INTRODUCTION

The U.K. Garbage Pail Kids were released shortly after the hype and craze of the U.S. GPK’s. The cards were released in the U.K. (England, Ireland, Scotland) as well as in Holland and parts of Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark).  Unlike the U.S. cards that measure 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 inches and are die cut, the UK cards are smaller, measuring 2 1/8 X 3 inches and are non-die cut (peeling from the edges) and are sometimes referred to as "Mini" because of there cigarette-card size.  The cards come 3 to a plastic (or cellophane) pack with a slab of gum, except for the 5th series that comes 4 cards to a pack.  The price is marked on the box rather than on the packs.  Fifteen U.S. series were released by Topps compared to only eight UK series released by Topps Ireland.  All international GPK’s are a reproduction of the U.S. version and are changed to accommodate each country that they are released in.  This includes any name, number, or header changes, and also, covering up 'old' numbers with boxed-numbers or old 'peel here' arrows with boxes or larger arrows pointing in the opposite direction. A Giant 1st series, like the U.S. Giant 1st series, was released in the U.K. - the same as the U.S. version, but without the copyright date information and matte finished backs. A 7th, unpublished series was also produced but never printed or released in the United Kingdom.

UNPUBLISHED 7TH



The U.K. Trash Can Trolls were released after the GPK hype of the Garbage Pail Kids from the late 1980s and early 1990s, the TCT set closely follows the same set outlines as the GPK sets.

The second installment of GPK was released in August and September of 2004 in the U.K., manufactured by Topps Europe Ltd., associated with Merlin Stickers and released throughout parts of northern Europe. The All New Series 1 called "Gross Sticker Cards" and the All New Series 1 Album set are colored and marketed much like the ANS1 from the U.S. but the "Gross Sticker Cards" contain images from the ANS1 and ANS2 sets and the "Album Stickers" set contains images from the ANS1, ANS2, and various older U.S. GPK sets. The stickers measure roughly the same size as the U.S. cards 2.5 x 3.5 inches with the album stickers measuring slightly smaller. The "Gross Sticker Cards" set contains foil cards and the "Album Stickers" set contains special stickers, the first 'chase' cards released in the U.K.

---- ANS1 ----- ANS1 ALBUM

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