POSTER STAMPS AND LABELS OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

      INTRODUCTION

      STATISTICS

      UNSOLVED MYSTERIES

        SUMMER GAMES
1894 - Modern Games Founded
1896 - I Olympiad - Athens
1900 - II Olympiad - Paris
      - Vignettes of the 1900 Paris Expo
1904 - III Olympiad - St. Louis
1906 - Intercalated Games - Athens
1908 - IV Olympiad - London
1912 - V Olympiad - Stockholm
1913 - Berlin prepares for 1916 games
1914 - 20th Anniversary of Rebirth of Games
1916 - VI Olympiad - Berlin
1920 - VII Olympiad - Antwerp
1924 - VIII Olympiad - Paris
      - Post Cards
1928 - IX Olympiad - Amsterdam
1932 - X Olympiad - Los Angeles
1936 - XI Olympiad - Berlin
1940 - XII Olympiad - Tokyo
      - XII Olympiad - Helsinki
      - New Zealand Centennial Games
1944 - XIII Olympiad - London
      - German POW Games
1948 - XIV Olympiad - London
1952 - XV Olympiad - Helsinki
1956 - XVI Olympiad - Melbourne
      - XVI Olympiad - Stockholm
1960 - XVII Olympiad - Rome

1940 - XII Olympiad - Helsinki
(Cancelled)

Official poster for the 1940 Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki

Click on image below to open an enlarged version in a separate window/tab
Click on the DuBois number beneath the image to display technical data about that label.

The 1940 Olympic Games were originally scheduled to be held in Japan, but Japan's war with China, and opposition from both within and without the country led Japan to withdraw in mid-1938. Finland, which had been the runner up for the selection, was then awarded the Games, but the start of WWII in 1939 put an end to that.

Finland had already made significant preparations, including the selection of designs for an official poster and seals, and the designs for a set of postage stamps. (See bottom of page for images)

In addition, there were two sets of official poster stamps, one in four languages, the other in seven:

                       
1940-F-1 thru 4

DuBois listing:

A Finnish coastal landscape scene in dark blue; a red disc at the upper left, with the following texts,in white:

1. German: "Die OLYMPIADE l940 NACH FINNLAND!"
2. English: "The Olympic Games 1940 IN FINLAND!"
3. French: "Les Jeux Olympiques de 1940 a la FINLANDE!"
4. Swedish: "Olimpiska Spelen 1940 TILL FINLAND!"

56x32mm,perf 12 ... each $15.00

(These were a 1936 issue, inviting the Games)

IMAGE of a 1936 cover postmarked in Helsinki, with the Swedish version of this label, confirming that these were part of the original Finnish campaign to host the Games, which were awarded to Tokyo that year. (Too bad the label is not "tied" - still nice.)

Odd that there is no version in Finnish?
Finnish text would be "1940 Olympiakisat Suomeen."
Swedish is an official language of Finland, spoken by about 5% of its people.

CLICK HERE for an image of a full sheet of the German version, suggesting that each language was printed separately.
CLICK HERE for an image of a full sheet of the Swedish version.

      SOLVED MYSTERIES!

      STILL MISSING

      ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      UPDATE HISTORY

       SUMMER GAMES
1964 - XVIII Olympiad - Tokyo
1968 - XIX Olympiad - Mexico City
1972 - XX Olympiad - Munich

       WINTER GAMES
1924 - I Winter Games - Chamonix
1928 - II Winter Games - St Moritz
1932 - III Winter Games - Lake Placid
1936 - IV Winter Games - Garmisch-Partenkirchen
1940 - V Winter Games - Sapporo
      - V Winter Games - St Moritz
      - V Winter Games - Garmisch-Partenkirchen
1944 - V Winter Games - Cortina d'Ampezzo
1948 - V Winter Games - St Moritz
1952 - VI Winter Games - Oslo
1956 - VII Winter Games - Cortina d'Ampezzo
1960 - VIII Winter Games - Squaw Valley
1964 - IX Winter Games - Innsbruck
1968 - X Winter Games - Grenoble
1972 - XI Winter Games - Sapporo

       OTHER TOPICS
      - U.S. OLYMPIC SHIELD DECALS
      - Workers' Olympics



#1940-F-5 thru 11

DuBois listing:

A round, die cut label, text in seven different languages; vignette,within the outer circumferential text: a flame with line-radiations; "1940 HELSINKI" ("1940 HELSINGFORS" on Swedish version, #ll), below the flame; Olympic rings are above flame. Outer texts, at top & bottom of outer circumference,as follows:

5. Finnish: "XII OLYMPIAKISAT SUOMI" ... $3.00
6. German: "XII OLYMPISCHES SPIELE FINNLAND"... $3.00
7. English: "XII OLYMPIC GAMES FINLAND" ... $2.00
8. French: "Xlles JEUX OLYMPIQUES FINLAND" ... $3.00
9. Italian: "XII GIOCHI OLIMPICI FINLANDIA"... $3.50
10. Spanish: "XII JUEGOS OLIMPICOS FINLANDIA" ... $3.50
11. Swedish: "XII OLYMPISKA SPELEN FINLAND" ... $3.00

Size: 41 to 42mm diameter,overall; vignette: 25 to 34mm.
Color: vignette background is blue with rings, rays, flame, and "1940" in white; inner-flame in blue-outline; text in outer circumference is blue on white.

       
 
#1940-F-12 and variations

DuBois listing:

12. Rectangular label with vignette like Nos. 5 to 11; only text is "1940" at bottom; a blue border line. 28x49mm, perforated ... Rare

Exists on a "printed matter" label ... Rare

TOP ROW - That's the DuBois image on the left, an image from cinderellastamp.com (size=21x39mm overall) next, then an image from this page of Juergen Wagner's excellent internet Olympic Games Museum (size unknown); and next a "cinderella" from a recent auction - no size given. Does not look perfed. Note the imperfection in the border at the top - also on the larger label below. What's the "100 it" on the second one?

ROW TWO, left - the second item in the DuBois listing - a "printed matter label." SIZE = 6" x 3.25"

ROW TWO, right - 5/13/2019 - another large label, from the new Feldman auction! SIZE = 7" x 3.75" (the boxes are each 1/8" square)

DuBois says his first item is perforated, so none of these is that one. And HERE is an image of a 1938 Finnish lottery ticket to raise money for the Games, with the same logo, so there could be many items bearing it. (Japan had forfeited the Games in July, 1938, giving two years for Finland to prepare.)

06/17/2020 - eBay seller newby101 offered a wonderful assortment of Olympic labels, including the fifth item in the top row. Its dimensions are 51x80mm.

   
#1940-F-13, 14, & 15

DuBois listing:

13. Polish Fund: "10" at upper left corner; "GR" at upper right corner; Olympic rings between 10 & GR; "1940 POLACY NA XII OLIMPIADE" below; Vignette: a Polish eagle in a shield; sides of label are decorative. 27x38mm, perf 12, deep rose & brown violet ... Rare

14. Like #13 but 20 GR and colored rose & green ... Rare

15. Like #13 but 50 GR & colored vermilion & brown ... Rare

3/18/17 - the image above of what seems to be 1940-F-15 turned up on eBay recently, but its colors do not match the description in DuBois. Was he wrong, or is there another version? 4/12/17 - Here's another copy, same colors - I think DuBois had it wrong.


   
1940-F-16

DuBois listing:

16. "SCHWEIZ. RUDERVERBAND / FEDERATION SUISSE DES SOCIETES D'AVIRON" above; "OLYMPIADE 1940 HELSINKI" below, on the right; vignette: four oarsman carrying a boat,which is over their heads; artist's mark at lower left: RS. 36x45mm, perf 11.5, multicolored ... Rare




#1940-F-17a thru 17d and 17/aa thru 17/ad

 
Contemporary ad for 1940-17 stamps!

More ads from the DuBois catalog

 
4/11/19 - SPECIMEN, single and imperf sheet

 
Full sheet of #1940-F-17/ac

 
Sample autographed sheet from DuBois catalog

DuBois listing:

U.S. Fund Labels:

17. "AMERICAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE HELSINKI - 1940 GAMES - St. MORITZ" above; printer's imprint: "AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY" below design; Vignette: a scene from the 1932 Games in Los Angeles - seven runners on the track, in the foreground; background depicts a portion of the stadium with its arched entrances, flags atop the latter, and seats crowded with spectators; a be-ribboned torch to left side; a be-ribboned USA Olympic coat-of-arms to right side. 41x28mm,perf 12, each label of one color only, as follows: a)red , b)green , c)blue , or d)purple ... each: $1.00

17a. Same as #17 but imperf & without gum ... each: $2.50

17 & 17a issued in sheets of 40(5x8), PM4S, perforations pass through selvage which measures 21 mm at top & bottom and 23mm on sides. The following information is printed on the selvage:

Left side-"V OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES ST. MORITZ, SWITZERLAND. FEBRUARY, 1940."

Right side: "GAMES OF THE XII OLYMPIAD. HELSINKI, FINLAND. JULY 20-AUGUST 4, 1940."

Top: "AMERICAN VICTORY STAMP THE AMERICAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE HAS ISSUED THESE OLYMPIC STAMPS TO HELP RAISE THE FUND REQUIRED TO SEND THE FOREMOST AMATEUR ATHLETES IN THE UNITED STATES TO THE 1940 OLYMPIC GAMES."

Bottom: "THE OATH TAKEN BY ALL COMPETITORS IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES. "WE SWEAR THAT WE WILL TAKE PART IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN LOYAL COMPETITION, RESPECTING THE REGULATIONS WHICH GOVERN THEM, AND DESIROUS OF PARTICIPATING IN THEM IN THE TRUE SPIRIT OF SPORTSMANSHIP FOR THE HONOR OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE GLORY OF SPORT."

See "1948-London" label nos. 3 & 3a for a reissue of the above items,with appropriate changes in texts & dates. A notable change occurred in 1948 in that the name "American" was changed to "United States"

Autographed Sheets: Imperforate, ungummed sheets of the 1940 issues (17/a) were signed by several prominent persons, including the following: R.E. Byrd, Charlie Chaplin, Lily Pons, Eddie Rickenbacker, Eleanor Roosevelt, Shirley Temple, Orson Wells (Additional signers, known to the reader, are solicited).


Bottom margin strips of 1940-F-17a in all 4 colors, with Admiral R. E. Byrd autographs, one of five sets known.

In the 1930's, Byrd was arguably the most famous man in America. He is the only person ever to have three ticker-tape parades in New York City (in 1926, 1927 and 1930) given in his honor.

6/18/19 - eBay listing - Full sheet in green autographed by famous explorer, author, and ornithologist William Beebe.

 


The above finds, plus a tip from Polish Olympic maven Roman Babut led me to the 1940 Official Report of the American Olympic Committee and the July 15, 1939 issue of Stamps Magazine, where I found these names of some of the signers of the sheets: Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Alfred P. Sloan, Bing Crosby, Bob Burns, Charlie Chaplin, Col. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., Edgar A. Guest, George Ade, Grantland Rice, Joe E. Brown, John Kieran, Lily Pons, Louis Bromfield, Lowell Thomas, Orson Welles, Paul Whiteman, Sherwood Anderson, Shirley Temple, Thomas Mann, William Beebe.

IN ADDITION, the Stamps item states that each celebrity signed TWENTY sheets, or five sets! So we now know the relative scarcity of these treasures!


6/19/19 - Polish collector Roman Babut asked if I knew what race was depicted on the set of US labels above, and who were the runners. I did not, but with the aid of Google I was able to find out rather easily. The venue is clearly the Los Angeles Olympic Stadium (now called the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum), easily recognized by the distinctive arches. And it makes sense they would have chosen an image from the most recent American Olympics. Then I fed the image to Google with the hint that it was a race from 1932, and back came the photo on the right, and the information that it was the finish of the Men's 800 Meters race. The stamps shows the race near its start, with the runners still in their lanes, but you can compare faces and numbers and see they are the same. The runners, in the order of the finish, are Tommy Hampson - Great Britain, Alex Wilson - Canada, Phil Edwards - Canada, Eddie Genung - United States, Edwin Turner - United States, Chuck Hornbostel - United States, Jack Powell - Great Britain, Séra Martin - France, Otto Peltzer - Germany.

I know, nine runners listed, eight in the photo, but only seven in the image on the stamp. ???


8/27/23 - Visitor Victor Afanasiev, Minsk, Belarus wrote as follows:

I am writing this email on the subject of the US cinderellas issued to raise funds for the 1940 US Olympic team.

At your site, you discuss the identification of the athletes in the photo on those cinderellas.

Unfortunately, you base your findings on a wrong identification of the photo from the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. It's not 800m but the 1500m final whic can be clearly concluded fromm the fact that the photo contains John (Jack) Lovelock (No. 353) from New Zealand - you can check Wikipedia or Olympedia.

Therefore, the athletes in the stamps are (left to right) Jack Lovelock (353), Norwood Hallowell or Arthir Crowley (I can't identify who is who, the other is the outmost right, leading athlete, their numbers were 415 and 429), Luigi Beccali (No. 256, the winner in that event), a Finnish runner (possibly, Eino Purje but I'm not sure), Phil Edwards from Canada, Glenn Cunningham (416).

Thanks, Victor.



#1940-F-18a thru 18d

DuBois listing:

18. "A.F.L.A. OLYMPIC FUND" above; "AMATEUR FENCERS" below; vignette: a fencer,in typical stance; printer's imprint "American Bank Note Co. Litho." a lined margin. 21.5x24mm, perf 12, each label of one color only, as follows: a)blue, b)vermilion, c)gray-green, or d)gray-brown ... $5.00ea

Issued in sheets of 100(10x10),PM4S(one color to a sheet) with inscription in top margin "To further fencing,these stamps should be used on reverse of envelopes ... $1.00 per sheet, prepaid."

(A.F.L.A. = Amateur Fencer League of America)

 
Blocks of four, and SPECIMENs


1940-F- 19

DuBois listing:

19. "LATVIJA" in black at bottom of vignette; a large, black panel at bottom of label. 01ympic rings, in green, above the following three-language texts (French, English and German):

"AUX Jeux Olympiques 1940 via les Pays Baltiques / To the Olympic Games 1940 via the Baltic States / Zu den Olympischen Spielen 1940 durch die Baltischen Staaten" - printer's imprint below design on left: "S.L.M. Turisma nodala" - Vignette: a girl in national dress, waving a handkerchief; a landscape scene, mostly buildings, in the background; a white border and a white line between the panel & vignette portions; printer's imprints below. 35.5x62mm, perf 10.25, multicolored ... $12.00

 
1940-F- 20

DuBois listing:

20. "See Europe and the Olympic Games Helsingfors 1940 with Bill Henry and the American Express" - design covers gutters. 38x51mm, imperf. Colors: blue, red, white ... Rare

Note: Bill Henry was a prominent Olympic Historian who published a book in 1948 titled "An Approved History of the Olympic Games"; a 1984 edition was issued, edited by Patricia Henry Yeomans (Bill Henry's daughter) Alfred Publishing Co. Inc., P. O. BOX 5964, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413.


 
#1940-F-21
A decal

DuBois listing:

21. "AMERICAN OLYMPIC FUND" in gold letters across stripes, Olympic rings, in a 56.5x20mm panel, in upper portion (Interlaced as on the original Olympic flag). 101x1l6mm (design), 111x122mm (overall), rings are in their usual multicolors, outline around edge & across shield is gold, die cut ... Rare

Inscription on back states, "To send the foremost Amateur Athletes in the United States to the 1940 Olympic Games ... price 50 cents"


CLICK HERE to view a page that lists all the Olympic decals that depict a US Olympic shield.

DuBois listing:

The two following labels were issued in anticipation of the Olympic Games that were scheduled to be held at Helsinki:

 
#1940-F- 22 and similar item

22. A Finnish Souvenir Cheese-Carton Label: "1940 OLYMPIA 1940" across oval-shaped, top of label; "VALIO JUUSTOA OST" at lower left; "RASVAA K.A.45%FETT I.T." at bottom, center; "120 GR. NETTO" at lower right. Vignette: classic statue of discus thrower, in white, in front of gold Olympic rings. 101x49mm (overall), background of texts is red, texts are either white or black, vignette background is gray and has inner white border & outer gold border, outer edge is white with gold inner border ... Rare

(Valio Helsinki Cheese Co., 45% fat, 120 grams, net) An attractive, very Olympian label!

 
1940-F-23

DuBois listing:

23. "Stadig forende OLYMPIC HENRY HANSEN N0RREPORT" red & white texts on a yellow background. Vignette: a green & white triangle with multicolored Olympic rings (interlaced as on original Olympic flag). 29x50mm (design), an imperf maerkat label; "F. E. BORDING A S. KBHVN - MAERKAT NR 22" below design, in black text ... Rare (Danish text: Henry Hansen, Norreport, Copenhagen, Olympic Cycler).

The vignette depicts the logo that is used on "Henry Hansen" bicycles and or motorcycles. A "maerkat" is a registered, numbered Danish label; more information on such labels is available from the author, on request.

4/20/18 - A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING - I thought DuBois was wrong to date this to 1940, because I had heard that the Maerkat labels were begun in 1931, and this one's number - 22 - had to date from that year. Alas, I did not know the numbering was started over from 1 in 1939, when F.E.Bording bought the rights to the Maerkat trademark from Andersen & Bruun. DuBois was correct. Much more about Maerkater at the bottom of my 1968 Mexico City page.

NOT LISTED IN DUBOIS

GERMAN POSTCARD

 
#1940-F-x2
148x104mm overall

06/17/2020 - I learned a little more about this postcard and realized it belongs on the 1940 Garmisch-Partenkirchen page, not here, so I moved it there.

 
#1940-F-x3
XII ОЛИМПИАДА ФИНЛАНДИА
1940
ГАЛВЕНЪ ПРЕДСТАВИТЕЛЪ
БЮРО ВЪЛГАРИА: АД СОФИА

Translation:
XII OLYMPIAD FINLAND 1940
GALENA REPRESENTATIVE
BUREAU BULGARIA: AG SOFIA

Circular label with scalloped edges, Olympic rings
Diameter - 1.75"
Image courtesy of Philippe Pavard.

11/21/17 - I found an eBay auction for a copy of this label on Worthpoint, with the following explanation:

The advertisement stamp is Bulgarian, advertizing "Galena: Bureau Bulgaria A.G., main representative for the XII. Olympic Games in Finland". Galena was a private company, which held the rights in Bulgaria for all the advertizing and tourist travel for the occasion of the 1940 Olympics in Finland.

Finnish Matchbox Labels


1940 Helsinki - x4


1940 Helsinki - x5 & 6


1940 Helsinki - x7


1940 Helsinki - x8

Images courtesy of Philippe Pavard and the Finnish Sports Museum web site.

Small tag, Olympic torch (?)
'40 at top

27 x 14 mm


1940 Helsinki - x9

Note size - rather small. Note hole at top - some sort of tag? No Olympic rings, but it does look like an olympic torch, and the '40 reinforces that connection.

RAZOR BLADE WRAPPERS

Not proper labels, but cute. The Finnish Sports Museum website says these date from the 1940 Games.

FAKES

I found these on the www recently, advertised as labels from the 1940 Helsinki Games. and wanted to make sure no one thinks they are authentic labels from 1940 - they are modern fantasies - total fakes.

   
1940 Helsinki - FAKES


As I mention at the top of this page, Finland had already created designs for a set of stamps to commemorate these Games. Essays of the designs had been produced, and reached the marketplace, where they turn up from time to time. Examples are shown below. These are the only colors I have seen.

 


TOP

I am indebted to Robert J DuBois for allowing me to use images and information from his Catalog of Olympic Labels on these web pages.

All text and images are the property of the author. Any errors are his.
REWARD! If you have better or additional information about anything shown or discussed here, please email the author.
Email address at bottom of page. Full credit gladly given - your name, ebay ID, web site...

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Created -- 07/27/2013
Revised -- 09/05/2023