Hong Kong -

" LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES."

MNH ~ Miniature Sheet !

The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece, where athletes would gather to compete in various sports for glory.

This year will mark the Games of the XXX Olympiad since the first modern Olympic Games was held in Athens, Greece in 1896. For more than a century, athletes from around the world have embraced the Olympic spirit of fair play, thereby fostering international goodwill through sports exchanges.

A total of 205 countries and regions are expected to participate in 26 sports of the Games.

Hongkong Post has issued a set of four stamps in celebration of this spectacular event. 

Adopting three-dimensional shapes to highlight the exciting elements of the Games,  the four stamps showcase a number of sports in which the Hong Kong Olympic team has participated, 

including windsurfing and rowing ($1.40), badminton and archery ($2.40), table tennis and cycling ($3), and swimming and athletics ($5).

Embedded in the design of each stamp is a digit. All four taken together, we have “2 - 0 - 1 - 2”.

The stamps combine to form a complete sphere, with colourful cylinders that resemble fireworks, suggesting the excitement and vitality of the Games.

Echoing the theme of the London Olympics, three-dimensional shapes are also used on the right of the souvenir sheet to portray the Olympic events as well as various famous landmarks of London. 

Radiating lines in the background add to the dynamics of the whole design.

Year: 2012.

(NZO12).