Source: China Daily

08-15-2008 10:26

Special Report:   2008 Beijing Olympic Games

BEIJING, Aug. 15 -- As the Beijing Games continues to draw the attention of billions of sports fans worldwide, so the Olympex has been a carnival for philatelists and collectors of Olympic mini-souvenirs.

A girl takes a close look at the hat of a pin collector from the United States, which is decorated with various Olympics-related pins, at a subway station in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 14, 2008. The ongoing Beijing Olympic Games has become a carnival not only for sports fans but also for enthusiastic pin collectors from across the world. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)
A girl takes a close look at the hat of a pin collector 
from the United States, which is decorated with various 
Olympics-related pins, at a subway station in Beijing, 
capital of China, Aug. 14, 2008. The ongoing Beijing 
Olympic Games has become a carnival not only for sports 
fans but also for enthusiastic pin collectors from across 
the world. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

Themed Lighting the Passion, Sharing the Dream, the event encompasses hundreds of philatelic, numismatic and athletic art companies. It also houses temporary national postal offices from about 20 countries and the top sponsors of the Games. Also present are exhibits about future Olympic cities, Vancouver and London.

The Olympic cultural event provides "an opportunity for visitors to acquire knowledge and experience of the rich Olympic culture", said IOC president Jacques Rogge at the opening ceremony.

IOC collections are on display, highlighted by a huge postage stamp collection of former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch. The first Olympic stamps issued in Greece back on March 25, 1896 are also presented as well as special Olympic-themed stamps from the China Stamp Museum, including three 120-year-old large dragon stamps issued during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Also being showcased are Olympic-themed coins from the China Coin Museum, special Olympic-themed stamps belonging to international collectors, international Olympic memorabilia collections, and some 20 prize-winning paintings, sculptures and collages created by international artists eulogizing the Olympic spirit.

Since its opening on August 8 at the Beijing Exhibition Center, the expo has reportedly attracted over 40,000 visitors from home and abroad.

People are attracted to the Olympics-related pins worn by a collector from the United States at a subway station in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 14, 2008. The ongoing Beijing Olympic Games has become a carnival not only for sports fans but also for enthusiastic pin collectors from across the world. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)
People are attracted to the Olympics-related pins worn by 
a collector from the United States at a subway station in 
Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 14, 2008. The ongoing 
Beijing Olympic Games has become a carnival not only for 
sports fans but also for enthusiastic pin collectors from 
across the world. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

"I ordered the ticket for the expo in late June. Then I counted the days, looking forward to its arrival. Now, here I am," said Zuo Changquan, 65, a retired railway technician from Changchun, Jilin province.

At a hotel near the exhibition center, he rose at 5 am, so he could spend the entire day roaming the various booths. Zuo managed to fill his cloth bag filled with many delightful booties, including stamps, first day covers and several other special issues of philatelic products such as gold and silver coins symbolizing Beijing's Olympic bid, overseas torch relay and its eventual opening.

"We sold several thousands of first day covers for the opening of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. And many spent money buying sets of Olympic souvenirs which include stamps, first day covers, postcards, and commemorative coins, banknotes and pins," said Wang Yi, a saleswoman busy working at a booth for China National Philatelic Corp.