1996 Atlanta Olympic Games

Five stamps and the miniature sheet.

1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

In July 1996, the Centennial Olympic games were held in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States. Five sports in which New Zealand was represented were featured on the stamp issue. Each of the five stamps, designed by Stephen Fuller, has a border in the colour of one of the five rings which make up the universally known Olympic logo. Blue, black and red in the top row with yellow and green on the row below.
New Zealand was ranked 26th at these Games with 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze, making a total of 6 medals.
Our Olympic & Commonwealth Games Stamp Collection.

            

40c - Swimming.                                          80c - Cycling.                                          $1.00 - Athletics.

 

$1.50 - Rowing.                           $1.80 - Yachting.

Miniature Sheet.

The Olympic logo. Blue, black and red in the top row with yellow and green on the row below.

Miniature Sheet First Day Cover - 10 July 1996.

Set of 5 Maxi-cards.
Each card features the stamp for that sport.

1996 Olympic Games Maxi-card - 40c Swimming.
Single 40c 'Swimming' gummed stamp.
Danyon Loader won both New Zealand 's two gold swimming medals at the Atlanta Olympics. A strong team of 14 swimmers made up the 1996 Olympic team.

1996 Olympic Games Maxi-card - 80c Cycling.

Single 80c 'Cycling' gummed stamp.

In all, 19 New Zealand cyclists made the trip to Atlanta, competing on the track, on the road and in mountain biking.

1996 Olympic Games Maxi-card - $1.00 Athletics.

Single $1.00 'Athletics' gummed stamp.

Some of New Zealand's most memorable Olympic moments have come via the exploits of athletes such as Peter Snell, Murray Halberg and John Walker. In 1996 Lorraine Moller (who won bronze in the marathon at Barcelona in 1992) and 16 other track and field athletes wore the distinctive black singlet at Atlanta. New Zealand was represented in the discus, javelin, long jump, and a range of track events from the 100 metres to the marathon.

 1996 Olympic Games Maxi-card - $1.50 Rowing.
Single $1.50 'Rowing' gummed stamp.

Rowing has developed into one of New Zealand's most successful Olympic sports.

1996 Olympic Games Maxi-card - $1.80 Yachting.
Single $1.80 'Yachting' gummed stamp.
Eleven competitors represented New Zealand in yachting at the Atlanta Games. Barbara Kendall who had won gold in the board-sailing four years before was awarded a silver medal in 1996.

1996 Olympic Gold Medallists
Olympic Gold - 40c
Issued: 28 August 1996.
In the first day of competition, New Zealand halted to watch Danyon Loader power home in the 200 metres freestyle. Several days later he won a second individual gold, this time in the 400-metre freestyle.
God Defend New Zealand was heard a third time at Atlanta. Blyth Tait, riding Ready Teddy, secured Olympic glory in the Individual Three Day Event after an outstanding display of show jumping.

Sheetlet of six 40 cent stamps with a fern pattern printed on the selvedge.

First Day Cover - 28 August 1996.

1996 40c Atlanta Olympic Games black colour shift. 

This is most noticeable around the 40c value.

Technical information.

Date of issue: 10 July 1996.

Designers: Stephen Fuller, Wellington, New Zealand.

Printer and process: Southern Colour Print, New Zealand by lithography.

Stamp size: 33mm diameter.

Sheet size: 36 stamps per sheet.

 Miniature sheet sizes: 120mm x 80mm;

Limited edition sheet: 140mm x 185mm.

Perforation gauge: 14.5.

Paper type: Harrison and Sons, red phosphor coated, unwatermarked.

Period of sale: These stamps remained on sale until 10 July 1997.

Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ

You can visit their website and Online Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/

Information & images for this post came from.

New Zealand Post (Stamps)