To mark its Centennial celebrations, FIFA has commissioned its first ever set of commemorative coins and medals, which will be unveiled at the World Money Fair in Basle on 30 January 2004.
The coin and medal programme has been launched in association with the official mints in Paris (FIFA’s birthplace) and Switzerland (FIFA’s current headquarters), as well as with the Central Banks of Brazil (five-time world
champions) and Uruguay (host nation of the inaugural FIFA World Cup(tm) in 1930). The medals and coins will commemorate each country’s respective achievements in the game.
FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter believes that these coins and medals are ideal mementos: ‘Coins and medals have a long-standing tradition in the world of football and these sought-after collectors’ items are produced for World Cups and anniversaries. They have always been popular and I am happy to say that this is still the case, even though we now live in an era with more and more payments by automated transfer and an ever-increasing virtual cash flow.’
The FIFA President will unveil these coins and announce further details regarding the programme at a media conference at the Basle Congress Centre (Sydney room, 2nd floor) at 15.00h on 30 January 2004. Franz Beckenbauer –
the President of the German local organising committee for the 2006 FIFA World Cup(tm) – will also be in attendance. The World Money Fair will be officially declared open at 16.00h.
The gold and silver legal tender coins will be available from May 2004 onwards both individually and as a collectors’ set. FIFA has appointed MDM Münzhandelgesellschaft GmbH Deutsche Münze (‘MDM’) – the world’s largest private numismatic trade company – to sell, distribute and promote the coins commissioned as part of FIFA’s Centennial celebrations.
Media representatives interested in attending this press conference are requested to register directly with the organisers of the World Money Fair by completing the enclosed form.
For more information on the events planned to mark FIFA’s Centennial:
Further information from:
FIFA Media Department
As of 1 January 2004: Tel.: +41-43/222 7272 – Fax: +41-43/222 7373 – e-mail:
media@fifa.org