Haiti postage stamps year 1939 Athletic Stadium Fund Pierre de Coubetin set MNH
Haiti – 1939 “Athletic Stadium Fund” (Pierre de Coubertin) Stamps
The 1939 Haiti “Port-au-Prince Athletic Stadium Fund” issue is one of the most famous early Olympic-themed stamp sets and the first stamps ever to depict Pierre de Coubertin.
📜 Historical Background
- Issued: 3 October 1939
- Purpose: Fundraising for construction of a stadium in Port-au-Prince
- Significance:
- First stamps featuring Coubertin
- Among the earliest stamps with Olympic rings in color
- Designed and printed by the American Bank Note Company
🧾 The Complete Set (3 stamps)
This is a semi-postal (surtax) issue—each stamp includes an extra charge for the stadium fund.
| Scott No. | Face Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| B1 | 10c + 10c | Coubertin portrait + Olympic symbolism |
| CB1 | 60c + 40c (airmail) | Stadium / aviation theme |
| CB2 | 1.25g + 60c (airmail) | Larger format, stadium design |
- Total: 3 stamps (1 regular + 2 airmail)
- Perforation: Line perf. 12
- Printing: Steel engraving (high quality)
🎨 Design Features
- Central portrait medallion of Coubertin
- Haitian flag + Olympic flag
- Stadium construction imagery
- Multicolor printing (advanced for the time)
These stamps are widely admired—contemporary Olympic officials even praised them as “magnificent” issues
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