<<

Volume 33 I Issue 1 12016 I ISSN 0954-2183

TORCH BEARER Official publication of the Society of Olympic Collectors

Ullebeemer 1016 If .21 fridwo ■

1859 1924 1866 1928 1870 1932 1875 1936 1896 1948 1900 1952 1904 1956 1906 1960 1908 1964 1912 1968 1920 1972 1924 1976 1928 1980 1932 1984 1936 1988 1948 1992 1952 1994 1956 1998 1960 2002 1964 2006 1968 krIltnumi WM, 2010 1972 2014 • 1976 2018 1980 2022 1984 1988 1992 r ra,o2eit; 1996 2000 2004 2008 Li 2012 2016 2020 2024 SOC Society of Olympic Collectors Society of Olympic Collectors Executive Committee

Chairman Bob Wilcock email: [email protected] 24 Hamilton Crescent, Brentwood, Essex CM14 5ES,

Vice-Chairman Vacant

Secretary Paula Burger email: [email protected] 19 Hanbury Path, Sheerwater, Woking, Surrey GU21 5RB, United Kingdom

Editor & Mike Pagomenos email: [email protected] Website Admin 8 Tayside Drive, Edgware, Middlesex HA8 8RD, United Kingdom

Treasurer & David Frome email: [email protected] Distribution 129 Leicester Road, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN5 5EA, United Kingdom Manager

Auction Manager Chris Cohen email: [email protected] 3 Cowham Close, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7HG, United Kingdom

Librarian Vacant

International Packet Secretary Vacant

Public Relations Officer Vacant

Committee Jonathan Rosenthall email: [email protected] Member 7 Sandmoor Lane, Leeds LS17 7EA, United Kingdom

Torch Bearer

Back Issues: At present, most issues of Torch Bearer are still available to Volume 1, Issue 1 (March 1984), although some issues are no longer available. As stocks of issues are depleted they will not be reprinted and the Society cannot guarantee stocks of back issues for more than the last four years. Back issues cost £2 each, or £8 for a year's issues to Volume 24 and £2.50 per issue from Volume 25 except for Volume 25 issue 4b which is £4 and Volume 27 issue 1 which is £6. When ordering single issues please indicate which volume you require. UK cheques should be made payable to the 'Society of Olympic Collectors' and sent with your order to David Frome at the above address. Overseas payments should be made in £ Sterling via Paypal. Postage rates per issue are UK £0.60, Europe £2.30 and World £3.40.

Library: Photocopies of articles are available through the Librarian at 10 pence per sheet. Please enclose payment with the order. Books may be borrowed, but postage must be paid in both directions. The Librarian's address is listed above.

Copy Dates: Torch Bearer is usually published four times a year: in March, June, September and December. Articles or adverts for inclusion should be sent two months in advance. Torch Bearer Volume 33 I Issue 1 12016 I ISSN 0954-2183

Contents March 2016

Editorial 2

Correcting the history of the UK's Parliamentary Archives 3

British Olympic postal history 1956-2008 - Part 3 6

Tory Olympians - Part 1 16

Rio 2016 - third and fourth issues December 2015 18

Pre-Olympic coins minted for Rio 2016 - fourth set 22

Membership

Membership of the Society of Olympic Collectors starts on election, of which applicants will be notified, and will last for one calendar year. All back issues of the magazine for the current year will be sent to members joining during the year.

Junior members are those aged under 18 years in the year of joining, subscription rates are half of the adult rate until their 18th birthday.

All applications for membership should be made to the Secretary.

Subscription rates for 2016 when making payment in £ sterling, € or $US currency notes or £ sterling cheques are as follows:

United Kingdom: £15.00 / Europe: €30.00 / Outside Europe: €40.00 or $US45.00

Subscription rates for 2016 when making payment through Paypal are as follows:

United Kingdom: £16.00 / Europe: £22.00 / Outside Europe: £27.00

Payments are accepted through Paypal in £ sterling only and include the additional costs involved with accepting payment through Paypal. Editorial Welcome to a new Olympic year where we all are looking forward to Rio 2016. New philatelic issues for Rio 2016 from the Brazil Post are included in and on the cover of this issue.

Olympic anniversaries this year include: Berlin 1936 (80th), Berlin 1916 (100th) and 1866 (150th). There was ofcourse no Olympics held in 1916 but the round number for the anniversary is difficult to ignore. The National Olympian Games held at Crystal Palace in 1866 hosted the predecessor of the 100 metres event held at 1896 and there was no equivalent of the 100 metres race at ancient Olympia or at Athens in 1859, 1870 or 1875.

Before you read the first article in this issue it is worth knowing that if you draw a line on a map of Athens from the to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, then to the and back to the stadium that you will have captured within that triangle a large part of the Olympic legacy of Evangelis Zappas. That legacy includes the stadium itself, the National Garden and the national exhibition centre, called the , which was named after him.

Third instalment of British Olympic postal history 1956 - 2008 is included in this issue with some commemorative covers that were originally sold at the Royal Air Force museum in Hendon.

How many times have we all heard that sport and politics do not mix? One article in this issue looks at an item that was listed on the website of the UK's Parliamentary Archives which is, incidentally, a very interesting website to visit and lists a number of Olympic-related items accumulated by politicians. Another article specialises in British Members of Parliament who were also Olympians. I have to confess that before I read it I had no idea there were that many.

In February 2016, a movie called 'Race' that honours the life of Jesse Owens was released recreating key athletic events during Berlin 1936. Website for the Jesse Owens Memorial Park and The Jesse Owens Museum is at www.jesseowensmemorialpark.com. In April, a movie dedicated to 'Eddie the Eagle', the 1988 ski-jumper, makes its debut in cinemas.

It was announced at the beginning of March 2016 that a number of medallists from London 2012 have been disqualified for using performance-enhancing drugs and that their medals are being taken away. More annoying than the cheating itself is that it is identified several years after a medal ceremony. Will they be expecting post offices around the world to print postage stamps for new gold medallists or to change the colour of postboxes?

Those once complete sets of gold medallist stamps will be less complete. Collectors exhibiting stamps of gold medallists will need to point out the drug cheats and who should have been honoured instead. The philatelic equivalent of a drugs-cheat witch hunt with rogues' gallery. Collectors might like to start lobbying post offices for stamps and postboxes accordingly. Then there is all the associated memorabilia of the commercial sponsorship deals that gold medallists benefited from. Changing history is harder than it looks.

Bob Wilcock is planning to make a presentation for Olympic Collectors in Billericay in Essex on the 1st of September 2016. Do not hesitate to contact Bob for further details which should also appear in a future issue as soon as we have them.

Have added a stamp to the front cover commemorating the Winter Youth in held between the 12th and 21st of February 2016. 2 Correcting the history of the UK's Parliamentary Archives by Mike Pagomenos Noticed an error on the website of the United Kingdom's Parliamentary Archives (www.parliament.uk/archives) and informed the website administrator in January (see figure 1). Ticket for 1896 Olympic Games in Athens

Lcil Fullscreen fi: (ili Print g ,,,,f 1171 Email

Title: Ticket for 1896 Olympic Games in Athens Date: 1896

Catalogue number: Parliamentary Archives, LEG/3/4/2 Figure 1. Partial 'screen capture' of ticket as described on website. As is so often the case on the Internet, this image has already been copied and reused on other websites that also claim that this was a ticket for admission to the Athens 1896 Olympic Games. Be aware that it is not. The fact that the ticket is printed in the with an italicised font does not help when you cannot read Greek. Unfortunately, when a prestigious website makes an error it will likely be repeated. 3 The translation of the ticket shown in figure 1 is as follows: "LEG/3/4/2 Family of A. L. Gower Secretary of the Legation of G. Britain

Ticket for the Palace Garden Valid

from 27 April 1896 until 30 October 1896"

On this ticket, the month 'October' was abbreviated to '10ber'. This ticket provided access to the garden of the Old Royal Palace, the first Royal Palace of modern . Not the adjacent National Garden formerly called the 'Royal Garden'. Nor the New Royal Palace, now called the Presidential Mansion. The Old Royal Palace is now home to the Hellenic Parliament at . The Square used to be the front lawn of the Old Palace.

By the end of January the description of the ticket was changed to: "Ticket for entrance to the 'Palace Gardens' during the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens". Wrote again to explain that the Closing Ceremony for the Athens 1896 Olympics was held on April 15th and that this ticket was for admission to the Palace Garden from April 27th. i.e. no admission during the Games.

OLYMPIC MEMORABILIA MAIL BID AUCTIONS

114// ULF STROM ulf.strom*mbox302.swipnetse

4 At the beginning of February the image of the ticket had been deleted from the website of the Parliamentary Archives. It was an interesting item despite it not being described correctly and I hope that it will appear with an accurate description at some point in the future. 110, ItALusraotz LONVON N'ENM

AP1111, 14, 187:

Figure 2. 'A sketch in the gardens of the Royal Palace' shown on the cover of The Illustrated London News of April 14, 1877.

The sketch in figure 2 appeared, in The Illustrated London News, nineteen years before the Athens 1896 Games. In the background there is an impossibly clear view of the columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. When visiting Athens today there are many obstructions between both former palaces and the temple. I suspect that artistic license was used to make the view more appealing despite Athens being much less crowded then than it is now. 5 British Olympic Postal History 1956-2008 - Part 3 by Bob Wilcock

Moscow 1980 (addendum) Texaco Post Paid Impression (PPI)

POSTAGE PAID S.W.D.O. SERIAL NO 12e

TexaeoLld LonlonalVOJ.-

The BOA logo is © 1979

Los Angeles 1984 (addendum): BOA USA The British Olympic Association opened an office in LA for the Games, at 8826 Olympic Boulevard, Beverley Hills: 11111:-*-z

2( 1 i

0VMPlc, ' ■4t■ ea ■■Nll dpir-■ ILNS A a t"' z

R. I WILCOCK 24 HAMILTON CRESCENT GREAT BRITAIN BRENTWOOD ESSEX CM1! SEX GN ND 6 1986 100th Annual Olympian Games, Much Wenlock

1L.,,r1otympWENCOCXm rn t S.,e,Err

SOCIETY OF OLYMPIC COLLECTORS EAGLEWOOD OXHEY LANE HATCH END MIDDX HA5 4AL Sponsored by:- THE SOCIETY OF OLYMPIC COLLECTORS

SOC, founded two years earlier, in 1984, had a meeting at Much Wenlock during the 100'n Annual Olympian Games. sponsored a special handstamp. and produced its first souvenir.

1988 Stampex 1988 was not just an Olympic year, with the Winter Games at Calgary, and the Summer Games in Seoul, but it was also the 80th anniversary of the 1908 Games, th and the 40 anniversary of the 1948 Games in London, and there were a number of Olympic or pseudo-Olympic happenings commemorated philatelically. The first was Stampex in the spring. The exhibition handstamp included the British Olympic Association logo in the top right corner.

7 H.R.H. the Princess Royal In 1976, Princess Anne, the Princess Royal competed in the Montreal Olympics as a member of the British equestrian team, riding the Queen's horse Goodwill. In 1986 she became President of the International Equestrian Federation, and in 1988 became a member of the International Olympic Committee, a position she still holds. She was flown to the Seoul games in a BAe 146, and the British forces Postal service sponsored a special handstamp, used on a commemorative flown cover. A Korean Olympic stamp on the reverse is tied by royal cachets.

kr Rod( Highness The PlittaliS Rind to Korea September1 .98S

Fkiwn to tiAr 146, Lt. 701 of the Queen's F light from Scowl to Final, then from Pusan returned to Seoul ROY Al. PAR IS Her Royal Highness The Psinceu Royal Penis. Searlars: Lieutenant Commander P.Gibbs Commodore: Group Caromn i.r.u.)””«. R11 Secret/2.s: Miss Joanna Hnckley %ea Linda Joyce • Inspector P. Schmidt Inspector P. Robinson

His Maiesty king Carl Gustav .,f Sweden Hu Miiiestv king Constantine of (Treece Ile. Armhles- Qtteen .Anne-Marie Eirrtece Her 1(01-111 lllthncal Pr liwt a. A 10( ■ s of Greets

I CRF W- Captain. Squadron Leader II.N C.she hit . co.ritos; klighr Lnorleminf 0J.Mitoward KAI • Nal idatot I,ght Lieutenoni 1(.11.Slantort RAF Steward (igreint f siriffiths - Criss Chief Chief technician A - SUPPOR I CRT A: Chief ferhitIr ion M Isnatited - Chief Technician L.fueker • Sergeant C.RI..R madam SF Ct Kilt • I .r1,1,1! 1 A. IF Kerr I LIGHT TIMES Seoul to Pus. at) Mt/totes Pusan to Srioit as

11.1611The amok /Wm., &laths 1.4 K.,

8 Similar covers were prepared for a number of British medal winners, with British stamp and postmark, medallists and competitors with a Korean Olympic stamp and cancel, each signed, with proceeds going to the Lord Dowding Sheltered Housing Project. Numbers ranged from 100 to 1,000. ‘kgallisit

Her Roti Higlyless The Princes5 Rrnill to Korea Selytemlier 1988

Al/R, AN 1.100RHLII.D.T

FIn.en in ISNello,F. 701,1 !ha Quecn). I lialst F....

ROYAL ,. I Y' Her Rovil Illslmeas The Prin..e. Priem, Seaiatary , Lientenant Commander P.G11.1 - Com I.F.R.Jonva ItAF hug:tam:Miss manna Hot klel V1 i;. P.Schriti,11,11.pcatOr '445 °Ur. —KO ructa Car•teir,,Wel, Cononen.. 1,a1 Schofield ItAF Limitenent ii,1 R1F tat Pilot al0.r (,,mmander V.I..1 ,FIcradotJ RAF Taril:.trn:1.Ira h[ Licutertanl R,1I.Stentnn KAI Steward:Sergeant liGriffitha Crew .:nef thief Techtmian A.Ctbson , SLIPPOR T CR IV, (:tlief If Chniaan 41.1 Chiel I mlniirinn L.Tticket Sergeant C P.L.Pjohlan nYFICER COMI,IAA:DING RITY,COrpOrai I A.R.lorr TUE altELS'S ROVAL AM FORCE ■"I IMF. 4 HE•ux. II Min,,te•

Illustrated are covers dedicated to Adrian Moorhouse (Gold 100m breaststroke), and Bryn Vale (Gold, Star Class yachting). Other covers celebrate Roland Lee (swimming), Dominic Mahony (Modern Pentathlon), Stephen Mahony, & Richard Stanhope (both rowing eights), (javelin), Peter Elliott (1,500m), (decathlon), Elizabeth McColgan (10,000m), (100m), and members of the BOA support team. All were signed,

"05 !RoyaiVisie 70 70'; IlexROlti(Hii](ness The PrimL4s 1■.t3lidtc, Korea ,Stpiemtier p3.38 :10111IDS8

Ilia ill For. of - EL;GHT ea, '• - ,,,,ant 7, 1 11 - r 11,11 4.011111,11..14.Stv,,,' SAP • S...-wald S, rv,-,• T 1 SUPPORT CR., C11,1 L. lu,ker Saretant C.P.F.Riaidan SLC1, RI m . h FLICH I :IMF. ;hi,. la mmas

orrICEE CoN1411.NDINt, QUEEN', la Tour 011,1 V.L tetty.”. Ant rOnha Crrfioo ttr.ssov I la churn. F,1241, 9

Olympic Sponsors: IOC's Top Programme Panasonic — Official video equipment providers

Alva fteo Equiriment ) ci

3M: meters from Atherstone, Warwiks [sic]. Swansea & West Glamorgan:

Official 'U I-- 7 Sponsor 7Y- *.\ I (185. flt 1988 ' \ , -. ::— 1 2 •i-.)--,-,.„.„--.--;:v/ lit _2i.. '. '... .:1 7: 0 ....:• :7,-

Visa:

Barclaycard: the principal Visa credit card company in 1988. used printed or pre-printed postage paid impressions on bills and other stationery. The two examples illustrated are the principal designs seen: there are likely to be others. ,.posTAGE BARCLAYCARD R LLSii..7s. Jkt, --"*"--"' PA I D

BARCLAYCARD 111101IN VISA WORLDWIDE SPONSOR 1982 OLYMPIC GAMES „

1 0 Other sponsors Grant Thornton, chartered accountants

OFFICIAL Sat; ::,,OR OF THE IS% BRITISH OLYNG:Z. TEAM Grant-Mc/M:0n EG: Lesexceal

Touche Ross, chartered accountants, Gold sponsor of the British Olympic yachting team. vignette

louche Ross: Cold Spomors

Minet Insurance:

wo . Itit it 13. 2 F:".NO.BP,!. -U:1-1 !C SI.R.,CESS

58th English Schools Athletics Championships, Yeovil, Somerset The logo for the championships ingeniously incorporated the Olympic Rings. There may well have been future Olympians competing. but otherwise the link to the Olympics is rather tenuous. South Som.rs%r. 58th English 5chools Athietit Championships 9th July 1988 YEOVit .SOMERSEV. 11 National Postal Museum Exhibition: "British Philately at the Olympic Games"

The Manager of the Citi2 Royal Mail National Postal Museum has great pleasure in inviting

RA3.31- To the opening 6y The Rt Hon Christopher Chataway PC of the exhibition `British Philately at the Olympic Games' RSVP mountain conjunction with Mrs P Burton National Postal Museum The British Olympic Association and King Edward Building The Society of Olympic Collectors King Edward Street London EC tA I I P on Tuesday i8 October, iz.00 noon

Fly • 7 Fly by B.O.A.C. Pith Olympic Games. PC;!er 1952 DRUMAHOE Art st F SyrPr..1 ReoroclAced Kird perms, Brie._t ays. GRAPHICS IVIN Or et, 4. 10r- POST CARD

NPM handstamp for the exhibition. depicting Mercury from the 1948 1/- Olympic stamp, on a postcard signed by Chris Chataway, whose best Olympic performance was 5' in the 5,000 metres at Helsinki in 1952.

12

1991: 97th Session of the IOC, Birmingham Royal Mail announced 2 slogans publicising the holding of the 97' Session of the IOC at the International Convention Centre. Birmingham, each stated for use in one first class machine. during the period 8 April to 16 June 1991. The 'Official Opening' slogan has only been seen in one machine (Z).

I:1i • AL 14' 1 C.rj • p,-, u E I G CY !I 7.04 THE - P `- JUNE 12 "

but the 'Birmingham' slogan has been seen IRMJNGHAM - in several different 1ELCOMES IIITiEgihTIrS1011 OF THE machines M. R. & Z, ,OLYMPI'I(W though only one at a --- COMMITTEE NIP time. 9-18Mne1991

At the IOC Session, in was chosen to host the 1998 Olympic Winter WELCOMES THErViTH 5::5L0N OF TRIE - - IFETERNATIONIA - Games. 4-P\ OLYMP.I Z (.6N COMMITT:: kye s. TS iqgx

AOSTA, ITALY. JAC& SPAIN. NAGANO, JAPAN. OSTERSUND, SWEDE SALT LAKE CITY, U SOCHI. USSR.

R J WILCOCK SOCIETY OF OLYMPIC COLLECTORS 24 HAMILTON CRESCENT POSTCARD NO 3 BRENTWOOD JUNE 15TH 1991 COMMEMORATING THE SELECTION OF ESSEX THE HOST CITY FOR THE 1998 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES CM14 5ES

13 There were also 3 one-day handstamps to mark the occasion: OFFICIAL OPENIN

ti)XSeSession Cssi;: of the C66) I 0 C Birmingham 12 June 199

11*Pailaillidl , Above, sponsored by Royal Mail. , 1p Official Opening ti Ceremony by 11.1k1,1'he QUM 4, VAIN ri June Above, handstamp 1sponsored by J & M Arlington;

aside, handstamp sponsored by Adrian Bradbury

... to be continued in the next issue.

14 David Feldman GENEVA • HONG KONG • NEW YORK

Olympic auction: Philately & Memorabilia June 7, 2016 in Geneva

T Ht X II-re OLYMPFC COMMITTEE OF. 1 001 THE GAME6 OF TOKYO, 904a • IlAtirETSU ELINDING. TON_YOLIAPAbi _ TOKYO OLYMPIC NEWS lEr.Otto Placcek herlls-Stedllts E11ngeorotr.9 Deutschland

PRINTED MATTER

We are proud to offer the part 5 of the John Loaring Collection including more than 1000 lots of Memorabilia and Philately: ceramics, posters, books, torches, medals, stamps, covers, postal history...

Browse the lot and bid on www.davidfeldman.com

Geneva Hong Kong New York 175. Route de Chancy, P.O. Box 81 Room 901 - Lee Garden One 230 Park Avenue, 10th Floor 1213 Ones 33, Hysan Avenue New York Swdzerland Causeway Bay, Hong Kong NY 10169 T 00 41 22 727 07 77 T 00 852 3595 0128 T 212-997 9200 Into adavIdfeldrnan.com asiamtoladawcIteldman corn Intousaadavkleldman.com

www.davidfeldman.com Tory Olympians - Part 1 by Stephen Parkinson

This article was originally published in Vol. II, Issue 1 (Autumn 2012) of the Conservative History Journal by the Conservative History Group and can also be viewed on the www.conservativehome.corn website.

Amid the glory of London 2012, the successes of two Olympic medallists-turned-Tory MPs are well known. Seb Coe, mastermind of the 2012 Games, won gold for the 1,500 metres and silver for the 800 metres at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow and repeated the feat four years later in Los Angeles; Colin Moynihan, Chairman of the British Olympic Association, won silver for rowing as the cox of the men's eights in Moscow 1980. Both sit on the Tory benches in the House of Lords, having previously been MPs: Moynihan in Lewisham East (1983-92) and Coe in Falmouth & Cambome (1992-7). But how many other Conservative politicians have represented Britain at the Olympics? Rather a lot, as it happens - including some who did so at the same time as they were in the House of Commons.

The UK's first Olympic champion was a politician, but neither a British nor Conservative one. The Irish Nationalist John Pius Boland, who sat for South Kerry from 1900 to 1918, won the country's first two medals at the first Olympiad of the modem era, the 1896 Games in Athens. It seems to have been done on a whim: as an undergraduate at Oxford two years earlier, Boland had heard a Greek student at Balliol, Konstantinos Manos, speaking at the Oxford Union about the modern revival of the Olympics, in which he was involved. The two became friends and Boland 'looked him up' a couple of years later after heading to Athens to see the Games., Boland was only supposed to be a spectator, but - with help from Manos - entered the lawn tennis tournament 'on the spur of the moment', playing in leather-soled shoes with 'a tennis bat of sorts' he picked up at a local bazaar.= He won the men's singles and, after the partner of the German he had beaten in that tournament dropped out of the doubles with an injury, Boland stepped into his place and won that too.3 Luckily for him, the Games 'were held about Easter, and it was possible to be back at Oxford in time for my last summer term'.4

John Boland, Irishman's Day: a day in the life of an Irish M.P. (London: Macdonald St Co., 1944), p. 32. G. Martin Murphy, 'Boland, John Pius (1870-1958)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004). Although he came first, Boland won a silver medal and an olive wreath; gold medals were not awarded to victors until the 1904 Games. When the Olympic organizers hoisted the Union flag for him, Boland objected that there should be an Irish flag - a golden harp on a green background - but it was too late to procure one (Irish Examiner, 31 Jul• 2012).

4 Boland, op cit., p. 32. to be continued in the next issue.

16 Lawn tennis at Faliro during the Athens 1896 Olympic Games. Mens doubles final. On the right hand side of the court, starting from the right, the tennis players are John Pius Boland and Friedrich Taun.

[Source: Gillmeister: Kulturgeschicte des Tennis, Wilhelm Fink Verlag, Munich 1990 and originally from "Sport im Bild 2 (1896)", No. 20, 15 May 1896, photograph by Albert Meyer. Photograph is public domain in Europe and United States.] Rio 2016 - third and fourth issues December 2015 by Bob Wilcock & Brian Hammond

-icos e Rio 2016-

The third sheet in the sports series was launched on 13 December 2015 at the Brazilian Tennis Awards at the Gran Mercurio Riocentro Hotel in Barra da Tijuca close to the Olympic Park where the new Olympic Tennis Centre is based.

Eleven sports are depicted, twice, on different patterned backgrounds, naming 22 sports stamps plus two with the logos and one just saying "Rio 2016", in a sheet of 25. The sports are tennis, sailing, judo, modern pentathlon, beach volleyball, gymnastics, athletics, shooting, equestrian, hockey and Paralympic swimming. These stamps complete the set of 31 designs, a number chosen in recognition of the fact that the Rio Games will be the Games of the XXXI Olympiad. The print run is 3.75m stamps.

Although launched on 13 December, the stamps were released the previous day, 12 December being the date on the first day postmark (which features the two Games logos).

Incidentally, the first sheet was launched on 24 March 2015, as part of the '500 Days until the Games' celebrations.

18 One day previously, 12 December 2015, two miniature sheets were launched at the tennis test event, shortly before an exhibition match between Thomaz Bellucci and Orlando Luz, with Brazil's three-time French Open Champion Gustavo Kuerten helping to unveil the new designs.

Each sheet has two stamps, one sheet depicting Vinicius, the Olympic mascot, and the other Tom, the Paralympic mascot. The print run is 150,000 sheets each. An interesting feature is that each sheet has an inscription in Braille.

A different first day cancel was used for each sheet:

19 OPERADOR LOGISTICO OFICIAL

64 Sr Corr-es:3s 2:o2o16 Ricaos6 999

OPERADOR LOGISTICO OFICIAL 6ke ,Correlos 0.02016

11■111•••

OPERADOR LOGISTICO OFICIAL

66 SF ..1Correlos R.i020t6 Q.c,2016 Q99

OPERADOR LOGISTICO OFICIAL 6k4 D C%._ orreios 24.432o16 ei•32o6 999

OPERADOR LOGISTICO OFICIAL

6k AlCorreios 2i0a2ot6 2.02ot6

OPERADOR LOGISTICO OFICIAL 6t ..pcorreios RA.02016Q~ UfaRto2c46

The Brazilian post office has also released a sheet of self-adhesive labels. It is not clear whether they are being sold or given away, but in either event, they are not stamps and have no postal value. (Beware of sharks on the internet offering these at high prices).

20 Although the 12 December issue was billed as the "final" issue of sports stamps, 3 days later another sheet of 30 stamps were issued, 28 sports, plus a stamp showing the Olympic Mascot, and one showing the Olympic logo. The images of the competitors are the same as originally, but the background of each is different, and this time they have a face value of RS 1,40 whereas the previous stamps show the rate as "le Porte Carta Comercial". 200,000 sheets were printed. The 28 sports are: athletics badminton basketball boxing canoe cycling aquatic sports fencing football gymnastics golf handball equestrian hockey judo weightlifting wrestling mod. pentathlon rowing rugby taekwondo archery shooting tennis table tennis sailing beach volleyball triathlon

21 Pre-Olympic coins minted for Rio 2016 - fourth set by Mike Pagomenos

Continued from the last issue of Torch Bearer here is the fourth set:

Olympic Torch 10 Reais Gold Cycling in the Tijuca Forest / Butterfly of the beach 5 Reais Silver Race in Flamengo / Municipal Theatre 5 Reais Silver Rowing at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas / Pau - Brazil 5 Reais Silver Beach Volleyball Copacabana / Samba 5 Reais Silver Boxing / 1 Real 1 Real Base bi-metallic Vinicius the Olympic mascot / 1 Real 1 Real Base bi-metallic Tom the Paralympic mascot / 1 Real 1 Real Base bi-metallic Paralympic Swimming 1 Real Base bi-metallic

Every precious metal coin can be bought in an individual presentation box. The bi-metallic currency for the fourth set is also available in a presentation folder with two Olympic coins and two Paralympic coins. All bi-metallic coins will be in general circulation during the Games.

Mounted set of four 1 real base bi-metallic coins including two Olympic and two Paralympic coins. Only three coins of the four visible in this photograph.

Olympic torch 10 reais gold proof coin from the fourth set.

22 All four 5 reais silver proof coins from the fourth set.

23 All four 1 real bi-metallic coins from the fourth set.

24 0 REMENEWEIKEMENELMEMEKEW E N. .2' E--- . . . . . • . g 743k9i(15 2002 OAS 4r 5171 a M 1 l■ = D , § 2 /,'" _,' 1 N1-11 a gL . aal ff 'N:/ Iiie.g.:17.7s; g R., .2 la Lg' Olympic Games Memorabilia 2 N 0 Auctions ra Want List Service s Appraisal Service Exhibit Service R.. 2 la .2- Always buying, selling & accepting consignments: Ni .2 Torches, Winners' and Participation Medals, Pins, Badges, Diplomas, Posters, Official Reports, a Programs, Tickets, Souvenirs. B. mg Three Auctions per Year - Catalogs available. ..

Ingrid O'Neil 2 Sports & Olympic Memorabilia off PO Box 265, Corona Del Mar CA 92625 USA 2 Tel. (949) 715-9808 • Fax (949) 715-1871 kg [email protected] • www.ioneil.com 2, 2 2 70-grodigigragitam-grargyargrovrommu Bid at SPORTS COI LECTIBI ES AUCTION HA.com/Sports

1912 Stockholm Olympics 1932 Los Angeles Individual Winner's Medal (Solid Gold). Summer Olympics Silver Medal. Estimate: $40,000+ Estimate: 52,000+ February 21-22, 2014 Platinum Night* October 24-26, 2013

t-kaINJADE; "PARICV4/

1904 St. Louis Summer Olympics 1924 Paris Summer Olympics 1980 U.S. Hockey 'Miracle or. Gold Medal. Gold Medal Awarded to Ice" Olympic Gold Medal Sold For 538,387 May 2013 Member of Uruguayan Football/ Presented to Mark Wells. Soccer Team. Sold For $310,700 Sold For: 526,290 I October 2012 November 2010

WORLD RECORD RESULTS Call 877-HERITAGE (437-4824) to discuss opportunities. Annual Sales Exceed $800 Million 800,000- Online Bidder-Members

3500 Maple Avenue I Dallas, Texas 75219 877-HERITAGE (437-48241 I HA.com DALLAS I NEW YORK I BEVERLY HILLS I SAN FRANCISCO I HOUSTON PARIS t GENEVA

CHRIS we ,OhATHAT1 td YE GJTIERREZ Cirectm. Sports Consignment Co^sLynnem Auct; cns Ci•ecor Ci•Er.nr HERITAGE az, AUCTIONS ft.' CT.yosHA.com xnatFa•SWHA.com ed. 019 ext 1314 ed. 1* a3 f Fuser. Ha. N,nn Au. TX & rceme SaTue Facie 11727 & 095.23.60. 1- ethoe Auction Galleries CA P.: n .1#PS B23(4175: C4 ctio ...s-e• Ron .1. Cam vr Mani 4RSE1200S661. Fr.,?—iurn 15.5%. Set.. ,14..nor for 1Alai HE RI TAG E .S. Fa! oo., Mt CA