Figurines, small cardboard rectangles depicting footballers, or screen heroes of fictional characters or real people, have a long and fascinating history dating back several centuries. Shall we go over it together?
Initially conceived as simple visual representations, over time the figurines have become cult objects for collectors and enthusiasts of all ages.
Their birth is distant in time, their origins can even be traced back to ancient times. Since ancient times, people have created small representations of deities, heroes, or important figures for religious, decorative, or ritual purposes. However, trading cards (as we understand them today in the modern sense of the term) began to spread in the 19th century with the popularity of illustrated playing cards and trading cards.
The real boom in trading cards came in the 20th century, with the advent of collectible trading cards. The phenomenon began in the 1930s, when baseball cards became popular in the United States, depicting famous players and becoming an essential element of American sports culture. In the following years, the trading cards spread to other sectors, such as cinema, music and comics.
In the ’50s and ’60s, the figurines of Marvel and DC Comics superheroes took up the baton. This genre very easily began to conquer kids all over the world, becoming coveted collector’s items for both children and adults. Meanwhile, in Japan, manga and anime figurines began to gain popularity, with iconic characters like Astro Boy and Godzilla quickly becoming must-haves for fans.
In Italy the first figurines to make their appearance date back to the 1950s. Initially they were mainly linked to the world of sport, with footballer stickers immediately becoming popular. However, the real boom of trading cards in Italy occurred in the 60s and 70s with the arrival of images of superheroes from American comics and Japanese TV series, which captured the imagination of children of that period. Subsequently, many other sectors were born, becoming an integral part of Italian pop culture.
With the advent of the internet and social media, in our times, trading cards have experienced a new golden era. Companies began producing increasingly detailed and high-quality trading cards, often in limited editions, to meet the demand of an increasingly large and demanding fan base. Online stores and trading platforms have made trading cards more accessible to a global audience, allowing collectors around the world to find and purchase rare and sought-after pieces.
The mechanism underlying each collection is one of the most fascinating aspects of collections: it is the exchange that develops around them. Kids of all ages (but not only) gather where possible, and even in online groups, to exchange, sell and buy figurines, creating a sub-community united by the passion for these small works of art. This is why thinking about it brings back ancient flavors of adolescence.
2024-05-13 16:14:36
#stickers #testify #youth #story
