The 2004 Beijing International Stamp and Coin Expo has opened in Beijing. Stamp and coin enthusiasts flocked to catch a glimpse of the various attractions on show, CCTV reported Thursday.

Over 100 postal departments, as well as stamp and coin dealers from 38 countries and regions attended the event. Special feature and memorial stamps are the main themes of the exhibition. The patterns of special feature stamps are usually represented as flowers, birds, figures and animals painted in bright colors. Some memorial stamps tell stories of certain periods from political and economic angles.

China started holding the International Stamp and Coin Expo since 1995. Today, it is the second largest coin exhibition in the world.

(CCTV.com October 29, 2004)