2012 Olympic New Stamps

New Olympic Stamps To be issued today

Royal Mail’s largest stamp commission since the Millennium series will be completed today (27 July 2011),the launch of the final set of London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games stamps – issued exactly one year before the opening ceremony.

To mark the countdown to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and its role as an official licensee of the Games, Royal Mail commissioned 30 UK artists and image makers to take part in this three-year project. The 30 stamps created to mark the 30th Olympiad and London 2012 Paralympic Games each champion an Olympic or Paralympic sport. They have been issued in three sets of ten stamps to mark the annual countdown in July 2009, 2010 and finally 2011.

The third and final set in this exciting series, subtitled ‘Get Ready for 2012’, contains a new set of ten dynamic sporting images printed in two sheets, each bearing se-tenant strips of five 1st Class stamps. These include established Olympic sports such as fencing, handball and wrestling, and more recent additions including sailing, triathlon and wheelchair rugby.All stamps in the series feature either the London 2012 Olympic Games or Paralympic Games logo.

These 10 stamps are the last in the three sets of 10 stamps that have been issued since 2009. As usual the stamps come in many different forms such as mint, presentation packs, coin covers etc. There is one collectable though that is unusual. All 30 stamps from this set have been printed in one sheet over a background of the Olympic stadium at night (one of the original renders).





This item is priced at £13.80 as per Royal mail,I don't have an Idiea when the Royal Mail have printed stamps from such a large programme in one sheet. If anyone read this are come to knows better, please feel free to write to me


Image of 10 stamps reproduced from Norvic Philatelics website. If you collect GB stamps, you can ref this link http://www.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/ the best GB stamp site on the web. Norvic also contains full details of this Olympic stamp issue - click here.

094 Marathon marks 2500 years

Stamps of the Marathon




In 490BC the Persian Army had mustered an estimated 150,000 troops to invade Greece, in order to punish Athens for their part in the Ionian Revolt. Led by Generals Artaphernes and Datis, their attack was launched from the Marathon. The Athenian forces were more than they expect it consisted of 10,000 citizen-soldiers, including 1,000 soldiers from Plataea, and were lead by General Miltiades. The two forces met near the small village of Marathon to the north of Athens, in September 490BC. The Persian military was considered one of the greatest fighting forces of the era, and the Athenians were fighting against all odds.


Despite being greatly outnumbered the Athenians fought and won the Marathon battle. The casualties were recorded as 192 Athenians, 11 Plataeans and 6,400 Persians. The 192 Athenians were buried in a tomb near the Village of Marathon, at an area today called the Tomb of Marathon. This battle was one of the proudest moments in the history of ancient Greece. The Athenian and Plataeans forces, unassisted, beat the Persians for the first time on land. The victory endowed them with a faith in their destiny which was to endure for three centuries, during which time western culture was born. It is said that a defeat of the Athenians in this battle could easily have changed the tide of history.

The legend says that a brave Athenian called Pheidippides, who had previously run to Sparta and back seeking military aid, ran the 40km (approximately 25 miles) from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory. “Nenikèkamen” (“We are victorious”) or “Niki” (“Victory”) and then collapsed from exhaustion and died. It is quite possible that he may have also taken part in that battle.

vase painting of Marathon



Almost 24 centuries later, in 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece. The French historian and linguist Michele Breal proposed re-enacting the legendary run in a running event that would test man's powers of endurance. He even offered to put up a silver trophy for the winner. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the inspirer of the Modern Olympic Games, and Dimitris Vikelas, the Greek scholar and first president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1894 to 1896, embraced the idea with enthusiasm. The legend of the Athenian soldier-runner-messenger was therefore honored by a 40km (24.85 mile) run from the Marathon bridge to the Marble Olympic Stadium of Athens.

This first organized Marathon race took place on 10 April, during the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896, and it was especially important to all Greeks. The host nation of the first Modern Olympic Games became ecstatic as Spyridon Louis, a Greek water carrier, won the final, climactic race of the first modern Olympics in 2 hours, 58 minutes and 50 seconds. A 40-kilometre (24.85 mile) race called 'The Marathon' was born. Spyridon Louis, as the first Olympic Marathon gold medalist, became a legend, and the course from Marathon to Athens, used today for the annual Athens Classic Marathon, became known as the “authentic”, the “original” Marathon course.





Abebe Bikila Ethiopia is the first man to retain the Olympic Marathon Championship by winning the race in the 1960 and 1964 Games





Argentina's Delfo Caberera winner of 1948 Olympic Games

The 28th Athens Classic Marathon as Greece celebrated the 2,500th anniversary




26 year old Raymond Bett Kimutai led a Kenyan sweep and set a record time in the 28th Athens Classic Marathon as Greece celebrated the 2,500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon.Greek city of Marathon marks 2500 years best of 2:12.42

The first woman to cross the line was 29year old Rasa Drazdauskait of lithuanian best of 2:31.06

093 30th Olympiad and London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Dear friends and readers,

First i want to thank

Mrs Jeevan Jyoti Editor, Rainbow Stamp News, a monthly e- stamp magazine published from Shimla (H.P.)India http://rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com/

Cdr. (Retd) U.N Acharya Secretary and Naval Philatelic Society http://npsindia.com/

For sending me the the first and second set of 30th Olympiad and London 2012 Paralympic Games. stamps

The London 2012 Games commences on 27 July and concludes on 12 August. The Paralympic Games commences on 29 August and concludes on 9 September. Royal Mail will commemorate London’s hosting of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by issuing three sets of 10 x 1st Class stamps in the run up to the London 2012 Games in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
The concept is to issue 30 stamps to mark the 30th Olympiad and London 2012 Paralympic Games. Each of the sporting areas celebrated in these Games will have its own stamp. And each of the 30 stamps will be created by a different contemporary artist, illustrator or designer.
The concept is to issue 30 stamps to mark the 30th Olympiad and London 2012 Paralympic Games. Each of the sporting areas celebrated in these Games will have its own stamp. And each of the 30 stamps will be created by a different contemporary artist, illustrator or designer.

1st set of 10 stamps Issuied dated 22.10.2009

Designers:

Canoe slalom: John Royle; Archery: George Hardie; Athletics - Track: Natalie Guinamard (collage); Diving: Julian Opie; Boccia: David Doyle; Judo: Paul Slater; Equestrian: Andrew Davidson; Badminton: David Holmes; Weightlifting: Guy Billout; Basketball: Huntley Muir.

This sent by Mrs Jeevan Jyoti



Canoe slalom,Archery, Athletics: Track, Aquatics, Boccia




Judo, Equestrian, Badminton, Weightlifting, Basketball

2nd set of 10 stamps Issuied dated 27.07.2010

Designers:

Rowing: Marian Hill; Shooting: David Hillman; Modern Pentathlon: Katherine Baxter; Taekwondo: James Fryer; Cycling: Matthew Dennis, Table Tennis: Michael Craig Martin; Hockey: Darren Hopes; Football: Alex Williamson; Goalball: Tobatron, Boxing: Stephen Ledwidge

This sent by Cdr. (Retd) U.N Acharya




Rowing, Shooting, Modern Pentathlon, Taekwondo, Cycling;



Table Tennis, Hockey, Football, Paralympic Goal ball, Boxing

Technical details:
The stamps' designers are listed below. The overall design task was by Studio David Hillman, and the 35mm square stamps are printed in litho by Cartor Security Printing, perf 14½ with all-over phosphor. The stamps are printed in two sheets of 25 (5 each of 5 designs in vertical columns), enabling collectors to buy vertical strips of any single sport/discipline