold surprisingly well.
In the 60s, Panini cards became very popular with kids and adults alike. In the 70s, other countries also discovered Panini stickers. From then on, nothing could stop them from taking the world by storm. In the UK, the sight of children swapping Panini cards in playgrounds was common in the 70s and 80s.
In 2006, Panini created the first digital Panini stickers. Since then, Panini fans can create their digital collections and collect official stickers online; Either by buying them with Panini coins or swapping them with other collectors.
While you don’t see kids swapping Panini cards in the playground often these days, Panini cards are still popular among kids and adults alike. There is a large selection of sticker albums to choose from, classic and digital.
Types of Panini Cards
Basic Panini Cards
Standard Panini cards are just a basic sticker with a picture and related info on the front and the sticky glue part on the back. These are generally the least valuable cards as they are the most common ones.
Rookie Cards
Rookie cards appear in sport sticker collections only. They are the same as a standard card, but rookie cards only feature new players. Collectors can’t know whether a rookie card will be valuable in the future because it’s hard to predict whether a rookie will turn into a star. If a player from a rookie card becomes very popular and successful, their rookie card will also become quite valuable.
Prizms
A Prizm card has an additional layer on top of the basic card: A thin, coloured piece of foil that reflects the light and makes the card look multi-coloured. These Panini cards are rare and can be very valuable.
Jersey Cards
Jersey cards are among the rarest Panini cards, as a patch of a player’s Jersey is attached. Collectors who find one of these have hit the Jackpot, especially if it is an autographed version.
Autographed Cards
Even a basic card can become valuable if there’s an autograph on it. Panini lets players sign a select number of cards in each set. These autographed Panini cards are valuable, especially if a star player has signed the card.
Select Cards
Select cards are heavier than standard cards and have a golden border. These cards are rare and very valuable.
Special Collection Cards
Sometimes, Panini creates special sets of cards like the National Treasures 2018/19 premium set. These high-quality sticker cards are made with collectors in mind and are very valuable.
How to Collect Panini Cards?
In the early days of Panini cards, collectors only had the option to buy cards in their local stores and swap for missing cards with other collectors they knew. Today, there are more options. Of course, you can still go to local shops that sell Panini cards and stickers.
You can also still swap cards with other local collectors, but thanks to the internet, collecting Panini cards has become a lot easier. You aren’t limited by what your local store stocks: You can buy every Panini sticker album currently available. The official Panini Group website is the best source to check what’s fresh on the market. You can also access the Panini NFT trading cards and digital sticker albums from there.
In addition to local stores and the official site, you can find Panini cards on Amazon, eBay, and other online stores. Marketplaces that offer second-hand goods are great for finding older Panini stickers and albums. Sometimes, collectors can find awesome deals when someone sells a collection without knowing its true worth.
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Tips for Buying and Trading Panini Cards
1. Focus
Before you buy every Panini card you see, take a breath and think. It’s not good to start collecting random cards. The beginning of your time as a Panini card collector starts with the question: What kind of Panini cards do you want to focus on?
Choose one area that interests you. This can be anything from Harry Potter to Basketball. It’s more fun to collect Panini stickers that interest you.
2. Choose a Theme for Your Collection
In addition to knowing what topic you want to focus on, you also need to set a theme for your collection; Unless you want to fill up a sticker album regardless of the cards’ value. Do you want to collect all autographed cards? Or do you want to focus on characters or teams?
3. Know a Card’s Value
Before you trade with another collector, you must ensure you know the value of the card you want to buy or sell. There will be people who’ll try to get a valuable card cheaply or sell a cheap card for more than it’s worth.
4. Beware Scammers
Sadly, there are scammers out there who will try to get your money or your most valuable cards. Be vigilant if you’re looking into swapping or trading with other collectors you don’t know personally. Don’t send a valuable Panini card to someone who claims they’ll pay you later, especially if the person has no history on the trading platform you’re using.
Storing and Displaying Panini Cards
Sticking Panini cards into their respective sticker album seems like the logical choice. Suppose you want to get into swapping and trading. Then you want to think twice about doing that. Once a card is in the sticker album, it’s not going anywhere else unless you sell the whole sticker album.
If you want to fill a sticker album, put in the standard stickers but save any special cards like Prizms, autographed cards, etc. You might regret putting them into your album because you could get a lot of money if you sold them. Find out their value first before you stick them into the album.
If you want to display special cards, you could get a wall-mounted display rack, put them into small photo frames, or create a dedicated space for your cards in a cupboard display.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Popular Panini Card Collections?
While Panini offers dozens of different card collections, the most popular ones are still sports card collections, especially FIFA World Cup card collections. Recently, other popular card collections are Harry Potter, Frozen (And other Disney series), Marvel, and Warhammer.
Are Panini Cards Worth Something?
Some Panini cards are valuable, but the majority of cards are not. Valuable cards are rare, but when you get one of the rarer cards, you might be surprised how much you can earn by selling them.
Aren’t Panini Cards for Kids Only?
No. Sure, Peppa Pig Panini cards are best for kids; Nobody will deny that. But other Panini card collections are loved by older collectors, too. Many adults have grown up swapping Panini stickers as kids, and some still enjoy this hobby. It’s something everyone can enjoy, no matter the age.
Author Profile
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Name: Kim Anisi
Intro: Gaming has been my passion since childhood. The journey started when I received hand-me-down games on Atari and Amiga systems from my brother and I now mainly play games on PC. Among the vast genres in the gaming world that I have tried, my personal favourites are RPGs, MMORPGs, (Action) adventures, horror games, and settlement/city builders. Overcoming the challenges and helping others in games provide a great satisfaction to me.