The third edition of PIM – Phonecards International Meeting takes place from 17 to 19 April 2026 in Grugliasco, near Turin, and applications for a table are now open. Any collector of phonecards or telephony-related material can apply, whether to share part of a collection with fellow enthusiasts or to make cards available for exchange.
This edition carries extra meaning: 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the first public phonecard, and the event will celebrate it together with returning collectors and newcomers alike.
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A Meeting Point for Collectors, Not a Trade Event
Tables here are rarely run by professional dealers. Most of the people behind them are collectors themselves, often WPC Club members, who bring part of their own collection to share with visitors, swap duplicates, or simply talk phonecards face to face for three days. Entry is free for everyone beyond the table fee, and the atmosphere stays close to a gathering of people who share the same passion rather than a purely commercial event. For many of them, the table is as much about the conversations as about what changes hands.
Who Can Apply
A table is open to any collector of phonecards or telephony-related material, whether the goal is to display part of a collection, exchange duplicates with other collectors, or offer cards for sale. There is no requirement to be a professional dealer, a WPC Club member, or an Italian resident: past editions have brought together participants from across Europe as well as South Africa, China and Australia. The application form is available in multiple languages, reflecting this international community, and newcomers are always welcome alongside collectors returning year after year.
89 Tables, One Hall: How Exhibitor Spaces Work at PIM
These spaces are organised as individual tables, each 2 metres long, inside the Salone La Nave at Parco Culturale Le Serre. For 2026, 89 tables are available, assigned on a first-come, first-served basis: once they are filled, no further reservations can be accepted, so early applications are recommended. Collectors bring their own display materials, such as albums or stock books, as table surfaces are provided but not display equipment. The participation fee covers all three days and is set at just €85 per table, keeping it accessible to individual collectors rather than only larger dealers.
What to Expect Behind a Table
A table here is, above all, a starting point for conversation. Visitors often stop to look through albums, ask about specific countries or series, or compare notes on values and rarity, so collectors who bring a few well-organised highlights alongside the bulk of their collection tend to get the most out of the three days. It is as much about trading and swapping as about buying and selling, and many exchanges happen informally between neighbouring tables during quieter moments. Multiple languages are spoken around the hall, so a few key phrases or simple price labels in more than one language can go a long way.
A Growing International Meeting
PIM has grown quickly since its first edition in 2024 at Parco Esposizioni Novegro near Milan, which brought together 82 exhibitors from 25 countries and around 400 visitors. In 2025, the meeting moved to Grugliasco, with 54 from 19 countries and roughly 1,100 visitors.
With 89 tables available and a programme built around the 50th anniversary of the phonecard, this edition is set to be the biggest yet, and those who join this year will be part of that milestone.
2026, the 50th Anniversary of the Phonecard
2026 marks fifty years since SIDA, based in Montichiari, produced the first public phonecard in 1976, and this edition will celebrate the milestone throughout the three days. Urmet S.p.A. joins as Official Partner, presenting a selection of historical pieces from its archive alongside the tables, while Museo Telefonia Pubblica will bring a vintage phone booth and other public telephony objects to the hall.
For everyone with a table, this means sharing the floor with fifty years of phonecard history over the same weekend: a rare chance to display a collection next to pieces from the very beginning of the medium. The same weekend will also host a charity auction in support of Fondazione Piemontese per la Ricerca sul Cancro, open to all.
How to Apply
Applying for a table is simple: the official form is available on the Become an Exhibitor page, together with the full event rules and practical information. PIM takes place every April in Grugliasco, and tables are assigned in order of arrival until the 89 spaces are filled, so early applications are recommended. The same page lists details on table size, set-up times, and what participants can bring, exchange or sell during the three days.
Planning Your Visit
For those travelling to Grugliasco from outside the area, WPC Club has put together a guide to nearby hotels with special rates, covering options close to Parco Culturale Le Serre and within easy reach of Turin. For more on what to see and do in the city during your stay, Turismo Torino e Provincia, one of the event’s institutional patrons, is a useful starting point.
Entry is free for visitors throughout the three days, and the venue, Via Tiziano Lanza 31 in Grugliasco, is reachable from central Turin by car or public transport in around twenty minutes.
Join the WPC Community
PIM is organised by the Worldwide Phonecards Collectors Club, the non-profit association that brings together phonecard collectors from more than 30 countries throughout the year, not only during the three days of the meeting in Grugliasco. Taking part is open to members and non-members alike, but becoming a WPC Club member is the best way to stay connected with the community all year round, with updates shared on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
