Everything started in the mythical year of 1896, on the occasion of the first modern Olympic Games. The Organizing Committee, which suffered of budgetary deficit, created a special Committee whose objective was to raise money necessary for the champions' medals and the participants' souvenir gifts. One of the most immediate actions was to sell souvenirs with the Olympic symbols. This way, next to the winners' silver and bronze medals - during the first Olympic Games there were no gold medals - and the honour diplomas, other objects, such as stamps, medallions, programs, books and others appeared.
112 years past since then. Years of success and development of the Olympics, during which not only the modern Olympic Games as we know them now were born, but also life and movement that surround them. The sponsors and television help them to maintain financial stability. The people's progress and the importance of sport in the contemporary life motivate the interest for the Olympics as entertainment. The association between the concepts Sport-Culture, as an important part of the Games, attracted people from all the classes of the society to this global event.
Collectors also have found their place in the historic and cultural reality of the Olympic movement. Their interest was driven to everything related to it: stamps, pins, medals, posters, tickets, books, torches, photographs, trophies, coins, ties... The Olympic collectors' clubs operate in many countries: Norway, the United States of America, Canada, Russia, France, Australia, Germany, Czech Republic, etc. It was Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Comity during 21 years, who motivated the process of recognition of the Olympic collectors as an important part of the Olympic movement.
The olympic memorabilia has become in our days one of the most emblematic consequences of the Olympics. Thousands of people fall in the Olympic collecting fever during the Games to convert it into a hobby for their spare time.