Merlin Publishing
| Company type | Public (former) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing, Collectibles |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founder | Kelvyn Gardner, Peter Dunk, Peter Warsop |
| Fate | Acquired by Topps in 1995; rebranded as Topps Europe Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Football sticker albums, trading cards, collectible card games, pogs |
| Parent | Topps (from 1995) |
'Merlin Publishing Limited, commonly referred to as Merlin or Merlin Collections, was a UK-based publisher recognized for its football sticker albums throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. Their product range extended to trading cards, collectible card games, and pogs, primarily focusing on football competitions such as the Premier League and Serie A, alongside licensed properties from television programs and other franchises.
In 1993, the company rebranded as Merlin Publishing International PLC before being purchased by Topps in 1995. Post-acquisition, it operated under the name Topps Europe Limited, although the Merlin brand continued to be used by Topps until 2008. The Merlin brand was later revived in 2014 specifically for Premier League sticker collections until the contract was awarded to Panini Group in 2019. Presently, Topps employs Merlin as a retro label for its UEFA Champions League trading card series.
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 |
Established in 1989 by Kelvyn Gardner, Peter Dunk, and Peter Warsop—with Mark Hillier joining shortly thereafter—Merlin rapidly became a key figure in Europe's collectibles industry. The founders had previously worked at Panini Group but departed after Panini's acquisition by Robert Maxwell. Merlin went public in 1993 under the name Merlin Publishing International PLC and earned the Price Waterhouse/Independent on Sunday award in 1995 as the fastest growing privately held company in Britain.
The company launched its official Premier League sticker series in 1994, which quickly became the best-selling annual sticker collection worldwide, distributing 76 million packets during its initial years—dramatically outpacing Panini’s prior British sales of three to four million packets in 1990. Besides football-themed products, Merlin also created notable collections such as BattleCards (1993), The Magic of Beano, Nintendo, World Wrestling Entertainment Superstars, Gladiators, Street Fighter II, Jurassic Park, Batman, and Power Rangers.
In 1995, Merlin Publishing was acquired by Topps Company Inc.. Although the entity was renamed Topps Europe Limited, the Merlin branding remained on products until 2008 due to its strong market recognition. Topps brought back the Merlin name for its 2015 Premier League sticker album before Panini took over production in 2019.
Premier League stickers by Merlin
Although the Premier League was inaugurated in 1992, only Panini's unofficial "Football 93" collection included stickers from that initial season. In 1993, Premier League CEO David Dein invited Merlin to create the official album for the 1993–94 season, utilizing his connection with director Patricia Kluge.
Merlin’s Premier League 94 collection launched featuring Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs and Arsenal’s Paul Merson on its cover. The album contained 80 pages with a total of 479 stickers representing all twenty-two clubs, each having fifteen player stickers along with glitter-backed club badges, team photographs, glossy jersey images, and matchday programme stickers. The foreword was penned by Sky Sports co-commentator Andy Gray. Highlighted stickers included those of the Premier League logo, trophy, and Sky Sports emblem. Due to overwhelming demand, several reprints were issued.
Following Topps' acquisition of Merlin in 1995, the Merlin '95 collection introduced stereoscopic 3D stickers accompanied by special glasses and was promoted through a partnership with Kellogg's Corn Flakes, which distributed free sticker packets. They also released "Magicaps," a set of 264 pog-style caps featuring players and logos from that year's collection.
In 1996, a promotional alliance with McDonald's began featuring exclusive franchise-themed stickers prominently placed within the collection; this collaboration continued through the 1997 and 1998 editions. Additionally, Nestle’s Shreddies cereal offered free sticker packets during promotions linked to the ’96 collection.
The Merlin brand remained associated with Premier League collections until it transitioned to "Topps Premier League" branding in 2008. This continued until Merlin branding was revived again in 2014.
In 2019, Topps lost the licensing rights for the Premier League to Panini, which assumed responsibility for producing sticker collections starting with the 2019–20 season, concluding Merlin’s longstanding involvement in this series.
Games
BattleCards introduced an innovative "Scratch and Slay" mechanic developed by Steve Jackson. These cards were sold in 10-card booster packs that included warriors, spells, advanced combat, quests, and treasure cards. Released in both the UK and US with variations between editions, it made its debut at Gen Con 1993 alongside Magic: The Gathering, being promoted as a trading card game.
There is some discussion about whether it was the first CCG worldwide alongside Magic, but its absence of deck-building and collectible elements excludes it from that classification. The Scrye guide highlighted its limited replay value, describing them as "use once and discard." Darwin Bromley from Mayfair Games noted that the scratch-off elements would crack during shuffling, requiring players to either use or collect them immediately.
In 1997, the company launched "Flick-A-Balls," a marbles game inspired by their Premier League 97 sticker series. This set contained 240 marbles featuring player images from the sticker collection; however, this product was not continued into 1998.
In popular culture
In 2021, the podcast "Searching for Shineys" was launched, focusing on locating players featured in Merlin's Premier League 97 sticker album. The series spanned 20 episodes across two seasons.
Legacy
Merlin's Premier League stickers have become emblematic of British culture during the 1990s. Alongside Panini’s offerings, they are widely regarded by British football enthusiasts as a nostalgic childhood activity centered on collecting and exchanging stickers within school playgrounds. The "Number 1" sticker—typically the Premier League emblem—was viewed as the most prized. Shiny stickers frequently held trade value equivalent to several standard stickers.
In 2013, a man from Portsmouth rediscovered his incomplete 'Premier League 96' album and dedicated six months to tracking down the last six players—Keith Curle, Stuart Ripley, Scott Minto, Gary Penrice, Lars Bohinen, and Philippe Albert—to photograph them and complete his collection. He subsequently wrote a book detailing this experience.
Topps released the "Merlin Heritage 95" UEFA Champions League card series in 2020, replicating the design style of the 'Merlin Premier League 95' collection. In 2021, Topps announced their UCL cards for the 2021–22 season would be branded as "Merlin Heritage 97," utilizing templates derived from "Merlin's Premier League 97."
Football
Football sticker and card series produced by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps under the Merlin brand.
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Other Sports
Merlin Publishing, and subsequently Topps under the Merlin label, issued various sticker and card sets focused on sports beyond football.
| Year | Collection Title | League / Event / Franchise | Number of Stickers/Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | WWE Heroes | World Wrestling Entertainment | 230 |
| 2007 | WWE Champions | World Wrestling Entertainment | 260 |
| 2008 | WWE Superstars: Uncovered | World Wrestling Entertainment | 232 |
| 1999 | IRB Rugby World Cup 99 | Rugby World Cup 1999 | 252 |
| 1996 | Cyclisme 96 | Tour de France | 243 |
| 1996 | Merlin's Sky Sports 1996 | Various sports broadcast 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 |
Film and television
Sticker and card collections themed around film and television were produced by Merlin Publishing, later under Topps with the Merlin branding.
| Year | Set Name | Associated Series or Film | Quantity of Stickers/Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Adventures of Merlin | Merlin | 204 |
| 2008 | Ben 10 & Ben 10: New Adventures | Ben 10 | Approximately 410 combined |
| 2008 | Winx Club Pocket Collections (Dalla A alla Z, Enchantix) | Winx Club | About 350 combined |
| 2008 | SpongeBob SquarePants | SpongeBob SquarePants | Around 450 combined (2007–2008) |
| 2008 | Star Wars II: The Clone Wars & Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Star Wars, Indiana Jones | Each set contains 240 |
Other significant collections include:
- Doctor Who series (2006–2007) featuring up to 282 cards per set
- Barbie-themed editions (2005–2006) ranging from 168 to 246 cards
- Pokémon series (2004–2005) with collections reaching as many as 368 stickers
- Lord of the Rings sets (2001–2003) containing up to 280 cards
- Star Wars movie trading card series released over multiple years with quantities between 192 and 267 cards
- Additional licensed franchises such as Yu-Gi-Oh!, Jurassic Park, Power Rangers, and Sailor Moon, all maintaining a strong presence in the collectible sticker and card market.
Other Collections
Merlin Publishing, followed by Topps under the Merlin brand, also issued various sticker and card collections unrelated to sports or entertainment franchises.
| Year | Set Name | Number of Stickers/Cards |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Baby Animals | 144 |
| 2000 | Precious Kitties | 120 |
| 1994 | "Crash Dummies" | 180 |
| 1992 | Nintendo | 276 |
Games
Card series issued either by Merlin Publishing or subsequently by Topps under the Merlin label.
| Year | Series Title |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Premier League 97 Flick-A-Balls by Merlin |
| 1993 | BattleCards |
Pogs
Pogs collections produced by Merlin Publishing or later distributed by Topps using the Merlin brand.
| Year | Series Title | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Premier League 96 Magicaps from Merlin | English Premier League |
| 1995 | Premier League 95 Magicaps from Merlin | English Premier League |
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1995 mergers and acquisitions
- Publishing companies established in 1989
- Publishing companies disestablished in 1995
- Association football culture
- British brands
- Trading cards
- Trading card companies
- British companies established in 1989
- British companies disestablished in 1995
- Sports memorabilia
- Topps
- Companies based in Milton Keynes