SERIES 2
BLISTER EDITION

Corinthian followed up the resounding success of Series 1 by swiftly releasing International Prostars Series 2, another strong series which saw 16 figures released as single blisters and 19 released inside the secret sachet.

 

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Series 2 contained 10 first time sculpts, so let's start our journey at Manchester United, we get the very first ever release of Dutch defender Jaap Stam, who is in away kit, joined by another first time sculpt in Jesper Blomqvist, who is in United home kit.

 

 

The 2 figures for Arsenal are also both first time sculpts, which are French due Emmanuel Petit and Nicolas Anelka, with the Petit sculpt truly being exceptional, one of my personal favourites, with the Anelka blister being the lowest produced in series 2. For Chelsea we have Tore Andre Flo in away kit, the sculpt being the same as seen in the Norge Tropps range of Headliners.

 

 

Liverpool's new American goal keeper Brad Friedel get's his first ever Corinthian release but he is overshadowed by the first time release of the highly anticipated and requested figure of Michael Owen. Corinthian were inundated with requests to release an Owen figure and this sculpt did not disappoint, he features here in the 98/99 away kit and was of course the best seller in the series, by some margin too.

 

 

My personal highlight of Series 2 is Edgar Davids in Juventus 1998/99 home kit, such a highly detailed sculpt of a player who was at the very height of his powers during this period. His Juventus team mate Angelo Peruzzi joins Davids in Series 2, here in home kit, the sculpt being the same as used in the Headliners range.

 

AC Milan have a deadly strike force of George Weah and Oliver Bierhoff, with Weah previously appearing in the Serie a  SuperStars range, but this was the debut appearance for the German power forward Bierhoff, however he was supposed to also feature in the SuperStars range for Udinese, but his figure was cancelled, despite appearing in the collectors information leaflet, being replaced by the infamous Giovanni Stroppa.

 

 

For Inter Milan we have Youri Djorkaeff in home kit, the sculpt used being the same as in the Headliners range, Series 2 would be the only time Djorkaeff would be released as a ProStars figure. Alessandro Del Piero is in Italy home kit, the sculpt used being the same as the one in the SuperStars range of Headliners.

 

Both halves of Rome were represented, as we see Christian Vieri for Lazio and Cafu for Roma. Vieri was a first time release however Cafu did get released for Palmeiras in the Brazil club range of Headliners, however that is a very rare figure, so this was essentially his first release to UK collectors, appearing in 98/99 home kit.

 

 

Completing the set is Thomas Hassler in Borussia Dortmund away kit, this would be the only Corinthian release of Hassler and would prove to be the final release of Borussia Dortmund figures in the ProStars range.

 

 

The International ProStars Series 2 blister packs were available from collector centres, priced at £3. Included in the blister pack was the figures collector card, one side has the figure image and the other has the player ratings, which you could fill in to create your own version of a top trumps style card game. 

 

 

Also included in each blister pack was a collectors information file, which detailed the range available and also came with a token, 8 tokens were needed to claim a free Platinum Pack. Along with the regular blister packs, Corinthian produced something special called the Platinum Pack, these were produced in much lower numbers and not available for direct sale, they were given away free for money spent with Corinthian Direct, however you could also buy them from official Corinthian Collector Centres. The figures are identical to those in the standard blister but are placed on a specially designed blister card.

 

 

Corinthian did not make public how many of each blister pack or platinum pack were produced, only to say that the best seller in the series was Owen, with the lowest production volume blister being Anelka.

 

 

There is actually a 17th blister in Series 2, which is Hidetoshi Nakata in Perugia 1998/99 home kit, this was done at the request of Corinthians official Japanese distributor and was exclusively available in Japan. What makes this figure unique in the entire ProStars range is the fact the figure is on an Oval base, the reason for this is that the figure is a repaint of the Japan national kit Headliners figure.