CONVENTION SPECIALS 1999-2008

Corinthian held an annual convention which brought together collectors from all over the world. The Convention was the highlight of the collecting calendar and something which all collectors looked forward too, even if they were unable to attend the event personally.

 

​

Corinthian produced special product to release at the Convention, which included the Convention Special, with each player carefully selected and produced in limited numbers. The Corinthian Convention Specials were only released at the convention and came on a specially designed blister pack, with the back of each blister detailing the figure and why that player was chosen.

 

​

The first Corinthian Convention was held at NEC in Birmingham from the 8th - 11th of April and the figure chosen to be the convention special was Michael Owen in the England home kit worn at the 1998 World Cup, and immortalises the iconic goal he scored against Argentina.

​

 

The 2000 convention took place at Villa Park on the 12th & 13th of April, with the convention special being referee Dermot Gallagher, with it being the first time Corinthian had produced a figure of a referee and it proved incredibly popular with collectors the world over.

​

 

The 2001 convention once again took place at Villa Park and on the 28th of April. The player chosen was David Trezeguet, with him in the France home kit from Euro 2000, France won the tournament, beating Italy in the final with the game going to extra time and Trezeguet scoring the golden goal. This was the very first ProStars release of Trezeguet.

​

 

May 25th & 26th at Villa Park saw Corinthian hold it's annual convention, with Japanese icon Hidetoshi Nakata in Japan 2002 home kit chosen to be the Convention Special

​

 

The 2003 Corinthian Convention took place on the 31st May and 1st June, being once again held at Villa Park, with the figure chosen to be the Convention Special non other than Ronaldinho in Brazil away kit, as worn when he scored that infamous free kick against England, the ball looping over a helpless David Seaman. Corinthian produced a total of 7,927 worldwide, with 2,520 of those being made available to the UK market.

​

 

May 29th & 30th were the dates for the 2004 Corinthian Convention, held at Villa Park. The 2004 Convention Special was Jay Jay Okocha in Nigeria home kit, a very popular player and this was the first ProStars release of Okocha, with Corinthian making 8,003 blister packs.

​

 

The 2005 Corinthian Convention took place at Villa Park on the 11th & 12th of June, with the Convention Special being a superb sculpt of Paul Gascoigne in Lazio 1993/94 away kit and had him wearing his protective face mask, an excellent sculpt and was the 10th Anniversary special. There were only 5,417 Gascoigne produced and each one came with an individually numbered collector card.

​

 

May 20th & 21st were the dates for the 2006 Corinthian Convention, help at Villa Park. This Convention Special was one of the most anticipated and asked for figures, a true legend an icon of the game, Brian Clough. Sculpted here wearing the famous Green sweater he wore during his time at Nottingham Forest, just 2,347 were made and each one came with an individually numbered collector card.

​

 

The 2007 Corinthian Convention took place at Villa Park on the 2nd & 3rd of June, with the Convention Special chosen to be referee Pierluigi Collina in Yellow uniform. Collina had been released before as part of the Club Gold World Greats series but this was an entirely new sculpt. Production was limited to 6,121 pieces with each one coming with an individually numbered collector card.

​

 

Unfortunately the 2008 Corinthian Convention could not take place, however it did not prevent Corinthian from releasing the Convention Special. The 2008 Convention Special is Marco Van Basten in Netherlands 1988 home kit. This is the kit worn at the 1988 European Championships, with The Netherlands winning the tournament, Van Basten scored in the 2-0 final win over the Soviet Union. Corinthian only produced 2,310 blisters, each one coming with an individually numbered collector card and is by far the rarest and most sought after of all the Corinthian Convention Specials.

​

 

The figures were released as single blister packs and came with collector card, with the Convention Specials from 2005 onwards coming with an individually numbered collector card