Stephen Butler, a 69-year-old from England, has completed the Panini album collection for the 1970 FIFA World Cup, which he started collecting almost six decades ago.
Butler bought the last thumbnail he was missing, the one with the coat of arms of Chilethus completing the album he started collecting as a 13-year-old.
He found the album five years ago during a movealong with a school cap, old photos and notebooks.
He recalled how in 1970 he watched England on the new color TV, while he was particularly fascinated by the Brazilian soccer greats. Pelé and Jairzinhoas well as the Italians Roberto Boninsegna and Giacinto Facchetti.
It was in color, live, from the other side of the world. When father bought a color television, I thought – here are real school holidaysButler recalled, writes The Guardian.
That year, Panini began a partnership with FIFA that should last until 2030. Butler paid then five pence for a pack of four thumbnailsbut he missed the one with the coat of arms of Chile, the host of the World Cup in 1962.
It’s an album remained unfinished until he recently heard the news that Panini was ending its cooperation with FIFA.
It’s a shame when so much heritage is lostsaid Butler, after which he decided to find the last thumbnail which he missed.
He found a seller on the Internet and bought a thumbnail for 150 pounds. With this, on the same day when it was announced that the partnership between Panini and FIFA was ending, he completed the collection that he started back in 1970.
Complete albums from that period today are worth in between 7,000 and 10,000 pounds.
Based on five pence for four thumbnails, the value is now a thousand times greaterButler said, stressing that he has no intention of selling the album because it is an important part of his life and memories.
(www.jabuka.tv | Photo: X)
