| Merlin Publishing Ltd. | |
| Founder: | John Warsop, Robert Warsop, Robert Windmill |
| Defunct: | (absorbed into Topps, the Merlin name would continue as a brand under the Topps franchise) |
| Location City: | Milton Keynes |
| Location Country: | United Kingdom |
| Area Served: | United Kingdom, Europe |
| Industry: | Collectibles, distribution, licensing, and publishing |
| Products: | Books, comic books, magazines, stickers, trading cards and trading card games |
| Owner: | Topps |
Merlin Publishing Limited, commonly known as Merlin and sometimes branded as Merlin Collections was a British publishing firm who released a variety of sticker collections during the late 1980s and 1990s, they also designed trading cards, card games and pogs. Although most notably releasing football stickers in particularly for the Premier League and Serie A, they also designed collections around television shows and other points of interest.
In 1993 the company became known as Merlin Publishing International PLC before being bought out by Topps in 1995. They were absorbed into the company, being renamed Topps Europe Limited, although the name Merlin would continue as a brand under the Topps name initially until 2008. In 2014 the Merlin brand returned to the Premier League sticker collections until Panini was awarded the contract in 2019. Today the Merlin brand is used by Topps as a retro range designed around its UEFA Champions League trading cards.
| Competition | License Held |
|---|---|
| 2020– | UEFA Champions League |
| 1998 | |
| 1995–1999 | Danish Superliga |
| 1994–2019 | English Premier League |
| 1992–2007 | Italian Serie A |
The company's official Premier League football collection launched in 1994 and has become, annually, the world's best selling sticker collection, the Merlin name would continue on the official collection until 2008 where it was rebranded as Topps before Panini won the contract in 2020. Merlin reached the old Panini levels, shifting 76m packets in the Premier League's early years, while Panini's last British domestic album dived to sales of no more than three to four million packets, in 1990.
In this period, as well as producing BattleCards in 1993, the company produced other best selling sticker and card collections including The Magic of Beano, Nintendo, World Wrestling Entertainment Superstars, Gladiators, Street Fighter II, Jurassic Park, Batman, and Power Rangers.
In 1995, the Topps Company Inc. completed its takeover of Merlin Publishing. Merlin's official company name changed to Topps Europe Limited, but its products still carried the Merlin brand until 2008 as it was easily recognized by consumers.[2]
In 2014 Topps announced it would once again it would use the Merlin brand for its 2015 Premier League sticker collection.[3]
The Premier League was founded in 1992, but the only sticker album to feature the 1992–93 season was Panini's "Football 93" that wasn't an official product. In 1993 the Premier League chief executive David Dein approached Merlin about producing an album for the 1993–94 season, with Dein approaching Merlin because of his friendship with director Patricia Kluge.[4]
Merlin's Premier League 94 was the debut collection with Manchester United's Ryan Giggs and Arsenal's Paul Merson chosen as the players featured on the album cover. The album consisted of 479 stickers across 80 pages, featuring all twenty-two teams, each having 15 player stickers, a shiny glitter backed club crest, a team photo, shiny club jersey sticker and matchday programme sticker. The foreword was written by Sky Sports co-commentator Andy Gray. Other notable stickers include the "Number 1" which was the Premier League logo, the trophy and the Sky Sports logo. Merlin struggled to meet demand of reprints such was the popularity and demand.
In 1995 following the companies take over by Topps, The Merlin 95 collection included 3D stickers and inserted 3D glasses, stickers were also promoted by Kellogg's in Corn Flakes with free packets of stickers given away.[5] They also released "Magicaps" a form of pogs consisting of 264 caps featuring some of the players and logos featured in the sticker collection.[6]
McDonald's became a feature of Merlin's 96 collection with specialised stickers in the central page sections, these franchise stickers were also featured in the 97 and 98 collections.[7] The 96 collection also featured a promotion by Nestle Shreddies who also gave out free packets with their cereal.[8]
The Merlin brand on the Premier League collections would run until 2008, when the collection was finally branded "Topps Premier League", this lasted until 2014 when the name Merlin was re-introduced as a brand.
In 2019, Topps would lose the Premier League contract for the first time with Panini winning the rights to take over the series for the impending 2019–20 season, thus ending the series.[9]
BattleCards featured a unique "Scratch and Slay" system created by Steve Jackson. The cards came in 10 card booster packs which included warrior cards, spell cards, advanced combat cards, quest cards, and treasure cards. The game was published in both the UK and the United States with a number of differences between the two releases. debuted at Gen Con 1993 (exactly same time as saw public release) and was marketed as a trading card game.
On rare occasions, it is debated whether the game counts as the world's first CCG along with Magic. However, the game is not played with a deck and there is no collectibility involved. The Scrye guide acknowledges the limited playability of the game as "use them once and they're worthless" which strictly disqualifies it as a collectible card game. Darwin Bromley of Mayfair Games noted that the scratch-offs would crack when shuffled, and once scratched off "you had to either play the game or collect it." "You couldn't have your cake and eat it too."
In 1997 the company released a marbles game based on their Premier League 97 sticker collection, coined "Flick-A-Balls", with a collection number of 240, each marble contained the image of one of the football players from the sticker collection, the collection was not repeated in 1998.[10]
In 2021, the "Searching for Shineys" podcast launched in which the presenters attempted to track down and interview players who featured in Merlin's Premier League 97 sticker album. The podcast ran for 20 episodes over two seasons.[11] [12]
Merlin's Premier League stickers have become a synonymous with British culture of the 90's, along with Panini's collections they are widely recognised amongst British football fans as a past time mainly collected by children and swapped about in school playgrounds.[13] [14] [15] [16] The "Number 1" sticker (usually the Premier League badge) was often depicted as the most sacred sticker to collect, other childhood habits included dealing in such a way that a shiny sticker was worth the value of several normal stickers.[17]
In 2013, a man from Portsmouth found his old 'Premier League 96' album in his attic and realised he hadn't completed it like he thought. He then set off on a mission to locate the remaining six players to take his own photograph of them to stick in his book. It took him six months to locate and travel and visit each player they were Keith Curle, Stuart Ripley, Scott Minto, Gary Penrice, Lars Bohinen and Philippe Albert. He later wrote a book about the experience.[18] [19]
In 2020, Topps released "Merlin Heritage 95" card collection for the seasons UEFA Champions League collection, the packaging and card design was based on the same design as the 'Merlin Premier League 95' collection.[20] In 2021, Topps announced their UCL cards for the 2021–22 season would be named "Merlin Heritage 97" and would be released using the same template designs used in from "Merlin's Premier League 97"[21]
Football sticker and card collections released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[22]
Other sports sticker and card collections released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[22]
| Year | Collection Name | Competition / League / Team | Sticker/Cards in collection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | WWE Heroes | World Wrestling Entertainment | 230 |
| 2007 | WWE Champions | World Wrestling Entertainment | 260 |
| 2008 | WWE Superstars: Uncovered | World Wrestling Entertainment | 232 |
| 2008 | WWE Heroes | World Wrestling Entertainment | 230 |
| 1999 | IRB Rugby World Cup 99 | 252 | |
| 1996 | Cyclisme 96 | Tour de France | 243 |
| 1996 | Merlin's Sky Sports 1996 | A collection of sports featured on Sky Sports. | 240 |
| 1995 | Giro d'Italia 78 | 336 | |
| 1995 | Rugby World Cup 1995 | 288 | |
| 1993 | WWF – World Wrestling Federation | 300 | |
| 1992 | WWF 1992 | 300 | |
| 1991 | WWF Superstars of Wrestling Series 2 | 396 | |
| 1991 | WWF Superstar | 150 | |
Film and Television sticker and card collections released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[22]
| Year | Collection Name | Related Show | Sticker/Cards in collection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Adventures of Merlin | Merlin | 204 |
| 2008 | Ben 10 | Ben 10 | 204 |
| 2008 | Ben 10: New Adventures | Ben 10 | 206 |
| 2008 | Winx Club. Pocket Collection. Dalla A alla Z | Winx Club | 160 |
| 2008 | Winx Club. Enchantix. Pocket Collection | Winx Club | 190 |
| 2008 | SpongeBob | SpongeBob SquarePants | 200 |
| 2008 | Star Wars II: The Clone Wars | Star Wars | 240 |
| 2008 | Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Indiana Jones | 240 |
| 2007 | Winx Club: Pocket Collection | Winx Club | 160 |
| 2007 | SpongeBob | SpongeBob SquarePants | 250 |
| 2007 | Doctor Who 3 | Doctor Who | 264 |
| 2007 | TransFormers | Transformers | 200 |
| 2006 | Barbie au Bal des 12 Princesses | Barbie | 204 |
| 2006 | Winx Club: Pocket Collection | Winx Club | 160 |
| 2006 | Happy Feet | Happy Feet | 198 |
| 2006 | Doctor Who 2 | Doctor Who | 282 |
| 2006 | Doctor Who | Doctor Who | 208 |
| 2005 | Barbie Fashion | Barbie | 242 |
| 2005 | Dora the Explorer | Dora the Explorer | 169 |
| 2005 | SpongeBob | SpongeBob SquarePants | 160 |
| 2005 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Series 2 | Yu-Gi-Oh! | 256 |
| 2005 | La Principessa e la Povera | Barbie | 168 |
| 2005 | Star Wars: Episode III | Star Wars | 248 |
| 2005 | Pokémon: Ultimate Stickers | Pokémon | 368 |
| 2004 | Hamtaro: Series 2 | Hamtaro | 160 |
| 2004 | InuYasha | InuYasha | 246 |
| 2004 | Mew Mew | Mew Mew | 205 |
| 2004 | Pokémon Advanced | Pokémon | 241 |
| 2004 | Pretty Cure | Pretty Cure | 210 |
| 2004 | SpongeBob SquarePants | SpongeBob SquarePants | 264 |
| 2004 | Yu-Gi-Oh! Pocket Collection | Yu-Gi-Oh! | 58 |
| 2004 | Barbie Collection Princesses | Barbie | 246 |
| 2003 | Hamtaro Series 1 | Hamtaro | 201 |
| 2003 | Pokémon Advanced Pocket Collection | Pokémon | 222 |
| 2003 | Tourtes Ninja | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 248 |
| 2003 | Totally Spies! | Totally Spies! | 236 |
| 2003 | Yu-Gi-Oh! | Yu-Gi-Oh! | 110 |
| 2003 | Lord of the Rings: Return of the King | Lord of the Rings | 248 |
| 2002 | Holly e Benji | Captain Tsubasa | 180 |
| 2002 | Pokémon 5: Johnto League Champions | Pokémon | 198 |
| 2002 | Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | Lord of the Rings | 200 |
| 2002 | Star Wars: Episode II | Star Wars | 248 |
| 2002 | Spider-Man | Spider-Man | 168 |
| 2001 | Jurassic Park 3 | Jurassic Park | 134 |
| 2001 | Pokémon 4 | Pokémon | 198 |
| 2001 | Pokémon 3 | Pokémon | 126 |
| 2001 | Rossana | Rossana | 204 |
| 2001 | Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | Lord of the Rings | 280 |
| 2003 | Lord of the Rings: Return of the King | Lord of the Rings | 248 |
| 2000 | Pokémon 2 | Pokémon | 216 |
| 1999 | Magica Doremi | Ojamajo Doremi | 192 |
| 1999 | Medabots | Medabots | 216 |
| 1999 | Star Wars Episode I | Star Wars | 267 |
| 1999 | Magica Doremi | Ojamajo Doremi | 192 |
| 1998 | Small Soldiers | Small Soldiers | 206 |
| 1998 | Zorro | Zorro | 168 |
| 1997 | Goosebumps | Goosebumps | 180 |
| 1997 | Street Sharks | Street Sharks | 204 |
| 1997 | Star Wars Trilogy: Movie Trading Cards | Star Wars | 192 |
| 1997 | Rugrats | Rugrats | 174 |
| 1997 | Calimero | Calimero | 126 |
| 1996 | Dragon Flyz | Dragon Flyz | 204 |
| 1996 | Il Commissario Rex | Inspector Rex | 108 |
| 1996 | Lupin III. Lupin, L'Incorreggibile Lupin | Lupin the Third | 180 |
| 1996 | Manga | Manga | 168 |
| 1996 | Sailor Moon: New Series | Sailor Moon | 289 |
| 1996 | Sailor Moon | Sailor Moon | 163 |
| 1996 | The Mask: The Animated Series | The Mask | 160 |
| 1996 | Balto | Balto | 174 |
| 1996 | Independence Day | Independence Day | 156 |
| 1996 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park | Jurassic Park | 228 |
| 1995 | Holly e Benji | Captain Tsubasa | 180 |
| 1995 | Power Rangers 2 | Power Rangers | 198 |
| 1995 | Power Rangers: The Movie | Power Rangers | 198 |
| 1995 | Sailor Moon | Sailor Moon | 240 |
| 1995 | Taz-Mania | Taz-Mania | 180 |
| 1995 | The Adventures of Mighty Max | The Adventures of Mighty Max | 200 |
| 1995 | The Pagemaster | The Pagemaster | 204 |
| 1995 | Wallace and Gromit | Wallace and Gromit | 180 |
| 1995 | Batman Forever | Batman | 210 |
| 1995 | Pokémon | Pokémon | 276 |
| 1995 | Polly Pocket | Polly Pocket | 216 |
| 1995 | RoboCop | RoboCop | 228 |
| 1995 | The Smurfs | The Smurfs | 210 |
| 1994 | Power Rangers | Power Rangers | 246 |
| 1994 | Stargate | Stargate SG1 | 180 |
| 1994 | Super Street Fighter 2 | Street Fighter | 216 |
| 1994 | The Beano and The Dandy: All Time Greats | The Beano/The Dandy | 246 |
| 1994 | The Mask | The Mask | 168 |
| 1994 | Biker Mice from Mars | Biker Mice from Mars | 216 |
| 1993 | Captain Scarlet & The Mysterons | Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons | 192 |
| 1993 | Gladiators | Gladiators | 356 |
| 1994 | James Bond Jr. | James Bond Jr. | 246 |
| 1993 | Jurassic Park | Jurassic Park | 240 |
| 1993 | Marmalade Boy: Piccoli Problemi di Cuore | Marmalade Boy | 180 |
| 1993 | The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles | Young Indiana Jones | 180 |
| 1992 | Gladiators | Gladiators | 192 |
| 1992 | Gladiators | Gladiators | 264 |
| 1992 | Tiny Toon Adventures | Tiny Toon Adventures | 162 |
| 1991 | Street Fighter 2 | Street Fighter | 240 |
| 1989 | The Magic of The Beano | The Beano | 224 |
| 1989 | Dragon Ball | Dragon Ball | 180 |
Film and Television sticker and card collections released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[22]
| Year | Collection Name | Sticker/Cards in collection |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Baby Animals | 144 |
| 2000 | Precious Kitties | 120 |
| 1994 | Crash Dummies | 180 |
| 1992 | Nintendo | 276 |
Card released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[22]
| Year | Collection Name |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Merlin's Premier League 97 Flick-A-Balls |
| 1993 | BattleCards |
Pogs released by Merlin Publishing or later by Topps using the Merlin brand.[22]
| Year | Collection Name | Competition/Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Merlin's Premier League 96 Magicaps | English Premier League |
| 1995 | Merlin's Premier League 95 Magicaps | English Premier League |