Germany

I was really happy when I received this package... It was a blind swap German Cards for UAE 100 cards ... But I received like 40 German and the rest were from Turkey... Its fine but thought as agreed will receive 100 German cards .
Any ways I thank the sender :)
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Nice Cards from Norway

A real nice collection of cards I received from Norway not to mention the nice stamps on the envelop... Thanks Sirinor
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

New addition again wow

New meal of cards :) from my sister in law hotel keys and a phone card from France wohooo :o)))))
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Sugar from Turkey

Am I lucky or lucky? (Big smile) to have such friends who think of me wherever they go :)

Thanks Raffo3 for the nice collection

Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

I have participated in this exhibition !!woohooo

An exhibition of treasures unveiled as DSS 2009 The Collectors officially opens

___________________________________________________

The Collectors’, a signature event of Dubai Summer Surprises 2009, was officially inaugurated on July 28, 2009 at Wafi, by Sheikh Mohammed bin Juma Al Maktoum, Head of the UAE Billiards and Snooker Federation. Also present at the opening were Laila Suhail, Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai Shopping Festival Office, (DSF Office); Yousif Mubarak, Chief Operations Officer of DSF Office, Shahjahan Uneen, General Manager of Wafi Property, and a host of local and regional media that had gathered to watch the prized collections of 18 exhibitors. The items featured at ‘The Collectors’ this year are distinctive, unique, and exceptional pieces that date back from two centuries to thousands of years. The historical musical instruments presented by Nasser Makhoul include a Roman bagpipe from 300 BC, a ceramic flute dated 2300 BC and a Celtic pipe from 400 AD, among many others. Eighteenth-century musical instruments by Ghada Kunash were also part of the collections. Akram Miknas, another well-known collector, shared his collections that included the 1890 barrel carousel organ, the Joseph Fuzelli (London, year 1799) early English six-stop barrel organ and the musical boxes forte piano believed to be introduced by Nicole Freres in 1840. The Vindemia Gallery is also participating in the exhibition with antique and collectible items ranging from an 1892 gramophone to an 18th century revolver in mahogany inlaid music box of 6 cylinders. Vintage cars including the 1924 Ferrari and stamps by the Al Serkal Cultural Foundation, old manuscripts and photographs by Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage, and antique cameras, old issues of the Time Magazine and other daily newspapers by Ehsan Nasser Ahmed Hussain also make for interesting viewing. The exhibition also displays contemporary and amusing collections. Suhail Al Zarooni showcased coins and paper money that from countries such as Russia, India, Thailand, Kuwait, KSA, Bahrain, Oman, Singapore, US, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and UAE, to name a few. He also shared his other registry such as miniature cars, miniature Fender guitars, newspapers, magazines, Starbucks drinking mugs and even M&M chocolate character collectibles. Amusing souvenirs from around the world like snow globes, jeepneys, miniature airplanes and masks were the focal point of Suhail and Saif Walid’s mementos while the group Phoenix Riders and Hisham Demashki put on show Harley Davidson motorcycles that the group used in their cross-country travels. Another highlight of the event is the world’s smallest 18-karat diamond ring with a gross weight of only 0.024 grams. Created by Syrian artist Obaid Qudsi in collaboration with Damas Jewellery, the ring is displayed in a special casing. Other collections include stamps from various GCC countries, renowned hotel key cards, phone cards, Kinder Surprises toys, prayer beads, stones and gems, perfume bottles, cufflinks, designer pens, and wrist watches. ‘The Collectors’ is open from 10am to 10pm at Wafi, and will run until August 7

New addition from Malaysia

in addition to the below Phone Card I got these as well :o)
JW Marriott hotel key.... & sugar
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Terminator Salvation "Malaysia"

If the pic was of Christian Bale, I would put the card in my wallet :o)
I have 1 card available for swap.
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

New Sugar addition ..

From Alison Nelson Chocolate Bar
NY - Dubai - Long Island Beach
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

New Hotel Keys from Dubai"Atlantis Hotel"

Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

" fusilately " and " telegery " !!!

Telecom companies have also taken advantage of phone cards to place advertising on them, or to feature celebrity portraits, artwork, or attractive photography to increase the appeal of the cards to consumers. This practice, combined with the disposability of the cards (encouraging individuals to purchase multiple cards), has led some people to start collecting phone cards as a hobby.
The hobby is called "fusilately" in the UK and a collector is known as a "fusilatelist" ; in the USA it is called "telegery". Phonecards have been collected worldwide since the mid 1970's and peaked in the mid 1990s. At its height, over 2 million people collected phonecards.
Many web sites exist that are dedicated to this hobby, some of which offer catalogs and show the stories behind the cards. Colnect is a site providing the world's most extensive online phonecards catalog[
The hobby has been in decline (in some countries) due to the some telecom companies ceasing to supply phonecards


Source: Wikipedia

why do people collect ? (1)

Yeah!
=>What makes some one decide to collect something?
=>How does it start that: "I am going to keep this thing and start looking for more"

=>How do you arrange your collection? I was visiting my friend's house the other day and was talking to her daughters and asking them to collect phone cards for me when they travel.. They were a bit surprised !! But when I told them its my hobby >> each one started to call me to go to her room, and each showed me her own collection of things ...

The eldest collects thimbles and pins The thimbles are nicely arranged in a Cupboard.

while the pins are arranged to like a boarder

The other one collects magnets and she keeps some other souvenirs that she can stick in her diary.

The third daughter collects pens & pencils .

I forgot to mention the youngest - the boy - he collects key rings and he knows, Mashallah, every single one he has

God Bless them all.

So the Question is what made them do this (collecting), what made them choose what to collect. what does it tell about a person's personality , what does it add to it, how good is this hobby to some one.....etc

Extra Beautiful Cards from my WISH LIST

Newly Received cards added to my humble collection ...
It's embarrassing though :( as the agreement was to send 4 cards( I did ), but he was kind enough to send me 7 cards one of them from a country I have no cards from ... Not fair :( problem is ... What can I send him !!!
Thank You "Smite"
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

A visit to the a post office

I went to one of the post offices this after noon...I really admire their services... How informative ... Helpful the staff are ... It doesn't matter where you are from...what kind of background you have.. You will leave them happy wishing them all the best because you got the service you came for (even more)
Why was I there !! Two shipments sent today :) one to UK and one to The Netherlands ...
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

New Addition to my colleaction ... Horraaay

it was really a great feeling when you receive letters and you realize they are PHONE CARDS not to mention the beautiful stamps on the envelop.

Thank you jerearto for the nice collection.. hope you like the cards I sent you :):)

Bye Bye

This package to be sent today ... This means am gonna receive new cards in my collection :)

Yupeee.... Can't wait

Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Special Cards

This is a collection that I like, I swap each of them for 2 cards
X-man2 (storm) - Singapore
Coca Cola - Bulgaria
Puma - Estonia
Spider-man - Italy
Linkin Park - Thailand
Golf Goofy - France

Unless you have cards of the same theme :)
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

what are the web sites that are specialised in collecting...

in the related links on the right side bar of this blog I have added two links to two nice websites, one of them is Colnect.
the place is amazing , I mean the way one get to check the wish list of others or swap list of others , and how to match your wish list with others swap list ..its cool :)
and it is not only for phone cards , stamps , coins anf other collectibles

it is amazing how hobbies connect people, all what count is --> [[what the collector have]] ...who she/he is ? not important .... where from ? not important either..
Happy collecting all :)

wow ! I found this today : http://www.uksucrologistsclub.org.uk/main/sweet_thoughts_articles/pink_panther_update_2007.pdf

interesting & very informative :)

Pink Panther "Sweet 'n Low" sugar

I am not sure if it's the same some where else in the world.... And am not sure if anyone have noticed these sweetener sachets .... They have Pink Panther on them! ..Cool aren't they !! Why do they do this .. Do they know ppl WILL notice !!! Do they know that some are going to stand at the serving tables and start sorting them out !! & start looking for the different pics of Pink Panther?  :) here they are Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

#sweet_n_low

New addition

I really and appreciate people who bring me cards they used when they traveled or remember that they may have phone cards for me when I tell them about my hobby ... It makes me wonder when I announce to others about my obsession and hobby they start to joke or make fun of it or simply say. " You collect trash!! I get rid of them instantly" the bomb is when any says to me" I just got rid or number of phone cards ) :(
A colleague dropped by today to bring me this GSM card and said that she is going to inform her brother in law who travel a lot to keep the cards for me:) GOD BLESS them :)



Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Care for Atlantis "Dubai" Sugar

Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Bulky collection added to mine ....

I don't know how to describe my feeling ... one of my friends decided that she no longer wants to continue collecting phone cards !!! ... She started it .. Went with it for some time .. Then gave it up .... Who's the lucky one here !!!!!!!! YES.... Moi :):):) even thought I have almost most of them but there are cards r like filling the blanks ... The coolest ever are the cards from other countries .. Yupeeeee...
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Two new Cards added to my collection

A friend of mine gave these two cards (from Mexico)... It was not expected !!!
Me !! Happy !! :):)
Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

e-Dirham Cards

in UAE we have other plastic "Chip" cards, one of which is the [e-dirham]

to know more about it visit the below website

http://www.e-dirham.gov.ae/

At first all the cards had the same image the UAE flag and a falcon , the borders' colors vary according to the cards value, they started to be produced with nice pictures of UAE scenes and culture.

so if you are interested I would like to swap/exchange the e-dirham cards I have with phone cards from your collection. I have all values of the first (earlier eddition) and a limited qty of the pictorial ones

Shipment to Germany :)

A package ready to be shipped to its new owner :)

Can't wait to receive the in exchange cards :)

Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Star Wars - Lord of the rings - Bat Man

Star Wars - Lord of the Rings - Bat Man

These are my favorite of the movies theme
I have seen some from Singapore, Brazil, Hungaria ...etc
does any one have any of them ?!?!?

Brazil (2) <----Cards I want from Brazil

Brazil (1) <---- Cards I want from Brazil

some of the cards I want from [[ Belgium ]]

Do you have the below cards?
would you like to swap them with cards from UAE ( or check offered countries in previous posts)

its hard

when I surf the net and see the cards of different countries, I am like " yeah I want this" or " wow I wish I can find this one"
today I have seen lovley puzzle cards from different countries... some of them are realy nice :(

Nice Weather

We are having such a wonderful weather which we don't usually have at this time of the year :)

i just emailed this pic and post from my BB. Technology is great !!

Themes in UAE cards

For those who are interested in certain themes in UAE cards there are:

• Sports
• Boats
• Fish and other sea animals
• butterflies
• pottery
• paintings
• babies
• ads
• old phones
• birds
• desert
• animals
• flowers
• landscape views
• old building
• fireworks
• trees
• lanterns
• sea shells
• people in traditional clothes
• traditionals ( dancing, sports, games ..etc)
• arabic coffee Pots ( like tea pots !)
• forts
• logos of different local socities and departments ...etc
• traditional hand crafts

tell me wha your theme is and I shall see if I can find you some :)

I also Have cards from China, Tanzania, Indiasome calling and internet cards from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt & Brazil, Singapore.and the list is getting bigger with time :)I know I have cards from Pakistan but can't remember where I have stored them !!!!!

Cards I would like to have from - * Poland *

might find more and add later :)

Have you any of the above? let me know .... :)

My Favorite Phone Cards Themes

I have to mention that I have favorite themes of phone cards, such as, Disney Cards, Coca Cola Pepsi, McDonald...etc of the well known brands, Chocolates, Cats, Old Phones, Traditional Costumes, and movies Especially STAR WARS .

I shall be Posting Pictures of cards from my wish list :)
I shall also be posting UAE cards I have for swap... :)

Sugar Bags/ sachets for Phone cards:

I have received some requests to swap the cards I have with other items, which is ok with me as I have done it before, but the thing is that you get introduced to new items to collect.

You start collecting for others, then with time you realize that you have a collection of your own own , and this is what happened with me and the sugar bags .

I now collect them and always take extra numbers to swap them with phone cards. What I collect are from places I visited as souvenirs and I always take extra numbers to swap them with phone cards.

but I am kind of interesting in how do you keep them, in boxes , in albums ...any other suggestion, and how wide do you think this hobby is !!

I have a range of sugar bags from Australia, Saudi Arabia, Germany and UAE

I sawp them with phone cards only :)

Introduction

wow !!!

This is my first time ever, although I wanted to do it long time back, well I assume that you have read the (about me) part and you already know that I collect phone cards beside otherthings :)

I have a quite big collection of the United Arab Emirates Prepaid phone cards, although they stopped producing the nice pictorial ones. They are all the same different colors though according to the value, further to this most places have the paper printed ones now :( but WHY !!! I believe that phone cards are somehow like the stamps, events, ads; nice scenes are all documented on a card.

I don't know if you agree with me (especially if you are a non collectors who "may" think that such a hobby is nothing !!)