CLUB GOLD
JAPAN MEMBERSHIP 2005

Corinthian figures were vastly popular all over the world, especially in Japan, so much so that Corinthian created the Japan Collectors Club with product being specifically designed for the Japanese market and distributed by their official Japanese distributor which was Foot Circle.

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The 2005 Japan membership package was also made available to UK collectors who joined the ProStars Collectors Club and Superstars or Legends level. Club members had the opportunity to buy the Japan pack for just £55, which represented great value given the quality of the figures, with UK collectors able to purchase the set from the 1st of March 2005.

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There are 16 figures in the set, all of which were released in a window box and on a Gold base, coming of course with collector card.

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The players were mostly from Italy's Serie A but there were also players from Barcelona too. There were 4 Barcelona figures in the set, all in away kit, which are Ludovic Giuly, Samuel Eto'o, Deco and goal keeper Victor Valdes. Technically this was not the first ProStars figure of Valdes as he did feature in the 'El Mundo Deportivo' promotional release, however that figure will have been largely unobtainable for most UK collectors, so this Japan club version offered collector's their first real chance to add the keeper to their collection.

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AC Milan were represented by Kaka in away kit and Andrea Pirlo in 3rd kit, with rivals Inter Milan having a total of 5 in the set. The 3 home players for Inter Milan are Sinisa Mihajlovic, Alvaro Recoba and Dejan Stankovic, with the 2 away kits being Juan Sebastian Veron and Dutchman Andy Van Der Meyde. This would be the only ProStars figures Corinthian would ever release of Van Der Meyde and Mihajlovic, with the sculpt of Mihajlovic being of the highest quality.

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Dejan Stankovic would get 2 more ProStars releases, in the Inter Milan Serie A winners team pack and in Stars of the Season 36, however those 2 figures would be a different sculpt, this particular sculpt of Stankovic would never be used again.

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Juventus had Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Fabio Cannavaro painted in the very eye catching Black & Pink away kit, while Roma had Philippe Mexes in away kit and there was also a legends figure of Dunga in Fiorentina home kit.

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Completing the set is Roberto Baggio in Italy home kit, what Japan set would ever be complete without the inclusion of a Baggio figure. Some of the figures can be difficult to pick up, most notably the Baggio who is by far the most expensive and sought after figure from the set, with Mihajlovic also proving popular given this is the only ProStars version of him that exists.