BERLIN, Feb 8: Germany on Wednesday launched a series of five stamps and a silver souvenir coin to commemorate the football World Cup finals which take place across the country in June and July.

The stamps, which go on sale on Thursday, were unveiled at a ceremony featuring Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck and World Cup organiser Franz Beckenbauer.

They depict the official World Cup poster, two of the stadiums, and a mass of German flags being waved by football fans.

Another stamp shows a horse to represent the other major sporting event of the year in Germany, the World Equestrian Games, to be held in Aachen on August 22 to September 3.

The 10-euro (12-dollar) silver coin has a football motif on one side and the eagle of the federal republic on the flip side.

The World Cup kicks off on June 9 in Munich and concludes on July 9 with the final in Berlin.—AFP