They win medals without sweating!

The scintillating designs on the Olympic stamps are inspiration enough for philatelists to choose the Games as a theme. Here’s how their fervour grows faster, higher and stronger

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Athens, Paris, St Louis, Stockholm, Antwerp, Paris, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Berlin, London, Helsinki, Melbourne, Rome, Tokyo, Mexico, Munich, Montreal, Moscow, Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Beijing, London.

What do these cities have in common? The Olympics. Yes, these are the cities associated with the modern Olympic Games, which began in 1896.

The world’s first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system — the Penny Black — was issued in Great Britain on May 6, 1840. Since then, many countries have issued postage stamps, featuring the ruling monarch.

However, some countries became imaginative and released postage stamps bearing themes.

The first thematic stamp was released by Canada in 1856, featuring a beaver, a popular animal in that country. Till the turn of the century, thematic stamps were far and few, and stamp collectors generally adopted collections of stamps issued by a particular country. Such collectors are called traditional philatelists.

The opportunity to collect thematic stamps came by way of a set of stamps on Columbus, the man who is believed to have discovered America. The stamps were released during the New York Fair in 1893.

During the first modern Olympic Games, at Athens in 1896, 12 stamps were issued by the host country. These stamps are considered to be the first stamps on the theme of sport.

During the 10th anniversary of the Olympic Games, Greece again issued 14 stamps. However, these aren’t considered Olympic stamps because the Games in 1906 weren’t part of the usual four-year cycle.

The hosts — Paris (1900), St Louis (1904), London (1908), Stockholm (1912) — did not issue stamps commemorating the Games. The 1916 Games at Berlin weren’t held due to World War I, but post war saw the release of three stamps by Belgium during the Antwerp Games (1920).

The Paris Games (1924) saw the release of four stamps. For the first time, on this occasion, six other countries also released stamps to commemorate the Games. This was also the year when the Winter Olympics were held for the first time ever.

The ninth Olympic Games at Amsterdam (1928), where eight stamps were issued by the host country, were of great significance to India. The Indian hockey team returned with Gold and continued to do so till 1956.

The Games went back to the American continent when the tenth Olympic Games were held in Los Angeles (1932) and two stamps were issued on this occasion.
The 11th Games at Berlin (1936) were used by Hilter to project the image of the Aryan race and emerging Nazi Germany.

However, the credit of dominating the Games went to the American Jesse Owens who won four gold medals.

The Germans issued a set of eight stamps — all surcharged. (A surcharge on stamps is adopted by the issuing authority to collect funds for the event commemorated by that particular stamp).

The 12th and 13th Games were not held due to World War II. But during the course of the war in Europe, a POW (Prisoners of War) camp in Poland held a sporting event and released three stamps. These stamps are fervently sought by Olympic philatelists.

The Post War Games were held in London (1948), when a set of four stamps were issued.

It is fascinating to know that the stamps from Great Britain do not bear the name of the country. They have the image (silhouette) of the ruling monarch instead. Since then, every host country of the Games has issued commemorative stamps.

Of late, host countries have issued a series of stamps and other philatelic material (maximum cards, miniature sheets, sheetlets, booklets etc) from the time the city is chosen as the host city till the commencement of the Games. 

London, the host country for the 30th Olympic Games, has issued 30 stamps.