POSTER STAMPS AND LABELS OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

CLICK HERE to view the 1968-Grenoble section of the DuBois catalog as a pdf.

The following poster stamps and labels were issued for the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble

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DuBois #	Dubois images	Images of actual label(s)	DuBois description TEXT IN COURIER FONT is from DuBois Catalog. Text in other fonts is this author's.
1968W-01			1968W-01 1. GRENOBLE/ across top; below the latter: Olympic rings and a large, stylized snowflake (29mm) in white; below snowflake; 19 to left & 68 to right. 29x45mm(40x52mm,overall); text & rings are red, background is yellow imperf ... $2.00 (Same design as that of No.1 of 1964 - INNSBRUCK)
1968W-02		02/15/2022 - IS THIS IT? Not sure where I found this, nor its size, nor if it's gummed. Czech pin with same design Are these the colors of the label too? All DuBois says is "multicolored."	1968W-02 2. Adhesive Label: ZIMNI OLIMPIJSKE HRY 1968/ across top; a large "GRENOBLE" below(l9mm high); to the right of the latter: a Czechoslovakian flag, Olympic rings and a sprig of laurel (rings are interlaced as on official Olympic flag) 80x26mm, imperf, multicolored ... Rare (Translation: Olympic winter Games) See 1968 Mexico City page for a similar Czech label - 1968-44.
1968W-03 and 03a		1968W-03 1968W-03a thru 03h 1968W-03a partial sheet	1968W-03 3. Xth JEUX OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER/ across top; FRANCE 1968/ GRENOBLE/ at left, near bottom; vignette: three flags, on poles, including French & Olympic Flags. 24x35mm, perf 11, multicolored ... Rare That third flag is a mystery. There is LOTS of information on the www about flags, and I could find none that matches that one. It is not the flag of Grenoble or its region. 3a. Same as #3 but has following text above vignette: VILLARD-DE-LANS / STATION DE LA / FAMILLE SPORTIVE ... Rare It turns out there are many varieties of 03a, eight of which are shown at left. I suspect there are more. They differ in the texts at the top, advertisements for products, places, or services, and they do not seem especially rare. Some have perforations between the upper text and the design. After that tab has been torn off, one is left with 1968W-03. So that begs the question, does 1968W-03 exist in sheet format without the tab? 9/14/18 - I found the second image of 1968W-03, with selvage, so we can say now that the stamps exists WITHOUT the tab. 10/10/18 - I found the THIRD image of 1968W-03, with blank tabs! It appears someone was having fun with this stamp. 3/18/19 - BELOW - Full sheets of 03 & 03a
1968W-04	Listing in Ukrainian catalog		1968W-04 - Ukrainian Government in Exile - Pidpilna Poshta - Underground Post 4. Ukrainian Fund Label ("30" in lower right corner): FREEDOM FOR UKRAINE/ at top border; WINTER OLYMPIAD FEB. 1968/ down right border; Ukrainian text on left border & bottom border; GRENOBLE FRANCE/ in a panel near top; Vignette: Olympic rings with torch on top; beneath the latter, a down-hill skier. 24x34.5mm, perf 1l.5 Colors as follows: a) orange-brown vignette, green border & texts b) black vignette, bright orange border & texts c) gray vignette, carmine border & texts d) rose-pink vignette, violet border & texts e) light blue vignette, olive-brown border & texts --- (c,d,&e seen as se-tenant strip of three) f) blue vignette, rose-red border & texts g) light purple vignette, yellow-olive border & texts h) olive green vignette, pink border & texts --- (f,g,&h seen as se-tenant strip of three and also irnperf as a se-tenant strip of three, at bottom of a sheet). Other bi-colored labels exist ... $1.00 each Sheet Format (of type 4 labels): Sheets come with two colors of text below labels, gray and light green, stating "WINTER OLYMPIAD/1968 - (Ukrainian text) - 1968." Perf & imperf sheets of nine(3x3) exist with diff. color arrangement from that of Nos.4a to 4h,presented above: Color of vignette is simply a darker complementary shade of the border & text color, as follows (border & text color given): Position 1 - turquoise-green, 2 - rose pink, 3 - light blue, 4 - salmon pink, 5 - lavender, 6 - light yellow-brown, 7 - gray, 8 - light rose-pink, 9 - yellow olive Strip of 3 se-tenant ... $5.00 Block of 6 different ... $10.00
1968W-05		1968W-05 1968W-05a	1968W-05 5. French Souvenir Sheet GRENOBLE/1968/ above center; Xes JEUX OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER/ above a wavy line, across bottom; five snowflakes down both sides; vignette: two labels, to left & right, with "logo" of Grenoble between, left label is red, right one is green; both labels have text "ILE ROY" & "AU ROI DE L'ILE" (The King of the Island). 122x84mm (overall sheet), imperf, blue design(except for the two labels) ... $5.00 5a. Same as 5, but the two vignettes have swapped sides. According to the Salm Report #4, a compilation of fantasy stamps from the Collectors Club of Chicago, the ILE ROY fantasies date from 1976-1980, but HERE IS A COVER bearing one, and postmarked 1969, so that report is in error, and 1968W-05 could have been issued in 1968, so it remains here.
1968W-06			1968W-06 6. GRENOBLE 1968 / Xes JEUX OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER (Olympic Winter Games)/ at bottom; "SEITA 201"/ up, at upper left. Vignette: the logo of the Grenoble Games, which is a stylized "three roses outside rose tree leaves in a snow crystal"/ Olympic rings (interlaced as on official Olympic flag). 65mm square (overall), imperf, the three roses are solid red circles, the rest of design is white on a deep dull blue background ... $3.00 (Without gum, may be a self-adhesive) SEITA was the French state-owned tobacco monopoly at that time, and other labels I have seen with their name on them were matchbox labels. Is this a matchbox label?
1968W-07			1968W-07 7. A smaller, self-adhesive version of No.6, without text. 28x39mm (overall design), imperf, dull blue color ... $1.00
1968W-08			1968W-08 8. GRENOBLE 1968/ across bottom. Vignette copies the "logo & ring" poster of the Grenoble Games quite accurately, as follows: I. Three solid-red circles, with five outer-edge segments; a pale blue, five- segmented edging around the red circles (or stylized roses). II. Six white rose-tree leaves amid a six-pointed snow crystal; edges and interior are pale blue. III. Five white Olympic rings, below; pale blue inner and outer border on rings, of same width as white portions; upper middle ring partially obscured by lower "red-rose." 80x119mm(overall design portion), 80x124mm( overall, including a 3mm wide pull- off, horizontal tab at top of label), color is a shade of blue intermediate to the blue colors of label Nos. 6 & 7. An imperf self-adhesive label, 81x125mm (overall, including paper backing that is visible at edges) ... $5.00 Note: See label Nos. 5, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 16 for other logo labels.
1968W-09 a,b,c,etc.		1968W-09 a thru ...   1968W-x18 and x19	1968W-09 a thru infinity - Ads for suppliers to the Games 9. A French Self-adhesive: Xes JEUX OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER / in upper margin; GRENOBLE 1968/ in lower margin; FOURNISSEUR SELECTIONNE (Tradesman Selection)/ in panel between the two texts, white on blue; vignette: logo above and rings below panel. 18x23.5 mm, imperf. Color: margin texts are blue, snowflake & rings are white, three logo circles are red, bgrnd blue ... Rare A better translation of FOURNISSEUR SÉLECTIONNÉ is "Selected Supplier." This was an ad for a company chosen to provide goods or services for these Games, of which there were many, as you can see from the lower image at left. The labels differ in size, shape, and arrangement of the elements - logo, rings, etc. - but all are the same concept. I am choosing not to list them individually. Note that the text on the ribbon varies - most say FOURNISSEUR OFFICIEL (Official Supplier), a few say FOURNISSEUR EXCLUSIF, etc. Some are generic, while others name a company or product. 5/13/18 - two more, x18 and x19.
1968W-10 a thru f			1968W-10 a thru f 10. 3.Olympische Spiele 1968 / Nordische Kombination / down right side; ANDREAS KUNZ / across bottom; "1-" at upper left; vignette portrait of Andreas Kunz (an East German who placed third in the Nordic Combined event). 26x26mm, perf 11.5, color: orange bgrnd, white text & portrait ... Rare (This is probably one of a series of labels) DuBois deduced correctly that the stamp he listed was part of a series. I found five more from the same source, all shown at left. All were sold to raise funds for the Dynamo sports organization of East Germany. The athletes shown participated in the 1968 Winter Olympics. BUT WAIT - the third row shows Ralph Pöhland, a Nordic Combined skiier who was supposed to compete for the DDR at Grenoble, but defected to West Germany in January. His stamp had already been issued, but was quickly withdrawn, and replaced with the generic Grenoble stamp next to it. SO we have - a. Andreas Kunz - placed third in Nordic Combined skiing b. Manfred Queck - placed fourth in Normal Hill ski jump c. Steiner & Walther - Heinz-Ulrich Walther & Heidemarie Steiner placed fourth in Pairs Skating d. Olympic gold medal on blue background e. Ralph Pöhland - Nordic Combined skier who defected to the West f. Olympic torch, rings, text - GRENOBLE 1968 These are all DDR Sportvereinigung Dynamo Donation Stamps According to Wikipedia: The Sportvereinigung Dynamo (Dynamo Sports Association) was the sport organization of the security agencies (Volkspolizei, Ministry for State Security and customs) of former East Germany. East Germany was obsessed with fund-raising stamps and other non-postal labels. Visit ddr-spendenmarken.de for an illustrated catalog of over 13,000 "Contribution, donation and fee stamps of the SBZ and the GDR." All of the East German stamps on this page are listed there. Navigation is a bit tricky, but it's well worth the effort to figure it out. The site's author has done an excellent job.
1968W-11-13		1967 factories (Note "1967" in lower tight corner) 1968 factories (Note "1968" in lower tight corner)	1968W-11-13 Nos. 11,12&13, below, are matchbox labels (Ukrainian[sic]): 11. Ukrainian text, in red, around logo; two lines of text across bottom, in blue. Vignette: logo in usual colors (see label #6). 29x41mm, imperf ... Rare 12. Ukrainian text, in red, across most of top & bottom; two lines of text down right side. Vignette: five Olympic rings with logo snowflake in central ring (the usual three red circles), a mountainous view in background (colored blue & white with red-brown coloring above mountains). 43.5x29.5mm, imperf ... Rare 13 1968, in red / two lines of Ukrainian text, in blue / across bottom; Vignette: red & pink flames above a panel containing mountain peaks above a line of Ukr. text; logo, in usual colors, below panel. 29.5x43mm, imperf ... Rare Why did DuBois think these are Ukrainian labels? They are not, they are Russian. The factories where they were produced are in Russia, and the text is all Russian. They were issued first in 1967 (5 factories), then reissued in 1968 (9 factories). Details here. Text on matches: 10ая ЗИМНЯЯ ОЛИМПИАДА 1968 ГРЕНОБЛЬ 10th WINTER OLYMPIAD 1968 GRENOBLE At bottom - factory and city name, series number(1820-56), etc. Note that each factory (except one for each year - though not the same one!) has its own cute little logo, so you don't need to read Russian to tell them apart! 1967: Factory "Red Star"; Borisov Combine; Gomel Combine; Factory "Victory"; Factory "Revput". 1968: Slobodian Combine; Factory "1 May"; Barnaul factory; Gomel Combine; Factory "Lighthouse"; Pinsk Combine; Factory "Proletarian Banner"; Factory "Siberia"; Turin factory.
1968W-14	Listing in Ukrainian catalog		1968W-14 - Pidpilna Poshta - Ukrainian Underground Post - Government in Exile 14. Ukrainian text across top & bottom; vignette: logo snowflake to both left & right sides of central figure of a female figure skater; "30" at lower right corner. 41x24mm, perf 11.5, colors: carmine-lake & light gray ... Rare 14a. Same design as #14 but imperf & colors are brown-purple & light gray-blue ... Rare As you can see from the images at left, there are two designs, mirror images of each other, and many colors. There could be more.
1968W-15			1968W-15 15. Finland, "Combo" Label: MEXICO CITY, (Flag of Finland), & GRENOBLE/ below, down left, across bottom, up right. Vignette: a red flame above a gold "flame-holder" with white Olympic rings 22x32mm, 25.5x37.5mm(overall), text is blue ....... Rare
1968W-16			1968W-16 16. Poland, Local Label: GRENOBLE 1969/ above; SZCZECIN / across bottom. Vignette: a snowflake, as on Grenoble logo; "P" / on left; "H" on right; Olympic rings/ below. 33x50mm, imperf, white design on pink background, invisible gum ... Rare (Szczecin is a city in NW Poland, also known as "Stettin") See 1964-x08 for a pair of similar labels from the same source. As Roman Babut explains there, these are "Scout Post" labels (P.H. stands for Poczta Harcerska = Scout Post) and these were printed by local scouts and sold to raise funds for their outings. Sold at stamps shows and other events, they paid to have a scout carry one's mail to the local post office. Shown at left, an example of a such a cover, with the label tied! Thanks, Roman.
1968W-17			1968W-17 17. Same as sheet No.98 of the "1964 - Tokyo" section except GREN0BLE 1968 is added across top of each label. Several thousand labels remained in stock after the 1964 Games. The remainders were overprinted "GRENOBLE 1968" or "MEKSYK 1968" and the entire issue was eventually sold out. ... $1/label ... $10/sheet Note: See No. 97 of "1968 - Mexico City" section for other overprint
NOT IN DUBOIS The following labels were not listed in the DuBois catalog. Further additions are welcomed.
New number	Related images & text	Images of actual label(s)	Description and comments
1968W-x01			1968W-x01 - Hotel label Blue background, gold border, three red roses (symbol of Grenoble) top left, "1968 GRENOBLE" is large white type at lower middle, "hotel de SAVOIE - ***a brasserie - tel:44-00-20" in small gold type above, "Xes JEUX OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER" in black type at bottom. Size: 99x70mm (vignette)
1968W-x02			1968W-x02 This looks like a much-abused copy of 1968W-x06 - see below.
1968W-x03			1968W-x03 Size:4.4" x 2.3"
1968W-x04			1968W-x04 Decal for Corgi Winter Olympic Edition station wagon, 1968 I'm putting this here somewhat jokingly. The decal is available today to hobbyists who want to restore their treasured toy cars, but in 1968 it was available only on the toy. It's up to you.
1968W-x05			1968W-x05 - "CAR DECALS" eBay lot dscription: "2 unused car decals from the 1968 Winter Olympics. The decals measure 4.5 x 5 inches."
1968W-x06		Burundi 226-232	1968W-x06 Decorative label from Burundi postal issue, Scott Burundi 226-232 (see also 1968W-x20, below) Since it has a postal origin, I consider this an optional or borderline entry in this catalog, but am including it so that a collector who runs across it will know what it is, and can decide whether or not to collect it. ADDED 3/27/18 IDENTIFIED 7/12/2018
1968W-x07			1968W-x07 - a decal Dimensions 8.4 X 9.5 cm overall, and 9.4 x 9.8 cm for the decal (source unknown)
1968W-x08 a thru i			1968W-x08 a thru i Nine labels depicting winter sports. Top Image from a Feldman auction scan - no details provided - the width of the image is about 8 inches, so you can estimate the size of each label - about 2"x3.5", I'd say. I see transparent backing, so these must be peel-and-stick labels. 2/20/2019 - I added g thru i, from delcampe.
1968W-x09, x10, x11			1968W-x09, x10, x11 Three labels/stickers from a David Feldman auction scan. The area shown in the source image is about 8" wide, so you can deduce the sizes of the individual items. I see transparent backing, so these muse be peel-and-stick labels.
1968W-x12			1968W-x12 - large sticker Source = Feldman auction GRENOBLE 1968 - ...LE PRINCIPAL N'EST PAS DE VAINCRE MAIS DE PARTICIPER... (Pierre de Coubertin) - DON DE liquettes, falzars et galurins... LYON-GRENOBLE GRENOBLE 1968 - ... THE PRINCIPAL IS NOT TO DEFEAT BUT TO PARTICIPATE ... (Pierre de Coubertin) - DONATION of liquets, falzars and galurins (clothing) ... LYON-GRENOBLE Size: about 10" x 1" See top of 1968-Mexico City page for story about selection of Mexico City and this slogan.
1968W-x13			1968W-x13 - SEITA matchbox label Standard Grenoble Games logo on blue background above, GRENOBLE 1968 beneath (within background), Xes JEUX OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER in blue on white background at bottom. Tiny SEITA symbol at bottom left, "SEITA" at bottom right. 33x47mm SEITA (Société d'exploitation industrielle des tabacs et des allumettes), was the former French state-owned tobacco monopoly. It merged in 1999 with its Spanish equivalent, Tabacalera, to form Altadis.
1968W-x14&15			1968W-x14 and x15 - Esperanto labels x14 - "VINTRAJ OLIMPIAJ LUDOJ" at top; "1968" at top right, Sky jumper at center left, against backdrop of moon and mountains, Olympic rings to right of jumper, "Esperanto" above green star in circle below jumper, "GRENOBLE" at bottom, "FRANCUJO" below at left, "alvokas vin" at bottom right. x15 - "Esperanto" above green star at top left, Olympic rings at top right, "VINTRAJ OLIMPIAJ LUDOJ 1968" in small type below rings; Large image of Olympic torch, flame in bright red in center, "GRENOBLE" across center of torch, "FRANCUJO" on handle, backdrop of mountains at bottom, "alvokas vin" at bottom right. Aproximate size of each label = 1" x 1.5" Images from a David Feldman auction. As you can see, as with most of the Esperanto labels, these were issued in many colors of ink and paper.
1968W-x16			1968W-x16 - large (address?) label COMITE POUR LA CANDIDATURE DE GRENOBLE AUX JEUX OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER 1968 Size: about 3" x 5" The name implies that this was created for use as part of the campaign to choose Grenoble as host city for these Olympics, a campaign that began in 1960, and ended in January, 1964, when the selection was made. So this label might belong with the 1960 or 1964 material. You decide. Is it even a label? It might be a card.
1968W-x17			1968W-x17 Size: about 60x40mm - see Feldman auction image in 2nd column.
1968W-x20			1968W-x20 (7/12/18) Republique du Burundi Decorative label from 1968 postal issue, Scott 226-232, Feb 16, 1968. Text: REPUBLIQUE DU BURUNDI in top half of vertical rectangle; snow-covered mountains in background; multi-colored Olympic rings in lower half. Since it has a postal origin, I consider this an optional or borderline entry in this catalog, but am including it so that a collector who runs across it will know what it is, and can decide whether or not to collect it. 7/12/2018 - This showed up on eBay, from seller ucta33, and the partial cancel tipped me off it was of postal origin. I found the other images on delcampe.net - check out delcampe if you have not before. It is an excellent source of poster stamp - as well as philatelic - material. See also 1968W-x06, above.
1968W-x21		Romania Sc. 1951-7; Mi.2620-26; SG 3495-3501 Issued in sheetlets of 10 stamps and 5 labels.	1968W-x21 a thru g (7 colors of top border) J.O. GRENOBLE and Olympic rings Romania 1967 decorative label from postal issue, Sc. 1951-7; Mi. 2620-26; SG 3495-3501 8/30/18 - The single label at the top in the second column at left showed up on Ebay with the description: France 1968 Grenoble "Olympics" Poster Label Simple Winter Olympics label with Olympic Rings, approx. 1-1/4" x 1" It looked familiar to me, but I could not remember where I had seen it - I looked through DuBois - no luck. So I emailed Philippe Pavard, my accomplice in Paris, and he recognized it as the decorative label from a Romanian postage stamp issue of 1967, images at left. Since it has a postal origin, I consider this a very borderline entry in this catalog, but am including it so that a collector who runs across it will know what it is, and can decide whether or not to collect it. Knowledge is power!
1968W-x22			10/10/18 1968W-x22 Size: about 5" tall - see eBay auction image in 2nd column. The eBay seller calls this a label, but it is large for that - more postcard size. ???
1968W-x23	Clipping from Bernie brochure		10/12/18 1968W-x23 Size: unknown Publicity label to support the bid of Fernie, BC, Canada, to host the 1968 Winter Games. Green on white, airborne skier against mountain peaks, "1968" vertically at left, Olympic torch at right, "FERNIE, BC" at top, "PROPOSED SITE, WINTER OLYMPICS" at bottom.
1968W-x24, x25, x26			11/14/18 1968W-x24, x25, x26 Sizes: unknown More ads - tedious
1968W-x27 a thru e			02/21/2019 & 12/28/2019 1968W-x27 a thru e Self-adhesives for the various sites of skiing events for these Winter Games Size: 11 x 6.6 cm overall, and 9.9 x 6.5 for the label. Olympic rings, (site name) / GRENOBLE 1968 Dark red and silver on tan paper AUTRANS, ALPE D'HUEZ, VILLARD-DE-LANS, CHAMROUSSE, LES 2 ALPES Source: delcampe
1968W-x28			04/01/2019 1968W-x28 Label with Grenoble Winter Games logo attached to front of New Year's card from French Olympic Committee. Le Comité d'Organisation des Jeux Olympiques d'hiver de Grenoble vous adresse ses meilleurs voeux pour 1968 The Organizing Committee for the Grenoble Olympic Winter Games wish you all the best for 1968 Size - guessing - 2 or 3 inches high.
1968W-x29 a thru ....			12/28/2019 1968W-x29 various labels and decals I found all of these on delcampe, seller kikila, and if I wait until I am in the mood to catalog each one individually, I will never do it, so I am adding them as a group. I think they speak for themselves. Most are still available as of this date (12/28/19). Sizes vary, but all are in the 3 to 6 inch range. The first one is the most interesting to me, since it seems to have some sort of official status. Some have no date, but the delcampe seller claims they belong here. You decide.       The little cartoon dude with a red face is Schuss: Schuss, named for the sound a downhill skier makes when he speeds past, wasn't an official mascot, but he was branded on enough toys and mementos to be remembered as an essential part of the Games. Not everything is sexual, but you can't blame those who called Schuss the Skiing Sperm. 🙂
1968W-x30a & b			06/16/2020 1968W-x30a & b Sizes: 11 cm diam Cheese labels - Le Mondial and Premier d'Isigny
1968W-x31			06/16/2020 1968W-x31 Size: not stated - probably about 12" across. Bumper sticker for the 1963 bid by Lake Placid to host the 1968 Winter Games. They hosted in 1980 instead.
1968W-x32 thru x34			02/15/2022 1968W-x32, x33, x34 Sizes: not stated Three more labels, one for a wine bottle, one for a coffee jar, and one the "Outfitter" to the Austrian Olympic team.
1968W-x35			09/05/2023 1968W-x35 Size: not stated Camembert cheese label, DUC NORMAND

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Created -- 03/27/2018
Revised -- 09/05/2023