Magyar Posta is marking the largest event in the world of sport, the Summer Olympic Games, being held for the 33rd time, on this occasion in Paris, with a stamp issue. Fifty thousand copies of the black numbered perforated souvenir sheets and 4,000 copies of the red numbered imperforated souvenir sheets designed by the graphic artist Orsolya Kara were produced by the banknote printing company Pénzjegynyomda. The new issue goes on sale at Filaposta, philately specialist services, certain post offices and www.posta.hu from 6 May 2024.
The 33rd Summer Olympic Games are being held in Paris between 26 July and 11 August 2024. For the first time, the Games are planned to start with a boat parade rather than one in a stadium. The athletes of the participating nations will be taken on boats for kilometres through the city centre on the Seine, where they will be greeted by hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the river, with a variety of shows being arranged on each of the
bridges by the organisers. The opening ceremony will end in the Place du Trocadéro, where the Olympic flame will be lit.
The Eiffel Tower, which appears on the souvenir sheet and cover, has a special significance for this year’s Olympic Games. Apart from being a symbol of the city, the tower will have a special meaning for the winners as they will receive medals which use pieces of scrap iron that were replaced during the renovation of the tower. In this way, the best athletes will be able to take a piece of Paris home with them.
Hungary has won a total of 525 medals (184 gold, 158 silver and 183 bronze) in 22 disciplines at both the winter and summer Games and the art competitions in the history of the modern Games. In terms of gold medals, fencing is the record holder (38 gold, 24 silver and 28 bronze), swimming is second (29, 27, 20) and canoe-kayak is third (28, 31, 27).
The graphic composition on the souvenir sheet incorporates a part of the Eiffel Tower and a stylised depiction of a moment from some of Hungary’s most successful Olympic sports – swimming, water polo, fencing and wrestling. The new official logo of the Hungarian Olympic Team, introduced in 2023, is shown in the stamp of the souvenir sheet, completed with a graphic of the sport of canoeing. The graphics of the special first day cover repeat the style of the souvenir sheet, while the postmark features the logo of the Hungarian Olympic Team.
