The history of Olympic stamps can be traced to the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, 1896. At that time, the Organising Committee's budget was deeply in debt. The income from a commemorative series of 12 stamps helped to build the four last venues of the Athens Games. Olympic stamps were therefore the first ‘sponsors’ of the Olympic Games. Since then, Olympic stamps have contributed to the budget of Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, National Olympic Committees and Olympic events.

Olympic stamps were the first sports stamps, and these have become a unique theme for stamp collectors worldwide. ‘Olympic Philately’, which encompasses stamps and philatelic items with designs relating to Olympic sports and Olympic culture, are instruments for spreading and developing the Olympic spirit throughout the world.

This exhibition is a visual treat for Olympic collectors and stamp enthusiasts. A collection of rare Olympic stamps from the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland is on display. See stamps dating from 1896 to the 1940s, including the highest known rate of Olympic stamps in 1896, most interesting proofs of 1932 stamps from USA, and proofs of 1896 Turkish stamps which were never issued!

Stamps & Olympics: An Intimate Relationship will run at the Singapore Philatelic Museum from 18 May till 18 August 05. It is held in conjunction with the117th International Olympic Committee Session held in Singapore from 6 to 9 July. The exhibition is sponsored by the Singapore Sports Council.