The 2009 World Stamp Exhibition will kick off on Thursday evening in Luoyang in central China's Henan province.

This is the first time that all 84 members of the Federation of International Philately (FIP), the exhibition's sponsor, will be represented at the annual event, Guo Hongchang, vice chairman of the 2009 World Stamp Exhibition's executive committee, told China.org.

The event displaying over 3,200 framed stamp collections will run from April 10 to 16.

The rarest stamps at this year's showcase include the "Penny Black" from the British royal family, as well as Red Revenue Stamps from the China National Post and Postage Stamp Museum, China.org.cn says.

A panel of 60 experts from 20 countries will also select the winners of the best stamp collection competition.

The first international stamp exhibition was held in Vienna in 1881.

This year's exhibition will be held in the newly inaugurated addition to the Luoyang Museum.