Whether it was a shoebox or an old cigar case, everyone had a “sticker box” when I grew up skating. At 13 I remember being so obsessed that we would go to the skate shop just to steal them. It sounds silly now, stealing handfuls of $0.75 – $2.00 stickers, but this was our post skate sesh ritual. My buddy would distract the clerk and I’d reach over the front desk and grab as many stickers as I could from underneath the glass case. I think years later they started installing cameras because of theft but at that point I was 15 or 16 and moved on from stealing stickers to stealing condoms and weird stuff from sex shops.
Sadly my sticker box is long gone now, but after finding Skateboardstickernerd101 on Instagram I was able to relive a little piece of it. If you ever wanted to visit your childhood or just see what amazing skateboard artwork you missed out on, check out some of this guy’s collection below:
How many stickers do you actually have?
I’m guessing maybe around 2500. They are organized by company in photo albums and I have a shoe box for larger ones.
Have you ever pleasured yourself to the smell of a fresh vinyl sticker?
No, I sniff new shoes that’s about it.. [laughs] Have you?
What is it about stickers you like so much then?
Well for one it’s a cheaper alternative to collecting decks and I guess it’s the artistic side of skating. I used to draw skate graphics (like I’m sure everyone did) when I was real young so I have an appreciation for the artwork and process involved. Some of the actual stickers are different than the board they represent too, so it’s cool to see how the artist came up with an alternative take on the actual deck’s artwork.
Are there any brands you never collected / avoided cause you thought their artwork sucked?
Yes. I was not really stoked on the direction World Industries took with the Devilman and Flameboy stuff. I find that today Element is kinda bland as is a lot of the new Plan B graphics but the boards are sick to ride though! Just too many sporty jersey style graphics, give the youth something to think about at least!
Do you think kids these days are missing out on skateboard graphics?
Yes, I think that the idea of skate art doesn’t get promoted like it did back then. I think now maybe a lot of companies may see it as saving money for royalties. I can’t speak for others but themes based around one logo idea is boring to me, some companies are relying heavily on that approach. It has become a jock sport now rather than a creative activity, so the idea of skating being an art form is kinda obsolete amongst the new gen. I think Anti Hero and Krooked are keeping as far from jock as possible at least!
What are your most valuable stickers and how did you get them? How much do you think they are worth?
I’m not really sure what my most valuable ones are, as prices on eBay can change very quickly and I have seen stickers sell for nearly $100 bucks also sell for $10. It’s all up to how badly you want the sticker. For the most part they are all somewhat rare especially stuff from the 80s and 90s and there’s a bit of 70s stuff floating round as well. You can find some stickers consistently on eBay from the golden eras but as far as the scarce stuff you have to be diligent or have had it from back then. It doesn’t hurt to make good contacts with people in the industry either.
Was there ever a “golden age” of skate stickers?
The 80’s and early 90’s had some of the most memorable artwork on skateboards ever! All those Jim Phillips, VCJ and Marc McKee pieces mean as much to me now as when I was growing up. I think making provocative graphics now is much harder as people are too sensitive and look to be politically correct. The great graphics from yesteryear will probably never happen again. Obviously not all graphics are going to be of the Rocco era calibre and there are some companies that are releasing good graphics these days. The Kayo brands, Baker/Deathwish stuff and the Girl & Chocolate one-offs are all pretty sick.
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January 6, 2014 8:55 pm
Wow, impressive collection! I wonder where my sticker box went haha
October 4, 2015 9:34 pm
Hey,
I haven’t seen these since I was a kid drawing them. They are
supposed to be in a file and access made to them by MCA of
the Beastie Boyz. They are full of pen names mostly with
reference to President Gerald Ford whom I met at eight years
old. “Jughead Jew” and “Camera Jew” is Harold Ramos
the actor and director of Ghost Busters. I drew him and
all of the stickers. A lot of them to make fun of my sisters.
“Slap Pal Howard” is Howard Stern who was actually
involved in Roller Derbie when I was a child when I met
him. “Slap Pal” is gimme sticker for those who don’t.
The A.W.A. was actually a sticker registration program
for licensing logos and stickers. See the stickers with Awa?
“SLAM” is the knickname that Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith
have for me. I am related to them both and they were there
when I drew these as a child. I am their script writer and
creator of their film characters. “Slam and slap” is slang
for “Skate and stick!” Which is what I used to say when
some people were saying “Skate or die” which is a phrase
that I coined. “Frostie” is MCA of the Beastie Boyz and I
drew him. “Slurpee Buddha” is comedian Sam Kinison
whom I am related to and I drew him as the sticker depicts.
I had to clean the shower in my house so he could use it
as a guest and I was drawing at the kitchen table and did
not want to be disturbed with him dripping on me with
his towel. I cast him on “The Archie Bunker Show” and
made his charicature resemble “Archie Bunker”. There
are references to this drawing in my cartoon “Adventure Time”
which is mentioned in “The Archie Bunker Show” and in
“Sanford and Son.” The “Schmitt Six” stickers all have
relevance and reference to the band “Metallica” and I
am protective of them and of all of my drawings and stickers.
The Hijinx drawing is entitled “Fuck you (I’m a) Jew!” because
I had to argue with assholes about Harold Ramos being
a Jew and how I was hanging with him and speaking to
him as a child as well as MCA from Beastie Boyz.
I said “Well, what the fuck am I? Your fucking white devil?”
This is in episodes of the sit-com Barney Miller and
Fish with Abe Vigoda. The Frank Miller looking drawing
of the bald convict man is by me and is used in
Batman Adventures which is my comic book.
See my name in the credits. Anyway, it looks like
I caught some people at work!! Hope you are all
do for a raise or something!! Your faithful boss,
Don Murphy!!
March 13, 2017 11:09 pm
I think I have every one of those stickers. I’ve worked or owned a skateshop from 1986-2010 and made sure I got at least 2 of every sticker that came in. I have 2 packs of “Fucked Up Blind Kids” stickers too. I keep meaning to actually put them together in a binder and get them out of the big ass box they’re in. I should make that a goal for this year.
January 8, 2019 11:19 am
LoL… i wanna print these whole graphic sheets out and box-tape ’em to my boards