Posters
Posters are a great collectible from the Olympics, but a little harder for the collector to display. As
now, space, or a lack of it, plays into the equation. Poster art from the various Olympics
can be really spectacular and also very affordable.
During the past few decades Olympic posters were made by the hundreds of thousands and are
readily available. For instance,
posters for current games can be found for around twenty-five dollars. It is the vintage posters that appeal to the more experienced
Olympic collectors and the prices start getting quite a bit higher when you go back to the
1970s for posters.
- A Selection of Olympic Posters and Prices
- Olymperials
An incredible selection of over 3000 Olympic posters, complete with descriptions and information on each piece.
Mascots
As is the usual case, the more recent the collectible was made, the more affordable it is.
The same holds true for the recent Olympic mascots, with the exception of the Snowlets from the
Nagano (98) listing at $475. The Olympian Artifacts and Ingrid O'Neil Sports sites have listings of mascots and toys for sale -- a good
way to find out current values.
Coins
It wasn't until 1951, when Olympic coins were first produced, that numismatic collectors entered into the Olympic arena.
Now coins and medals commemorating the Olympics are made by the sponsoring country's mint as well as produced
specifically by other companies.
Stamps
- 2006 U.S. Olympic Stamp Release
- U.S. Post Office 2002 Release
- Stamps From the 1896 Athens Olympics
- The World of Olympic Philately
Official Collecting Association
In 1982 the IOC decided to establish organizations specifically for the collection of Olympic memorabilia. The first
association was FIPO -- the International Federation of Olympic Philately. They later established both FINO -- International Federation of
Olympic Numismatics and FIMO -- The International Olympic Memorabilia Federation. All three of these organizations together made up
the CCO, the Olympic Collectors Commission.
More Olympic Links
- U.S. Olympic Shop
Official shop for the U.S. Olympic teams includes posters, pins, collectibles and more. - History of the Olympics
A beautiful site -- the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. Be sure to check out the memorable photos link at the top of the site. - All Africa Olympic News
Interesting web site on the Olympics from the African point-of-view.
