Australia postage stamps year 1956 Olympic Games Melbourne set

Australia postage stamps year 1956 Olympic Games Melbourne MNH set

The 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games set is a cornerstone of Australian philately, issued to celebrate the first Olympics held in the Southern Hemisphere. While the core commemorative set consists of 4 stamps issued in October 1956, collectors often include the two preceding “publicity” stamps to form a complete 6-stamp series.

Set Details & Catalog Numbers

The main set was released on October 31, 1956.

The 1956 Commemorative Set (4 Stamps)

This set is notable for using two different printing methods: the lower values were printed locally in Australia, while the higher values were printed in Europe to achieve high-quality multicolor results.

• 4d Carmine-Red:⁴ Features the Arms of Melbourne. (Letterpress/Typo)
• 7½d Deep Blue: Depicts the Olympic Torch and the Southern Cross. (Letterpress/Typo)
• 1/- Multicolor: Shows Collins Street, Melbourne. Printed by Harrison & Sons, London (Photogravure).
• 2/- Multicolor: Features Melbourne across the Yarra River. Printed by Courvoisier, Switzerland (Photogravure).

The Publicity Stamps (1954–1955)

Before the main set, Australia issued two stamps featuring the Olympic Poster design to promote the upcoming games:

• 1954 2/- Blue: (Scott 286 / SG 280)
• 1955 2/- Green: (Scott 277 / SG 281)