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News Bulletin No. 15

Swiss Post returns to Prague

Last year, the Swiss Post was at the trade fair for the first time. Its stand received attention as a result of the beautiful stamps of the summer and autumn collection including a postage stamp made of real Swiss wood. The commemorative sheet issued exclusively on the occasion of our trade fair and containing the special block Veloland Schweiz was also very popular amongst collectors. This year, the Swiss Post is returning to the trade fair Collector (which is to be held from 16th to 18 September) and is preparing many surprises for visitors.

Surpri se from Cyprus

The Cyprus Post, which will also be exhibiting for the second time this year, has promised a surprise for every visitor who stops at its stand. Last year, the guests from Cyprus also enjoyed great success amongst visitors. Cypriot stamps are not very well known in our country, and their artistic quality surprised many collectors.

After a pause of one year, back at the trade fair

The Korea Stamp Corporation, which represents the postage stamps of the DPR Korea around the world, is returning to Prague for the Collector trade fair after last year’s absence. For the trade fair, the company has prepared not only postage stamps but also FDC, maxicards, postcards and other material.

Large exhibit of mints

Every year in its large exhibition, the firm Schoeller Münzhandel from Vienna offers collecting and investment coins from series issued by the world’s mints. This year will be no exception. As director Elmar Schmid has confirmed for us, this year visitors will have the opportunity to buy new items from the following mints: Mint of Finland, Perth Mint, British Royal Mint, Monnaie de Paris, Hungarian Mint, South African Mint, Royal Canadian Mint, Royal Australian Mint, Münze Österreich, Swissmint and Mint of Norway, concerning the participation of which we wrote in newsbulletin No 13. Moreover, in its exhibit it will present the numismatic collection of the international football federation FIFA. Schoeller Münzhandel is highly active in the Czech Republic, and it has a customer centre here.

Royal Dutch Mint Independently

This year for the first time, Royal Dutch Mint will participate with an independent exhibition. The coins and medals minted in Utrecht are surprising by virtue of their uniqueness. The mint was founded in 1567 and is one of the oldest Dutch institutions. As a result of its professionalism, the mint significantly reinforced its position during the launch of the euro. Between the years 1999 and 2002 it minted 2.8 billion euro coins. During these years, coin production was on average six times higher than the usual minting of guilder. The production of commemorative coins and medals is also significant.

More concerning the participation of the Italian Post

In the last newsbulletin, the reference to the gold postage stamps which will be available at the trade fair in the exhibition of the Italian Post provoked interest. Poste Italiane – Divisione Filatelia – has kindly provided us with a licence to publish the following pictures: the first picture represents a philatelic card with cancelled stamp of the Madonna di Tirano issued on 4.9.2004 and the reproduction of the same stamp made of thin gold. This card will only be available in a folder containing another three philatelic items with the same subject. In the second picture there is a reproduction made of thin gold upon the occasion of the issue of a stamp celebrating Padre Pio Santo issued on 16.6.2002. In the last picture there is a special innovative stamp “l´Arte del Merletto” made of lace on blue field issued on 8. 10. 2004.

Chinese telephone cards at the trade fair for the first time

A collector of telephone cards from the People’s Republic of China will participate in the Prague trade fair for the first time. Mr Wei Xu is evidently the greatest expert on telephone cards in China. Those who are interested in telephone cards undoubtedly know him from the Internet as Chinajka. To sum up, card collectors have good reason to look forward to Collector.

Closing date at end of May

The closing date for applications for this year’s international trade fair Collector is 31st May. Exhibitors who apply by this date will be guaranteed location in the relevant branches to which they belong, i.e., philatelists in the philately section, numismatists in the numismatics section etc. Naturally, exhibitors can also apply after this date, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee them appropriate location. The exhibition hall with almost 5000 m² and eleven thousand visitors await you.