Why the name Coubertin.com? Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee in 1894. But he was not the founder or the earliest reviver of the modern Olympic Games. The Olympic Games had already been revived with an Olympic Games in Athens, Greece funded by the philanthropist Evangelis Zappas in 1859 (refer to Zappas.org). Dr William Penny Brookes, another reviver, founded the Wenlock Olympian Society in 1860, in Much Wenlock, Shropshire (England) on the back of a Games that began in 1850. The Much Wenlock games were not very 'Olympic-like' before the early 1860s and have never been held in a stadium. Dr Brookes organized a national Olympic Games in London at the old Crystal Palace in 1866. The Baron met Dr Brookes in Much Wenlock and was inspired to go on to form the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894 and the first IOC Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece in 1896. Evangelis Zappas left his vast fortune, in his will, for the refurbishment of the stadium in Athens (used for the 1870, 1875, 1896, and 1906 Olympic Games, as well as for events during the 2004 Olympic Games) and for the first modern building to be built specifically for the Olympic Games, called the Zappeion, that was used for the fencing events in 1896 and as an Olympic Village for the Hungarian team in 1906. What are the benefits of using Coubertin.com? Coubertin.com is the biggest specialized auction of Olympic Games memorabilia and collectibles in the world. For buyers the benefits include: - No buyers' commissions. - Coubertin.com specializes in memorabilia and collectibles of the Olympic Games which means that Olympic Collectors do not have to trawl through non-Olympic listings. There are some non-Olympic listings but there are a very small percentage in comparison. - The specialized format makes it easy to find what you are looking for. - A smaller number of vendors means lower overall postage costs compared to other Internet auctions. For vendors the benefits include: - No listing commissions (waived till end of 2011). - Completely free service for all lots listed and sold for 15.00 US dollars and less. - Very low sales commissions for lots sold for 15.01 US dollars and more. See http://www.coubertin.com/register.html for further details. - A specialized marketplace for vendors of Olympic memorabilia and collectibles where almost all members collect memorabilia and collectibles of the Olympic Games. - Coubertin.com has sponsored all worthwhile Olympic Collectors' publications including: the Society of Olympic Collectors Torch Bearer (for postal historians); the Olympin Members Directory (for Olympic pin collectors); the Journal of Olympic History published by the International Society of Olympic Historians, as well as athletics events at the Wenlock Olympian Games. What do I do if a buyer doesn't pay me? A buyer must not bid on any item that they do not intend to pay for. A bid is a contract with the vendor to pay for the lots that the buyer bids on. If a buyer fails to pay for lots within a reasonable time then please advise the Administrator through the admin@coubertin.com email address. Coubertin.com operates a fast-track service for trusted vendors (those with more than 200 sales). Coubertin.com will lock the buyer's account until bids are paid for. What do I do if I have not received lots that I have paid for? Coubertin.com operates a fast-track service for trusted buyers (those who have purchased more than 50 items). Coubertin.com will instantly lock the accounts of vendors (with fewer than 20 sales) that have failed to offer a credit or a refund when insured postage has been paid for. What do I do if the lots that I have received are damaged in the post? If you have not paid for the goods to be insured prior to posting the vendor is not liable for goods damaged in the post. For valuable items it is always a good idea to pay for insured post. What do I do if the lots that I have received are not in the condition described or were not described correctly? The majority of vendors are reasonable and will either issue credits or refunds for lots that buyers have good reason not to be completely satisfied with. After all, if you are not happy with what they sell you then it is unlikely that you will buy from them again. Are you having problems with incoming and/or outgoing email? Coubertin.com recommends the free FASTMAIL.FM service as a fast, secure and reliable email service that you can use via your browser or through your PC email software (e.g. Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Express). Click HERE if you would like to find out more about this service.