There will be another big football tournament in Germany in 2024. The country had already hosted a World Cup 50 years earlier, and many older citizens still know the mascots Tip and Tap. The same goes for Horst Lichter: “I remember them. I was twelve years old,” says the “Cash for Rares” presenter when he sees the two cute characters. “I had it as a key ring,” says Detlev Kümmel.
The two cuddly football men belong to Michael Weber. The 51-year-old businessman from Seevetal near Hamburg received Tip and Tap as a gift when he was clearing out an apartment. The expert explains that the names for the characters were not chosen by chance. In the 1970s, that was the name given to the game that children used to choose football teams in the schoolyard.
The design comes from Horst Schäfer and the figures were made in Neustadt in 1971, three years before the start of the World Cup. However, the figure presented here was not intended for free sale, but was instead in shops. The seller would like 500 euros for his mascots. Kümmel doesn’t quite agree with that: he only thinks 200 to 300 euros is possible. Weber would also sell for that.
The figures arouse interest in the dealers’ room, where everyone agrees: “Tip and Tap are tip-top.” Wolfgang Pauritsch starts with 80 euros. “The Austrians weren’t allowed to play back then, unfortunately they didn’t qualify,” he says, which doesn’t stop him from continuing to bid. Why not? Four years later, the Austrians kicked Germany out of the tournament in the 1978 World Cup.
When Weber doesn’t want to sell at 150 euros, Pauritsch increases it to 200 euros – so both come to an agreement. “They’re funny, they’re a joy to look at,” says the new owner about his purchase.
Watch the video: “Cash for Rares”: Exciting and curious facts about the junk show on ZDF.
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