Welcome to the website for the international fair for postage stamps, coins,
phone cards, minerals, and the hobby and art of collecting – the largest
gathering of collectors of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe.

Sběratel.info

News Bulletin No. 38

Preparations in full swing

Preparations are in full swing for the 11th year of the Collector (Sberatel) international trade fair, which will be held on the weekend of 12 - 14 September along with the PRAGA 2008 World Stamp Exhibition.

This large-scale collectors' event will be the largest event of its kind in the fifteen-year history of the independent Czech Republic.

Although philately will play the main role in Prague, fans of other collectors' items will not come off badly. According to the number of applications received so far, the fair will be attended by dealers in old postcards, coins and banknotes, minerals and precious stones, telephone and other cards and other peculiar collection items.
Every year, the Collector (Sberatel) trade fair hosts more than 200 exhibitors from about forty countries. This year, their number will be even greater. Traditional exhibitors-dealers will be joined for example by the Italian companies Philcap and MasterPhil, Postiljonen and AB Philea from Sweden, Philatelie Mannesberg from Belgium, Philatelia Hungarica, Ateeme from Spain, numerous German, Austrian, Dutch and English dealers and, naturally, about one hundred Czech exhibitors. Of these, Filatelie Trojan and Papírny Brno, for example, will have their premiere at the fair.

A prominent place at the fair connected with the Praga exhibition will be given to national post offices and mints. Reflecting the gradual introduction of the euro and the corresponding growth of interest in numismatics, the fair will also display exhibits of Czech, Slovak, Hungarian and Austrian mints. A few days ago, the twenty national post offices which have applied so far were joined by the Greenland Post Office (see the special cancellation on this occasion).

Don't hesitate and book your accommodation now

The organisers have signed contracts with 13 hotels of various categories to accommodate visitors to the Collector fair and the PRAGA exhibition. The Cedok travel agency has selected hotels that are situated directly in the Exhibition Grounds, but also those located in the centre of Prague. Don't hesitate and book your hotel now at www.cedok.com/Praga2008/.

Last call for dealer applications

The organisers would like to call on all dealers who are still hesitating, to send their applications as soon as possible, because the end of June has been set as the date for marking the layout of exhibition stands inside exhibition halls in accordance with the type of collection. After this date, there is no guarantee for example that philately and numismatic dealers will be installed in the philately and numismatic sectors etc.

Prague events followed immediately by WIPA

Three days after the end of the Collector fair and the PRAGA exhibition in Prague, the WIPA European Stamp Exhibition will be starting in Vienna, just 280 km from Prague.

The timing of both events is ideal mainly for dealers and visitors from distant countries, who can visit both of these beautiful cities during the course of one trip. Moreover, the Cedok travel agency, the official partner of the Praga exhibition and the Collector fair, is offering trips to Vienna. For more, visit www.cedok.com/Praga2008/.

No border controls to the Czech Republic

The borders of the Czech Republic are not subject to any passport or customs controls. Thus, the Czech border can be easily crossed without stopping just as is the case with the border between Germany and Austria or France and Belgium.

Since 27 December, 2007, the Czech Republic has been a member state of the Schengen Area, where all border controls have been cancelled. This naturally also applies to the border between the Czech Republic and Austria. This is one of the reasons why organisers expect higher numbers of foreign visitors and dealers to the Collector fair and the PRAGA exhibition.

The auspices of the President of the Czech Republic

The World Stamp Exhibition PRAGA, which is to take place in Prague after twenty years, will be held under the auspices of the Czech President Vaclav Klaus.
The exhibition will also be held under the auspices of the Chairman of the Czech Senate Premysl Sobotka and the Mayor of Prague Pavel Bem.
Patronage for the event has been granted by the International Philatelic Federation (FIP) and AIJP journalist association.
On the occasion of the exhibition, which is to showcase more than 500 competitors from 63 countries, the Czech Post has issued a number of postage stamps and stamp sheets.

Obrázek - Ledeburská zahrada

Obrázek - Klášterní kostel Emauzy
Obrázek - 90. výročí Poštovního muzea

Important notice

Once again, a firm has appeared on our trade fair market that wants to take advantage of the inattention and trustfulness of exhibitors. Following the example of the Austrian company Construct Data Verlag AG, which until last year was offering the publication of company data in the catalogue Fair Guide at an exorbitant price, now the company Expo Guide from Mexico(?!) has appeared, also offering a listing in its internet catalog with the same name (www.expo-guide.com) under outrageous terms. The fact that the wording of the sales letter and the arrangement of the order form is strikingly similar to the documents of the firm Construct Data Verlag is surely just a coincidence.

The worst thing about all of this - and please read this carefully - is that the order form for an entry in the catalogue appears at first glance to have been sent by us, the organizer of the trade fair. Naturally, we have nothing to do with the shady practices of the company Expo Guide. We are not familiar with that company, and as our exhibitors know, we use our own form for registering in the trade fair catalogue.

Please use caution before signing anything.