Bahamas Philately: 1968 – Olympic Games Mexico

The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, and commonly known as Mexico 1968, were held from 12 to 27 October 1968 in Mexico City, Mexico. These were the first Olympic Games to be staged in Latin America and the first to be staged in a Spanish-speaking country. They were also the first Games to use an all-weather (smooth) track for track and field events instead of the traditional cinder track, as well as the first example of the Olympics exclusively using electronic timekeeping equipment.

The torch route from Greece to Mexico was designed to replicate that taken by Christopher Columbus in his first visit to the New World. Three locations were seen as key to the route:

Genoa, Italy – The birthplace of Christopher Columbus
Palos de la Frontera, Spain – The port from which Columbus sailed
San Salvador Island – The first land encountered on the voyage

The Bahamas competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico but did not take home any medals.

Details

Date of Issue: 29 September 1968*
Date Withdrawn: 31 December 1968
Date Invalidated:
Designer: Maxim Shamir
Printer: Harrison and Sons Ltd
Process: Photogravure
Watermark: None
Perf: 14.5 x 13.5 (comb)
Cylinders: 1A
Sheet: R5 x 10
Quantity:

Note: It is believed that these stamps were released by the Philatelic Agency in the U.S.A. on 1 September 1968. First Day Covers from San Salvador are postmarked First Day of Issue/30 September 1968.

Subjects

First Day Cover (Official)

When the Bahamas Olympic set was issued, most of the First Day Covers received the standard “FIRST DAY OF ISSUE/NASSAU” postmark. However, in honour of the occasion, the G.P.O. decided to employ a special postmark at San Salvador, and a postal clerk was sent by mailboat to that island. There he utilized the mark shown at the left for a relatively small quantity of mail, both on the island itself and aboard the boat.