St Gorg and Caravaggio to feature in philatelic exhibition

A wide variety of exhibits ranging in theme from Caravaggio and St Gorg Preca to Stars of Screen and Stage will be displayed at the Malta Philatelic Society's annual Maltex exhibition this weekend.

The exhibition will be held between Friday and Sunday at Le Méridien Phoenicia, in Floriana.

Society president Alfred Bonnici said: "Our society promotes philately in all its aspects, and this yearly exhibition is an incentive to our members to show their prized possessions. It is a window where our members display their research, ingenuity, and love for the hobby".

The exhibition and dealers' bourse will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. till noon on Sunday.

Stamp tokens will be offered to young visitors, courtesy of Maltapost plc, Sliema Stamp Shop, Emanuel Said Stamp Dealers and John Curtin Ltd (International Dealers).

On Saturday, John Curtin will offer free valuation of collections.

On Sunday, stamp designers of stamp sets issued in 2006/2007 will be signing First Day Covers between 10 and 11 a.m.

The Malta Philatelic Society is a non-profit organisation that aims to encourage the study of postage stamps and the educational hobby of stamp collecting.

Maltapost's Philatelic Bureau will be issuing an occasion card and a postal card to mark the event.

The occasion card, number 18 in the series, marks the 150th anniversary of the use of adhesives in the postal service on the island. In September 1857, British postage stamps started being used officially on mail from Malta to other destinations.

The postal card, number 28 in the series, will commemorate the participation of Maltapost in the Maltex 2007 philatelic exhibition.

Furthermore, a special cancellation for the exhibition will be used on the same days, both at Maltapost's outlet at Le Méridien and at the Dar Annona retail outlet, Castille Place, Valletta.

Both cards will be available in mint and cancelled format from Maltapost retail outlets, from the company's mobile unit and from the temporary post office during exhibition hours.