If you walked into a hallmark, a local pharmacy, or a stationary shop back in the 1980s and 1990s, the Sandylion display the definition of childhood joy. If you were lucky to live in Canada or some parts of Latinamerica and Europe, you might have come across large acrylic displays that held massive wheels of stickers on continuous rolls. You would pull out the length you wanted, and the store clerk would cut them with scissors along the perforated lines into those perfect 2″ x 2″ squares, which collectors call “modules” or “mods.”
These stickers were made by Sandylion, a Canadian company founded in the 1980s that experimented with unique textures and finishes that made trading them in the schoolyard serious business. Because people kept the stickers on their backing, a massive secondary market still exists today. Adult collectors trade and sell individual vintage Sandylion mods on sites like Etsy and eBay, where rare 80s fuzzy or pearly squares can sell anywhere from $3 to upwards of $20 for a single square, depending on how rare the design is
The Most Popular Vintage Sandylion Sticker Finishes
When it came to collecting Sandylion sticker sheets or squares, the texture and finish was everything. Collectors specifically hunted for these top tiers, which I will try my best to explain below. Basically, you had Kromekote stickers with no effects, and stickers with flocking, a pearlized layer, or a holographic finish.
Fuzzy Stickers (Flocked/Velour)
These felt like soft velvet or felt. They usually featured adorable animals like teddy bears, koalas, or little black cats. Petting the sticker in your sticker album (or your intact squares if that’s how you collected them) was half the fun!
Pearl Stickers (Mother-of-Pearl / Opal)
These had a gorgeous, milky, iridescent sheen that shifted in the light. They didn’t have the harsh glare of foil; instead, they looked like polished seashells. The pearly unicorns, ballet slippers, sailboats, and pastel hearts were highly coveted.
Prismatic Stickers
These were the shiny, holographic ones that cracked the light into rainbows, often used for laser-style designs, frogs, and shooting stars. The effect became popular later, but Sandylion stickers were the first to do it right! And they were a sort of small revolution, if you ask me.
Kromekote Stickers
These were Sandylion’s standard glossy paper stickers. They were still cute, but definitely the “base layer” of a trading session compared to a rare fuzzy mod. Even though these stickers had no flashy effects, they are still highly collectible and beloved for their detail.
Sandylion Sticker Sizes: Mod vd Maxi
MODS
Mod sticker sheets measure 2 x 2 inches. They are the smallest size available.
MAXIS
Maxi sticker sheets measure 2 x 2 inches. They are not as common as the mods.
All 80s and 90s Sandylion Stickers - A Complete List
If you have started collecting Sandylion stickers or want to identify one you had as a child, you might currently have some issues finding information. This is why I created the list below, which divides stickers into the four main groups I mentioned above. I’m only showing four of each on this page, though, so please use the buttons to see the full “inventory” of stickers for each kind.
Fuzzy Sandylion Stickers
Fuzzy Sandylion stickers had a layer of fuzz or flocking that made them quite a new and attractive option for sticker collectors. I remember spending ages touching these stickers, feeling the soft velvety surface…
Fuzzy Flamingos
Five adult flamingos chilling with a leg curved up in the hair. RARITY: Uncommon.
Fuzzy Chickens
Four healthy chickens and two perfect eggs. RARITY: Uncommon.
Fuzzy Dinosaurs
Three marine dinosaurs and one jellyfish. RARITY: Uncommon.
Fuzzy Gorillas
Five dark grey gorillas with black outlines. RARITY: Common.
Fuzzy Leopard and Tigers
A black panther and two yellow tigers, one of them jumping. RARITY: Uncommon.
Fuzzy Frogs
Four frogs, two of them jumping up in the air. RARITY: Common.
Fuzzy Manatees
Four adult manatees and some small fish. RARITY: Common.
Fuzzy Dolphins
Four colorful dolphins in shades of blue, green, and pink. RARITY: Uncommon.
Fuzzy Frogs
Four large frogs mostly in dark green. RARITY: Common.
Pearly Sandylion Stickers
Pearly Sandylion stickers had a layer of iridescence that produced all sorts of effects when held to the light. I have not seen this effect properly replicated in old or newer stickers, so the Sandylion line of Pearlies is quite a unique collectible one.
Pearly Jiraffes
Four colorful and dotted jiraffes. RARITY: Common.
Pearly Cats
Four solid-colored fluffy cats. RARITY: Uncommon.
Pearly Dalmatian Dogs
Four colorful and dotted Dalmatian dogs. RARITY: Common.
Pearly Balloons
Three colorful hot air balloons. RARITY: Common.
Pearly Horses
Four horses in realistic and pastel colors. RARITY: Uncommon.
Pearly Koalas
Four colorful koalas in different body positions. RARITY: Uncommon.
Pearly Skiing Dinos
Four colorful dinosaurs skiing down a hill. RARITY: Uncommon.
Pearly Pigs
Five pigs (two of them babies) and a bucket of corn. RARITY: Uncommon.
Pearly Crocodiles
Four crocodiles in green and blue shades. RARITY: Common.
Pearly Farm Animals
Many different farm animals. RARITY: Rare.
Prismatic or Sparkling Sandylion Stickers
Prismatic Sandylion stickers were shiny and holographic. They sparkled in the light. This effect was replicated in future sticker lines, so they are not considered too rare by collectors today.
Prism Suns and Moons
Many suns, shooting stars, and moons. RARITY: Common.
Prism Hummingbirds
Five colorful hummingbirds in flight RARITY: Uncommon.
Prism Rainbows
Six differently sized rainbows, one with clouds. RARITY: Common.
Prism Frogs
Five spotted and very colorful frogs. RARITY: Uncommon.
Kromekote Sandylion Stickers
Kromekote Sandylion stickers were matte or glossy paper stickers.
Kromekote Cats
Many different cats in various positions and colors. RARITY: Common.
Kromekote Cats
Four pastel cats with darker hairs and a couple of butterflies. RARITY: Uncommon.
Kromekote Tulips
Three tulip plants with yellow and red flowers, a bird, and a butterfly. RARITY: Common.
Kromekote Teddy Bears
Many different teddy bears dancing and having fun. RARITY: Uncommon.
Did you know? True collectors knew you never actually peeled the sticker off its backing. You used a tiny loop of scotch tape on the brown or white backing paper to mount the whole square into your sticker book. If you peeled it, it lost all its trade value!
