The 13th World Olympic Collectors' Fair will be held in Beijing
from June 23 to 28, announced the Beijing Organizing Committee of
the Olympic Games (BOCOG)?on Wednesday.
This will be the first time the fair takes place in China and it
will be open to public for free.
Olympic collectors and fans of sports philately, coins and
souvenirs and related traders from around the world will gather in
Beijing, along with their collected treasures from more than 100
years, representing varied stages of the Olympic Movement.
Items expected to be displayed will include Olympic torches,
trophies and athlete suits, as well as pins, coins, stamps and
other items bearing the Olympic rings.
In addition, the Chinese Sport Stamps Collectors' Association
will simultaneously host a large-scale stamp exhibition at the
recommendation of IOC.
Previous Olympics-related stamps personally donated by Juan
Antonio Samaranch, IOC Honorary President for Life and Chairman of
the Olympic philately, Numismatics and Memorabilia Commission, will
be displayed at the stamp exhibition.
Samaranch is also slated to attend the Opening Ceremony of the
Collectors' Fair on June 24th.
(Xinhua News Agency June 22, 2007)