Guinea year 1964 Olympic Games Tokyo stamps set

Guinea year 1964 Olympic Games Tokyo stamps set MNH

Guinea’s 1964 Tokyo Olympic series is quite extensive. It features a mix of standard postage, airmails, and overprinted variations, many of which are known for their distinctive diamond shapes or vibrant colors.

1. The Primary 1964 Issue

The core set for the Tokyo Games consists of 7 stamps depicting various athletic disciplines. These are often found in “diamond” (rhombus) formats, which were a popular trend for African commemorative stamps in the 1960s.

• Catalog Numbers: Scott #342–#346 (Postage) and #C58–#C60 (Airmail).
• Michel Numbers: #265–#271.
• Subjects & Values:
  • 0.50 FG: Wrestling
  • 1 FG: Boxing
  • 2 FG: Judo
  • 5 FG: Athletics (Sprinting)
  • 10 FG: Gymnastics
  • 50 FG: Weightlifting (Airmail)
  • 100 FG: Basketball (Airmail)

2. Overprinted “Tokyo 1964” Variations

A significant portion of the Guinea Olympic market includes overprints. In late 1964 and early 1965, previous issues (such as the 1963 “Olympia” sports set) were overprinted with “TOKYO 1964” and the Olympic rings.

• Orange Overprints: Some airmail stamps (like the 50 FG and 100 FG) feature a bright orange overprint of the Tokyo Olympic emblem.
• Surcharges: There are versions where new values were stamped over the old ones to repurpose the stock specifically for the Tokyo Games celebration.

3. Souvenir Sheets

Guinea issued several souvenir sheets for this event, which are a highlight for topical collectors:

• Mt. Fuji Sheet: Features a large, colorful depiction of Mount Fuji with Olympic athletes in the foreground.
• Olympic Flame Sheet: Often contains higher denominations (200 FG or 500 FG) and is sought after for its large, artistic layout.
• Imperforate Sheets: Almost every stamp and sheet in this series was also released in an imperforate (smooth edge) version.