In 2024 Valladolid hosted EXFILNA, the major national stamp exhibition, for the fourth time. This annual competitive exhibition has been organised since 1963 by the Spanish Federation of Philatelic Societies (FESOFI), with the indispensable sponsorship of the Sociedad Estatal Correos y Telégrafos, the Spanish Post – Correos.
The 1992, 2004 and 2011 EXFILNAs had previously been held in Valladolid. EXFILNA 2004 is especially remembered by those interested in variable value stamps. At the height of the boom in special imprints on Epelsa issues, the staff at the Correos temporary post office at the exhibition programmed the Epelsa franking balance to issue stamps with the ‘EXFILNA 2004 VALLADOL’ commemorative imprint, which was available throughout the event on some fifteen different designs (see article).
The 62nd National Philatelic Exhibition EXFILNA 2024 was promoted and excellently organised by the local philatelic association, the Grupo Filatélico Vallisoletano, which already has extensive experience in organising this type of event. The event took place in two different locations, a pleasant fifteen-minute walk apart.
From October 2nd to 6th, the Cúpula del Milenio hosted the large stamp exhibition. As a curiosity, this amazing multi-purpose dome was initially built for the Expo 2008 in Zaragoza, and was then acquired by the Valladolid City Council and relocated to the Plaza del Milenio in 2011.
The commercial fair with a few stamp stamp dealers and the Correos and Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (FNMT) stands, together with a multi-purpose area, were located in a large temporary marquee or pavilion set up in the Plaza de Portugalete, next to the cathedral, in the city center.
If the last EXFILNA in Teruel had dinosaurs as its central theme (see article), the Valladolid EXFILNA was dedicated to the cinema, ‘El séptimo arte se viste de sellos‘ (‘The seventh art dressed in stamps’). Since 1956, Valladolid has held a week of religious cinema, which from 1973 onwards adopted the name of SEMINCI, Semana Internacional del Cine, and has become one of the main international film festivals.
Correos prepared and released several special postal and philatelic products related to the city and the cinema to attract the interest of visitors. These included postcards and postal stationery items, regular and personalised stamps, a commemorative mini-sheet depicting the Conde Ansúrez, a premium sheet dedicated to the local actress Concha Velasco, folders and proofs, special packs … as well as many special and first day postmarks.
And specifically related to our area of collecting, Correos released two new ATM designs for the EXFILNA in Valladolid, each with their respective commemorative covers, postcards and postmarks.
Unlike the previous year in Teruel, where Correos produced two special imprints in nearby towns, all the variable value stamps this time were issued from its stand in the Plaza de Portugalete, … although a special issue had been prepared in Peñafiel, 50 kilometres east of Valladolid (see end of the article).
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