This year, the Romanian Olympic Committee (ROC) celebrates 90 years since the foundation. To mark this event, Romfilatelia, the specialized company in the issuance of philatelic products, is launching an elegant postage issue, which contains one block of three stamps 21,000 Lei (ROL) value each.
On the first stamp of the block, there is the portrait of Pierre barron de Coubertin (1863-1937), father of the modern Olympic Games and founding member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He had been the president of this committee for 29 years, between 1896 and 1925. In 1896, Pierre de Coubertin organized the first modern Olympic Games, in Athens. The Romanian sports-staff has been taking part in all Olympic Games since 1924, except for the two summer editions in 1932 and 1948 and one winter edition in 1960.
Since the first Paris edition in 1924, until that which took place in Sydney, in the year 2000, the Romanian sportsmen won a record of 265 medals, 74 of gold, 83 of silver and 108 of bronze. Therefore, Romania is on the 12th place of 200 of the national Olympic Committees ranking recognized by the IOC.
The middle stamp represents the value of 1 drachma of the Greek stamps printed on the occasion of the first Olympic Game, which took place in Athens in 1896. The stamp reproduces a picture of the Olympic Stadium, having as background the Pantheon ruins.
On the third stamp, there is a portrait of Prince George Valentin Bibescu (1880-1941), one of the members of the steering committee. He participated at the founding of the Romanian Olympic Committee in March 1914. Prince George Valentin Bibescu was the president of the ROC between 1920 and 1923. His father, Prince George Gh. Bibescu, was an elected member of the International Olympic Committee in 1899. Due to his contribution, Romania became the 16th country in the world that had a member in this international forum.
The logo of the event and the headquarters of the Romanian Olympic Committee are illustrated on the imprint of the block. This building is a part of the Romanian national patrimony because of the mural picture made by the famous artist, Stefan Luchian. The design of the clay model block was performed by Mr. Leonard Pascanu.
The First Day Cover presents the design of the medal issued on this occasion. The medal is framed on an ancient porch.
