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Sberatel 2023 was the biggest fair in its existence

A record number of exhibitors and a full hall of visitors on both days was the Sberatel 2023 fair. The next edition of the autumn Sberatel fair will take place on 6-7 September 2024 again at the PVA Expo Prague.

During the year you can also visit the Spring Sberatel Fair or the Christmas Sberatel Fair and follow what’s happening in the world of collecting on collectornews.info.

Even though the weather outside was more like what we would expect in Italy in the middle of summer, 10,000 people headed to the exhibition centre.

Over 230 dealers, postal administrations and mints from all over the world offered visitors stamps, coins, medals, banknotes, postcards, but also old stocks or autographs. Of these, 35 made their first ever trip to Prague!

Sberatel once again confirmed its position as the largest collectors’ meeting in Central and Eastern Europe.

The new postcard of the Czech Post and the Sberatel Fair from the “Legends” series and the forthcoming stamp for the 2024 World Biathlon Championships were personally presented by Ondřej Moravec, silver medallist at the 2014 Sochi Games and the most successful Czech biathlete in history. As he said himself, he probably “enjoyed collecting medals at the races the most…”

The Czech Lion investment coin with a hologram also premiered at the fair. Its author, medal maker Asamat Baltaev, signed autographs at the Czech Mint stand.

The famous Citroën 2CV is celebrating 75 years and the Sberatel Fair has prepared a press sheet of stamps with a coupon featuring the legendary “duck”. It was designed by artist Roman Sedlák, who also prepared the same motif for the popular 0 euro collector’s note.

Car racer Bára Holická (left) came to the fair to christen the stamp and the collector’s note with her co-driver Lucie Enge, sister of our only F1 pilot Tomáš Enge. Both ladies are planning to drive a Citroën 2CV to the upcoming Dakar Rally in the Classic category. Their upcoming race special DUCKAR was also on display.

The journey of our brave women racers to the Dakar Rally was also financially supported by the Sberatel Fair. Fingers crossed for the girls!

The commemorative postcard “Gastronomy on Stamps”, which was published for the Praga Piccola exhibition, which traditionally accompanies the Sberatel Fair, was christened by the leading popularizer of gastronomy and collector Roman Vaněk.

The presentation of the new stamp sheet from the Nature Protection series, this time dedicated to the Podyjí National Park, was traditionally attended by its authors, Jaromír and Libuše Knotek and engraver Martin Srb. At the same time, a new collector’s note from the “World of Wildlife by the Knoteks” issue was christened, this time focusing on Europe, specifically the lynx and the wild cat.

Many exhibitors organise their own competitions at the fair. At the My Mint stand, it was possible to win, among other things, a commemorative mintage of the Order of the White Lion.

The autographing of the artist Marina Richterová, coupled with the presentation of the new “Shakespeare sheet” she created for the Czech Post, concluded the accompanying programme of the fair.

At the stand of the Kyrgyz Post, visitors could buy a stamp which, with its 184 mm width, is officially the longest postage stamp in the world. It represents the Chaar-Tash Mountains, the Toguz-Toro Tract and the village of Kazarman.

The Sberatel Fair attracted a lot of media interest this year. Czech Television and Czech Radio provided live coverage of the event, and news about the Sberatel appeared on the main news on CNN TV Prima, and TV Nova.

The Prague Gem and Mineral Show, which accompanies the Sberatel Fair every year, has grown into a separate hall this year. Visitors were able to buy precious stones, minerals, jewellery or just get inspiration for home creations.

Traditionally, the Vinyl & Stereo Expo and the Rock & Metal Market were also held alongside the Sberatel Fair on Saturday. Collectors could find rare records from nearly forty dealers from all over Europe, CDs, cassettes and music memorabilia.

Want to know more about the Sberatel Fair? Check out the informative Czech-English publication that traces the history of the event, which is now one of the largest gatherings of collectors in Europe.

You can browse it online here, maybe you will find yourself or your friends and acquaintances there!

A special ticket will let you in already on Thursday

Both traders and impatient collectors can visit the fair already a day earlier, i.e. on Thursday, September 7, from 4PM to 7PM, and also on Friday, September 8, from 9AM, if they buy a special ticket for CZK 1000 (aprox. 45 EUR). The event opens for general public on Friday from 10AM to 6PM and on Saturday from 10AM to 5PM.

Accompanying program

The Sberatel / Collector is not only the largest sales fair of collector’s items in Central and Eastern Europe, but also offers an extensive and unique accompanying program every year. Visiting the event is therefore an interesting experience not only for collectors, but also for people who have a collector in their families and look for a gift for him or her, or for families with children.

Sberatel / Collector Fair is the largest meeting of collectors of stamps, coins, medals, banknotes, postcards, minerals and other collectibles in Central and Eastern Europe.

Every year, 200 exhibitors from 35 countries, mints, postal administrations, auction houses and leading dealers from all over the world come to Prague.

The fair is attended by 10,000 visitors, a third of them from abroad. Women and children are admitted free of charge.

A special and useful service for visitors only at the Sberatel / Collector Fair! Free valuation of stamps, coins, medals, banknotes, securities, minerals and telephone cards by independent valuers from professional organisations.

The Sberatel / Collector Fair is an opportunity to compare the offer of dozens of companies in one place.

As part of the accompanying programme, the fair hosts christenings and autograph sessions by celebrities and well-known artists, coin, medal and stamp makers.

On Saturday, you can visit the Vinyl & Stereo Expo – the biggest autumn event for vinyl record collectors – for one ticket.

In the same hall as the Sberatel / Collector Fair, the Minerals & Gemstones Fair runs both days, featuring dozens of vendors selling minerals, gemstones, designer jewelry, and things to make your own.