SBĚRATEL Fair - A review

dakan

Hi Folks

I recently attended the Sberatel collectors fair in Prague, so I thought I’d write a little review for anyone interested.
For context I’ve only ever attended the annual Stampa show in Dublin and I once went to the London Coin fair. So, for me the size of this fair and the quantity of items available was amazing. There were some banknote dealers that I would estimate had more notes for sale then all the dealers at Stampa combined.



In terms of quantity of items available I would rank them as firstly stamps.

dakan

Then I would say a tie between banknotes and postcards.

dakan

Banknotes

dakan

Lots of cheap junk notes to be had also. Great if you want to buy in bulk. I love the old Russian imperial 5 and 10 Ruble notes and plan to use them to cover one of my banknotes albums like when your mammy used to cover your schoolbooks in wallpaper. If you look you can get them for less than a Euro each.

dakan

Also, a lot of fantasy notes. I’m not big into them but did get some Matej Gabriš (http://www.gabrisbanknote.com/banknotes-gallery.html ) notes. He had three new notes launching at the fair and a book on his work. I got two of the notes but unfortunately the third was sold out. Got two more of his notes also.



Matej Gabriš' stall

dakan

The €0 souvenir notes were everywhere. It looked like some younger people were buying them. It would be great if it gets more people into the hobby.





Some of them seem to be going for big money!

dakan

Next coins both normal coins and bullion investment coins.

dakan

After that phonecards/bankcards. I don’t collect these, but I was seduced on the day to buy some erotic ones. Unitel Edwardian Beauties, Playboy and some miscellaneous ones. :cool:





I knew people collected phonecards but collecting old bank cards was a new one for me. Some old AIB Banklink cards spotted. Yours for €2 each.



Or you could get yourself a gold card, as in a credit card made from gold. Available to apply for on the day. https://www.creditas.cz/real-gold

dakan

And finally, other collectibles like share bonds (scripophily). I don’t collect these but did pick up four. They were very cheap, and I love the vignettes along the top. It reminds me of the back of Irish ploughman notes. I’ll frame them and hang them up.




Beer-mats, bottle tops and beer bottle labels. Only one table was selling them.



There were other odd bit and pieces. A stall selling fancy antiques, silverware, porcelain etc.

dakan

These little figures, not sure what they were.



Didn’t get a good pic but there were some other cards for sale. Bigger than credit cards and phone cards. Not sure what they were but they were selling fairly well.

dakan

There were a lot of tables for gemstones, fossils and minerals in the same hall (http://www.geosvet-expo.cz/en/). I think Sberatel and Geosvet fair are always held together.

dakan

There was also a vinyl and metal music fair in a different room.





So, if you are interested the next one is on in March 2020. But it seems to be in a hotel rather than the PVA convention centre so maybe they don’t expect as many dealers.

dakan

The haul!



Banknotes


Cheap €1 banknotes


Matej Gabriš banknotes

One autographed by the man himself.

dakan

Bonds


Postcards


Sexy phonecards

Blade

Nice report, looks great. I take it you didn't find any Irish notes or coins then?

Del.Monte

Very interesting and good to see that many of the dealers/buyers were not old fogeys. Hard to judge from the photographs but how would you rate the public attendance?

dakan

Blade wrote: »

Nice report, looks great. I take it you didn't find any Irish notes or coins then?

Did find some Irish notes. Nothing special 10s & £1 Lavery's. Some £1 Series B notes. A £10 Series B note was about the most of it. But wasn't specifically looking for Irish stuff.

dakan

Del.Monte wrote: »

Very interesting and good to see that many of the dealers/buyers were not old fogeys. Hard to judge from the photographs but how would you rate the public attendance?

The crowds were huge. There were points walking down the aisles when it was genuinely difficult to get to the tables. You had to move on and come back when it was quieter.

This was the queue inside for the special edition notes at reception.



Winds all the way around.



and one from inside the main hall;