SERIES 4
BLISTER EDITION

Corinthian released ProStars Series 4 on the 16th October 1999, with 16 figures being released in single blister pack and 6 in an all new packaging design called the Window Box.

 

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Series 4 made Corinthian history, as for the very first time they released figures from Barcelona, with a deadly trio featuring in the iconic kit of the Catalan club. The standout figure is of course that of Brazlian icon Rivaldo, a figure which was a much requested figure by collectors and Corinthian did not disappoint with a truly exceptional sculpt. Joining Rivaldo is Dutch duo Ronald De Boer and Patrick Kluivert, this was the first release of Kluivert but De Boer was the same sculpt as we saw released in the Headliners Dutch Eredivisie De Spelers Collectie range.

 

 

Rivalling Rivaldo for the label of best in series was that of his Brazilian compatriot Roberto Carlos, with the blister release featuring him in Brazil home kit, a club release not being possible as Corinthian did not hold the Real Madrid license.

 

 

Ryan Giggs got an all new sculpt, as did Robbie Fowler, both are improvements on the figures released previously, with Giggs released in Manchester United away kit and Fowler in Liverpool away kit, complete with tape across the nose.

 

 

Nwankwo Kanu get's his first ever Corinthian release, in an all new tall body pose too, featured here in Arsenal home kit, with club team mate Davor Suker another getting his first ever Corinthian release, with the blister version seeing him in Croatia home kit.

 

 

Gustavo Poyet made his Corinthian debut, in the Chelsea away kit, an excellent sculpt and would be used for all subsequent releases of the Uruguayan. Completing the contingent from the English Premier League is a dual release for Newcastle United, which sees temperamental Georgian Temuri Ketsbaia get his first Corinthian release, partnered by Duncan Fergsuon, the sculpt was the same as used in the FAPL Collection for Everton but the body pose has been changed, with both figures in Newcastle away kit.

 

 

The remaining 5 figures are of players from Italy's Serie A, with both halves of Milan represented by first time sculpts. For AC Milan we have Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko in away kit, and Chilean forward Ivan Zamorano in Inter Milan home kit, both are excellent sculpts.

 

 

Zamorano's Chile strike partner Marcelo Salas makes his Corinthian debut, alongside Argentina midfielder Ariel Ortega, here in the home kit of Sampdoria, this would be the only figure in Sampdoria kit released as part of Series 1-40. The line up is completed by Japan star Hidetoshi Nakata in Perugia home kit.

 

 

The International ProStars Series 4 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 Ryan Giggs and the ones made in the lowest volume were Ketsbaia, Ferguson and Kluivert.