Today I had a table at at our local flea market. I went there with some of my passports to promote passport collecting and what can I tell? The people were quite interested in this “strange” collection field and looked very interested into my documents and asked many questions. One question I heared many time that day was “Is it leagal to collect old passports?” My answer as always …”Yes, it is!”
I sold around 10 passports and could connect to some potential future collectors, distributed some flyers and “business cards”. I got in touch also with another dealer who told me he has 2 old Swiss passports ~1850. Another potential new collector (a priest by the way) will visit me in time to see my collection might buy some items.
With my iPad I could present many different kinds of passports to the audience and especially the old Swiss passorts got the attention. As the old Greece passports in blue cover had earlier also the “Swiss cross” I was asked if this was a special version of the Swiss passport as they are usually in red cover. 
I can clearly say this day was a success in promoting passport collecting and I had fun and pleasure to present our common hobby to the public.
From the wise ass I am: Current design of the white and blue flag is from 1978, but was in use since 1822 by the Greek navy. Always been white and blue (but many different types and colours of local Greek flags). And there was Bavarian influensce in 1832: in the middle of the White and Blue flag the Bavarian blue/white coat of arms with crown was added for a while….
More on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Greece
And for the Swiss red shield and white cross: I concur with the different origin. It was meant as a fieldmark to identify combattants in the European battles of the 1300′s. Two stripes of white textile sewn on clothing…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Switzerland
Grtnx, enjoy your weekend and beautiful late summerdays,
Theo
Thank you Theo, even more info to tell Mr.+Mrs. Schweizer…
If I’m not mistaken Greece was ruled by Bavarian kings for some time in the 19th century, hence the blue-and-white which are the national colours of Bavaria. The Swiss cross is actually a white Greek cross on red background, technically speaking, although its origins are completely different.
Thank you Gil. I will tell this exactly as you say to “Mr. + Mrs. Schweizer” when they ask me again tomorrow at the local flea market.