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COLLECTIBLES AND OLYMPISM
Collecting items commemorating the Olympic Games is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it started with the first Games of the modern era in 1896.
Olympic stamps, issued to balance the budget of the Organising Committee, were the first objects of Olympic collecting, and have been the passion of several generations of philatelists. Collectors of Olympic memorabilia soon joined stamp collectors and in 1951, when Olympic coins were struck for the first time, coin enthusiasts also entered the world of Olympic collectors.
Olympic collectibles have always fascinated Olympic fans, parallel to the social-sport explosion of the Olympic Games. In the early days, Olympic collectibles were not really linked to the Movement itself. This changed rapidly and they became part of an Olympic culture, part of its history and its art. Olympic collectibles also contributed to promoting the Olympic Ideal and its economy - both locally and internationally.
MEMORABILIA
With the revival of the Olympic Games, it was only natural and obvious that many collectibles would be left for posterity, as no event can take place without leaving behind such souvenirs. One of the first ones was the menu of the dinner of the International Olympic Committee (Athens 1896).
There are two kinds of souvenirs: the ones which are intended as souvenirs and the ones that are natural by-products of the Games. Both have immediately become collectibles. In the beginning, these items were collected only by the IOC, the athletes, the officials and some of the spectators. It was only during the late twenties that some collectors started seriously to collect Olympic memorabilia (all souvenirs with the exception of Olympic stamps and Olympic coins).
Collecting Olympic memorabilia is nowadays a very serious matter, connected with auctions, fairs and treasure hunting. Believe it or not, participation medals of the first and the 1906 intermediate Games were found in a box of coins sold by a Sunday seller in front of the main post office in Athens - for the sum of 20 Swiss francs!
Collectors of Olympic memorabilia have made several contributions to complete Olympic history in their discovery of memorabilia from the non celebrated Games of 1916, 1940 and 1944.
For the apassionato of Olympism these items are more than paper and material and represent the very history of the event, meant to be saved and treasured.
NUMISMATICS
For those of us who have a passion for collecting coins, we know there are many hours of enjoyment looking for the background story behind every coin, and each coin does tell a story! Before the process of carbon dating was perfected, coins were the only reliable method of determining the time when certain activities took place or when a body was buried. Coins were an essential tool for research.Modern coins also tell a story and this is most apparent with Olympic coins. Olympic coins not only mark a significant event in the history of a city and its country but also express that nation's pride in its art and culture. So, collecting Olympic coins can give you hours of satisfaction.
Where to Find Olympic Coins
There are challenges, however, not least that of attempting to complete your collection for a reasonable price. Where do you find that elusive 1951 Helsinki coin, the first modern Olympic coin ever issued? If you are lucky enough to have dealt with a reliable coin dealer, then you have not have experienced this problem, but many of us live in places which make this difficult.Fortunately the Internet has spawned coin auctions such as those at ebay.com or amazon.com and business is brisk. This has been a welcome shot in the arm for Olympic coin collectors, for not only can you readily buy Olympic coins but you can also sell them. This increase in secondary market activity is healthy and will ensure that the hobby continues to grow.
PHILATELY
Olympic Philately has a special position in philately and a particular bond with the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games.
Athens 1896
Those Olympic stamps were the first sports stamps, the father of them all. The Athens 1896 set spawned more than 75,000 stamps alone, of which 10,000 were Olympic stamps.
A Unique Theme for Collectors
Thousands of Olympic-sport collectors are organised worldwide in 31 chapters of the FIPO and 50 sport groups in the FIP. No other theme or subject is so prolific. No other theme has achieved so many of the highest awards of the International Federation of Philately (FIP).
Researching Olympic Philately
Olympic philately has a special place in philatelic research. Only recently has Olympic philately enabled us to lift the veil of the unknown and mysterious postal services prevalent in Athens in 1896. It was widely believed that there were many different post offices operating in Athens at the time of the release of this issue. The different post marks indicated up to eight different post offices. However it was proven that there was only one post office operating at the time with eight different counters. Only of late have we discovered all the details on the special post office operating during the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm. This was the first time a post office was on site during an Olympic Games edition. Only now has research been completed regarding the first stamps featuring Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1939).Many other aspects of Olympic Philately are still unknown and await research.
The Olympic Bond and Philately
Olympic philately as a hobby has a particular bond with the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games. The bond is two fold: cultural-historical and economic. The graphic art found in many Olympic stamps judged by the Prix Olympia is certainly part of the Olympic culture. The story behind every stamp, every cancellation, every Olympic post card or Olympic stationery is part of Olympic history. The personal involvement of the athlete or a spectator can only be expressed in mail. No other group of Olympic memorabilia tells almost every aspect of Olympic history be it ancient or modern. No book can tell so many historical facts in such a compelling way.
The Economic Bond
The Economic bond was, in fact, the first one with the Olympic Games. In 1895 the decision to issue Olympic stamps made it possible for the Organising Committee to balance their budget and construct the last four venues. Thus, in some way, Olympic stamps were the first "sponsors" of the Olympic Games. Since then, Olympic stamps have contributed to the budget of Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, National Olympic Committees and Olympic events.
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CALENDAR
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organisation
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