Bulgaria 1976 Montreal Olympic Games Mint never hinged

Bulgaria 1976 Montreal Olympic Games Mint never hinged

In 1976, Bulgaria issued a series of postage stamps commemorating the Montreal Olympic Games. Here are some details about the mint never hinged (MNH) set:

The set consists of six stamps, each featuring a different Olympic sport:

• 1 stotinka – Wrestling
• 2 stotinki – Gymnastics
• 3 stotinki – Weightlifting
• 4 stotinki – Boxing
• 5 stotinki – Athletics (track and field)
• 13 stotinki – Soccer (football)

The designs were created by Bulgarian artist Boris Angelushev, known for his work on numerous Bulgarian stamp issues during this era. The stamps were printed using offset lithography by the State Printing Works in Sofia.

Each stamp features a stylized illustration of athletes competing in the respective sport against a solid background color. The designs have a modernist, somewhat abstract style typical of 1970s graphic design.

Inscriptions on the stamps include “Народна република България” (People’s Republic of Bulgaria) at the top, “Монреал 76” (Montreal 76) at the bottom, and the denomination.

Bulgaria had a strong showing at the 1976 Olympics, winning 6 gold, 9 silver, and 7 bronze medals. Notably, they won gold medals in wrestling, weightlifting, and boxing – three of the sports featured in this stamp set.

MNH examples of this set are readily available and popular among collectors of Olympic stamps, Bulgarian stamps, and sports/athletics on stamps. The vibrant colors, artistic designs, and connection to a significant Olympics make them an attractive addition to many collections.

As with all MNH stamps, examples should have full original gum, no hinge marks, and no signs of wear or damage to be considered truly “mint never hinged” grade by collectors.