Melbourne 1996 Olympics Australian Sports Stamps

Atlanta 1996 Olympics (bid by Melbourne)

Melbourne 1956 | Atlanta 1996 (bid by Melbourne) | Sydney 2000 | Other

On 17 November 1988 Australia chose Melbourne to bid for the 1996 Olympics. 100 organisations joined a club and contributed to finance the bid and in turn were authorised to use the 96 Flame logo. Most members of the Club used the five-colour logo on their letterheads but very few printed it on envelopes.

Life had other plans and a new Olympic city-Atlanta, capital of Georgia in America's south, was born on 18 September 1990 in Tokyo. Rather than let our 1996 Olympic effort vanish with the verdict, we completed and complimented a range of items relating to the 1996 bid. Many scarce items are postmarked on the exact date of the decision to award the Games to Atlanta which was made in Tokyo on 18 September 1990.

Covers

Image	Description	Price AU	#	Order
	Australian Post Office, Sports souvenir cover (Cat GP12), 6¾ size (90 mm x 165 mm), over printed in black Olympic City of Melbourne 1956 1996, with sport stamp, postmarked 16 March 1990, Austamp 90*, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, commemorative postmark, 96 serviced.	$5	96MO 01
	Souvenir (event) envelope, 100 mm x 200 mm, with verse from closing song of 1956 Melbourne Olympics in red, 45¢ Sport stamp, postmarked 19 March 1990, Austamp 90, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, commemorative postmark, 25 serviced.	$7	96MO 02
	Australian Post Office, first day cover, DL size (110 mm x 220 mm), for Sport Series II, over printed in black with verse from closing song of 1956 Melbourne Olympics, $1.00 (airmail rate to U S A) Melbourne Olympics 56 96 and outline of the MCG* (main stadium of 1956 Olympics) franking machine meter slogan, dated 18 September 1990, 96 serviced.	$15	96MO 03
	Souvenir (event) envelope, 100 mm x 200 mm, with verse from closing song of 1956 Melbourne Olympics in red, 43¢ (local rate) Sport stamp, machine postmark, 18 September 1990, Melbourne Mail Centre, tying 100 Club 1996 full colour official publicity label for use on envelopes, 26 serviced.	$15	96MO 04
	Australian Post Office, Sports souvenir cover (Cat GP12), 6¾ size (90 mm x 165 mm), over printed in black Olympic City of Melbourne 1956í 1996 , $1 Athletics stamp, cancelled 18 September 1990, Philatelic Sales Centre, Melbourne, pictorial postmark, addressed Poste Restante Tokyo, with arrival and returned markings of Tokyo (Japan) and Dandenong (Australia), 13 serviced.	$35	96MO 05
	Australian Post Office, Sports souvenir cover (Cat GP12), 6¾ size (90 mm x 165 mm), over printed in black Olympic City of Melbourne 1956í 1996, $1.20 Sports stamp, cancelled 18 September 1990, GPO Melbourne, pictorial postmark, over printed in black on reverse with IOC ballot details, 30 serviced.	$10	96MO 06
	American First Day Cover Society, general purpose cover (GP3), 6¾ size (90 mm x 165 mm), 43¢ Sport stamp (local rate), cancelled 18 September 1990, GPO Melbourne, pictorial postmark, over printed in black on reverse with IOC ballot details, 50 serviced.	$5	96MO 07
	Souvenir (event) envelope, 6¾ size (90 mm x 165 mm), original design by Geerlings of Salem, Oregon, USA, showing the Melbourne Cricket Ground (main stadium for the 1956 Olympics) with portrait of Martin Luther King Jr and caption 1956 Olympic City Melbourne hopes all the dreams of 1996 Olympic City Atlanta are fully realised!, hand painted in eleven water colours, $1 Athletics stamp (airmail rate to USA), postmarked 18 September 1990, Melbourne GPO, pictorial postmark, with insert, limited numbered edition of 96.	$60	96MO 08
	Envelope, DL size (110 mm x 220 mm), postage paid imprint, approved by Australia Post on 10 October 1986 for mailings at GPO Melbourne, in red and blue, showing outline of Melbourne Cricket Ground (Main Stadium of the 1956 Olympics), 33 used through the mail to local address.	$10	96M-OC1
	Airmail envelope, DL size (110 mm x 220 mm), postage paid imprint, approved by Australia Post on 10 October 1986 for mailings at GPO Melbourne, in red and blue, showing outline of Melbourne Cricket Ground (Main Stadium of the 1956 Olympics), 31 used through the mail to USA.	$15	96M-OC2
	City of Melbourne envelope, DL size (110 mm x 220 mm), with corner address and arms of the City in blue, 45¢ stamp, machine postmark, 22 September 1990, Melbourne Mail Centre, tying 100 Club 1996 full colour official publicity label for use on envelopes.	$15	96M-OC3

Postcards

Image	Description		Price AU	#	Order
	Melbourne 1956 Olympics official games advertising poster, reproduced in original colours as a postcard, 148 mm x106 mm, by the International Olympic Committee, Switzerland, over printed Back to Melbourne 1996, Melbourne Cricket Ground (Main Stadium of the 1956 Olympics) personal postage paid imprint approved by Australian Post for mailing at GPO Melbourne, 96 imported and over printed in Australian national colours of green and gold.		$10	MO 56 96 P 01
Kayaking	Australian Post Office, full colour combined maximum card and postal card, for Sport II series, 145 mm x 105 mm, cancelled first day of issue, Melbourne, commemorative postmark, 17 January 1990 on front (maximum card), 50 sets over printed on reverse in blue Greetings from the Olympic City of Melbourne 1956 1996,* cancelled on reverse (postcard) 18 September 1990, Philatelic Sales Centre, Melbourne, pictorial postmark, kayaking.		$10	96MPC 01
Sailboarding	Australian Post Office, full colour combined maximum card and postal card, for Sport II series, 145 mm x 105 mm, cancelled first day of issue, Melbourne, commemorative postmark, 17 January 1990 on front (maximum card), 50 sets over printed on reverse in blue Greetings from the Olympic City of Melbourne 1956 1996,* cancelled on reverse (postcard) 18 September 1990, Philatelic Sales Centre, Melbourne, pictorial postmark, sailboarding..		$10	96MPC 02
Tennis	Australian Post Office, full colour combined maximum card and postal card, for Sport II series, 145 mm x 105 mm, cancelled first day of issue, Melbourne, commemorative postmark, 17 January 1990 on front (maximum card), 50 sets over printed on reverse in blue Greetings from the Olympic City of Melbourne 1956 1996,* cancelled on reverse (postcard) 18 September 1990, Philatelic Sales Centre, Melbourne, pictorial postmark, tennis.		$10	96MPC 03
Rock Climbing	Australian Post Office, full colour combined maximum card and postal card, for Sport II series, 145 mm x 105 mm, cancelled first day of issue, Melbourne, commemorative postmark, 17 January 1990 on front (maximum card), 50 sets over printed on reverse in blue Greetings from the Olympic City of Melbourne 1956 1996,* cancelled on reverse (postcard) 18 September 1990, Philatelic Sales Centre, Melbourne, pictorial postmark, rock climbing.		$10	96MPC 04
Fun Run	Australian Post Office, full colour combined maximum card and postal card, for Sport II series, 145 mm x 105 mm, cancelled first day of issue, Melbourne, commemorative postmark, 17 January 1990 on front (maximum card), 50 sets over printed on reverse in blue Greetings from the Olympic City of Melbourne 1956 1996,* cancelled on reverse (postcard) 18 September 1990, Philatelic Sales Centre, Melbourne, pictorial postmark, fun run..		$10	96MPC 05
	Australian Post Office, set of three full colour postal cards showing some of the proposed venues, 100 mm x 150 mm. Cancelled first day of issue, Melbourne, 22 June 1990, commemorative postmark.		$25	M 96 set
		Melbourne Cricket Ground	$10	M 96 CG 01
		National Tennis Center	$10	M 96 TN 02
		Exhibition Building	$10	M 96 EB 03
	Australian Post Office, set of three full colour postal cards showing some of the proposed venues, 100 mm x 150 mm. Cancelled 18 September 1990, Melbourne commemorative postmark.		$25	MM 96 CG TN EB set
		Melbourne Cricket Ground	$10	MM 96 CG 01
		National Tennis Center	$10	MM 96 TN 02
		Exhibition Building	$10	MM 96 EB 03
	Australian Post Office, set of three full colour postal cards showing some of the proposed venues, 100 mm x 150 mm. 30 sets serviced.		$25	M 96 90 DD CG TN ED set
		Melbourne Cricket Ground with GPO Melbourne pictorial postmark. Decision Day 18 Sept 1990.	$10	M 96 90 DD CG
		National Tennis Centre with Philatelic Sales Centre, Melbourne pictorial postmark. Decision Day 18 Sept 1990.	$10	M 96 90 DD TN
		Exhibition Building with pictorial postmark.Decision Day 18 Sept 1990.	$10	M 96 90 DD EB
	Full colour, fold out type, greeting card by leading Australian artist Charles Billich showing Melbourne skyline decked out with Melbourne 1996 banners and flags, over printed in violet Greetings from the Olympic City of Melbourne 1956 1996* with matching MCG/Olympics postage paid imprint on envelope, approved by Australia Post for mailing at GPO Melbourne, 50 printed		$15	M OC FO 01

Franking Machine Meter Labels and Poster Stamps

Image	Description	Price AU	#	Order
	Melbourne Olympics 56 96 and outline of the MCG* (main stadium of 1956 Olympics) on self-adhesive paper with all over sport wall paper pattern, 18 September 1990 (day of IOC decision), zero value. Green.	$4	MBE 1
	Melbourne Olympics 56 96 and outline of the MCG* (main stadium of 1956 Olympics) on self-adhesive paper with all over sport wall paper pattern, 18 September 1990 (day of IOC decision), zero value. Gold.	$4	MBE 2
	Australian Champions souvenir sheet, 125 mm x 95 mm, printed by the Australian stamp printer in full colour, 96 over-printed in black Olympic City of Melbourne 1956 1996*.	$10	MBF1
	Postage Paid label, gloss white self-adhesive paper, 63 mm x 22 mm, postage paid imprint, approved by Australia Post on 10 October 1986 for mailings at GPO Melbourne, in blue and red, showing outline of Melbourne Cricket Ground (Main Stadium of the 1956 Olympics), 250 printed.	$3	MBF 3
	Publicity label, 20 mm x 40 mm, reproducing the official logo in full colour for use on mail of the 100 Club, official sponsors of Melbourne 1996, ten self-adhesive labels per sheet (118 mm x 108 mm).	$8	MBF 2

Pins, Badges and Emphemera

Image	Description	Price AU	#	Order
	Pin, Melbourne Going for Gold in 96, enamelled in blue and gold, produced by the City of Melbourne. Rare.	$100	MBG 1
	Badge with pin, 45 mm x 16 mm, showing official logo in full colour, produced by Melbourne Olympic Committee.	$5	M L 96 PIN
	Publicity sticker, self-adhesive, 230 mm x 60 mm, with the official logo in full colour and We’re Supporting Melbourne 1996, sold by Melbourne Olympic Committee, over printed in black on reverse with IOC ballot details.	$4	M 96 ST
	Publicity sticker, self-adhesive, 75 mm x 130 mm, with the official logo in full colour, issued by the City of Melbourne, 50 over-printed in black on reverse with IOC ballot details.	$4	M 96 ST LOGO

Reports

Image	Description	Price AU	#	Order
	Pocket Guide, The Case for Melbourne, 85 mm x 140 mm, produced by the Melbourne Olympic Committee.	$4	MBI 1
	Report for the Melbourne Olympic Committee by Noel G. Almeida, titled Philatelic Publicity for City of Melbourne, Candidate for the 1996 Olympics, March 1989, thirteen pages with full colour illustrations, very limited printing of 20 copies.	$30	MBI 2
	Catalogue titled Melbourne 1996 Olympics by Noel G. Almeida, April 1991, beautiful laminated card covers in green and gold, thirty-six pages, fully illustrated, detailing philatelic productions and allied material as listed in these pages, limited edition of 96.	$10	MBI 3

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