Goal to Smash Guinness World Record for Fastest Printing of a Postage Stamp

Austria Post UEFA EURO 2008TM Souvenir Sheet of Stamps

Austria Post and the Austria State Printing House OeSD are preparing to smash the current Guinness World Record for the fastest printing of a postage stamp. Austria Post plans to release a souvenir sheet - UEFA EURO 2008TM Champions - less than four hours after the end of the Final to be played in the Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna, on Sunday 29 June.

The souvenir sheet will incorporate five 55c stamps (Internal postage rate for a first class letter) and five 65c stamps (rate for letter in the EU). The world record attempt will begin when the referee blows the final whistle of EURO 2008, co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland .

The world record stands at 10 hours, 24 minutes. It was achieved on 20 April 2001 by the Crown Agents Stamp Bureau and the Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau with a £2 souvenir sheet, issued to celebrate the 75th birthday of Queen Elizabeth the second, the following day.

In Vienna , two official independent witnesses will keep a detailed log of each stage of the production and printing of the stamps. It is anticipated that a new world record time will be set when the first sheet of stamps is sold from the counter of an Austria Post Stamps Shop in the early hours of Monday 30 June.
The Post Shop, situated at Kaerntner Strasse 44, about 400 meters from St Stephen’s Cathedral, in the heart of Vienna, will open at 2am to welcome members of the public and the media.

The famous Guinness World Records Logo will be included on the edge of each sheet of ten stamps.
The words on the edge of the sheet will include: GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TM - FASTEST PRINTING OF A POSTAGE STAMP, 29 June 2008 UEFA EURO 2008 CHAMPIONS.
The name of the winning country will also be included on the edge of the sheet and it is expected that the stamps will show a picture of the winning team holding the Euro 2008 trophy.

Stamp expert Peter Jennings, who conceived the idea of this Guinness World Records attempt, said: “This engaging special EURO 2008 CHAMPIONS souvenir sheet will capture the imagination of football fans and stamp collectors throughout Europe .”

Mr Jennings, a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London, added: “A stamp showing a picture of the EURO 2008 Champions holding the trophy will be a wonderful and instant memento of a magnificent achievement.”

About Austrian Post
Austrian Post is Austria’s leading logistics company, with more than 25,000 employees, and subsidiaries in eight other European countries. The company provides the highest quality letter mail and parcel services, and is required by law to ensure universal postal services in Austria. With annual revenue of EUR 2.3 bn in the 2007 financial year, the company is an important economic factor in the country. Austrian Post is continuing to invest in further expanding its business in European markets, and ranks among the most important investors in Eastern and South East Europe.

Contact:
Austrian Post
Marc Zimmermann
Director of Corporate Communications
Tel.: +43 (0) 577 67 – 22626
E-Mail: marc.zimmermann@post.at

Michael Homola
Press Spokesman
Tel.: +43 (0) 577 67 – 32010
E-Mail: michael.homola@post.at
Vienna, June 24, 2008