16.8.2026
Centenary of Exhibition Philately in Finland – CentEx28
The CentEx28 stamp exhibition, which will be staged at the Cable Factory in Helsinki on February 27-28, 2028, celebrates the centenary of philatelic exhibitions in Finland. It is arranged by the Finnish Society of Postal History and the Korso Philatelic Society. The exhibition website www.centex28.fi is now open and presents the first stamp exhibition in Finland, arranged in 1928. At the website, you can browse the exhibition catalogue from 1928 and read the detailed report on the exhibition, published by the journal Suomen Postimerkkilehti in its issue 9-10/1928.
The first philatelic exhibition in Finland was arranged on November 10-18, 1928 in the Art Hall of Helsinki. It was arranged by six philatelic societies in cooperation and it was seen by over 5300 visitors during one week. The Finnish postal services issued two commemorative stamps for the occasion. The exhibition contained 97 exhibits. Exhibitors came from six countries.
In Suomen Postimerkkilehti, the presentation deals with the arrangements, contents and programme of the exhibition. Outside the competition, the famous philatelist Agathon Fabergé participated with exhibits on Finnish, Russian and Polish philately. The Finland collection of Fabergé was probably the greatest of all times and it contained all conceivable rarities. The journal shows a photograph where one can see, on the same exhibition page, two pieces of a tête-bêche block of four of the first 5 kopek oval stamp of Finland, one tête-bêche six block of the 10 kopek stamp, plus a tête-bêche block of four! Among the postal stationery there was the 20 kopek stationery cover of 1850, the greatest rarity of Finnish philately.
CentEx28 is a national philatelic exhibition, presenting an overview of stamp collecting today. It contains 12 competition classes, among these traditional philately, postal history, thematic philately, postcards and youth philately.
10.1.2026
Stamp Exhibition CentEx28 – Centenary of Exhibition Philately in Finland
The Finnish Society of Postal History and Korso Philatelic Society cooperate in arranging the national stamp exhibition CentEx28 at Kaapelitehdas in Helsinki on February 26-27, 2028. The exhibition celebrates 100 years of exhibition philately in Finland.
The first stamp exhibition in Finland lasted one week and it was staged at the Helsinki Art Hall in November, 1928. It was arranged by a consortium of five stamp clubs and received a lot of attention. Two postage stamps were issued for the occasion.
The collecting of postage stamps alias philately is still a popular collecting activity in Finland and many countries. The world of stamps presents the history, as well as natural and societal conditions of various countries in a fascinating way. Classical philatelic objects occasionally catch very high prices at auctions. The Finnish Philatelic Federation has over 50 member societies with a total membership exceeding 3000. In addition, a great number of people collect stamps outside organised philately.
A national stamp exhibition is arranged every year in Finland, in addition to smaller shows. In the five Nordic countries, an annual Nordic Stamp Exhibition is arranged, alternating between the countries. The next one is Nordia 26, to be held at Dipoli in Espoo, Finland on May 8-10, 2026.
The CentEx28 web pages will open in the spring of 2026 and provide more information.
The two arranging societies have appointed an organising committee consisting of the following five persons: Petteri Hannula, Tuomas Juvonen, Jari Majander, Heikki Peltola and Per-Edvin Persson.