In recent years, the International Federation of Philately (FIP) has been actively encouraging the collecting of more recently issued philatelic materials. To create a specific venue for philatelists to showcase these collections, FIP has added mophila (modern philately) salons to international competitive exhibitions. These salons debuted in Germany at Mophila 1985 Hamburg.

Since the objective of these salons is to encourage beginning philatelists to exhibit, the FIP has eschewed strict judging regulations and issued instead some general guidelines:

I. Stamps or other philatelic material used are restricted to issues of the past 15 years. Exhibitors may freely choose any materials to exhibit so long as they are related to the topic.

II. An exhibit in a mophila salon must have a topic. The manner of presentation is entirely up to the exhibitor, but there must be a brief written introduction on the first page of each exhibit.

III. There is no mophila salon entry fee, but exhibitors must mail in their exhibits at their own expense. The organizers, however, will pay for the return shipping after the exhibition is over.

IV. Originally, winners were determined by public vote. Since 1994, they have been judged just like other exhibits.

V. Exhibitors do not have to be members of the FIP. They can be of any age and can enter as an individual or as a group. Each exhibit shall have one to five frames. The scope of each mophila salon should be between 50 to 150 frames.

I. Mophila salons aim to encourage the collection of recent stamp issues as well as group collaboration (with no age restrictions). They are well suited for teams of novice philatelists or parents and children.

II. These exhibits are not confined by FIP's special regulations.

There are no strict limits on the types of philatelic materials exhibited, and there is nothing wrong with including some “non-philatelic items,” such as phone cards, transit fare cards or pictures.