2018-12-05 Wed

First commemorative issue came out five year after the first definitive series. Issued on 29th August 1983, the first commemorative stamps of French Polynesia celebrated the First South Pacific Sports Games.

Held from 29 August to 9 September 1963 at Suva in Fiji, the 1963 South Pacific Games was the first edition of this multi sports event which was established to engender bonds of friendship amongst peoples in the Pacific. A total 13 countries participated in the event and French Polynesia was one of them.

Hence French Polynesia issued two stamps on the day when the event started, to commemorate the participation in this event. The stamp worth 20 francs depicts the game football. The stamp shows two men playing football on fresh blue background. The 50 Francs stamp depicts a man playing javelin on a vibrant pink background.

The stamps are printed with the photogravure technique and shows silhouette of the players which is certainly a unique style.

Image Courtesy: https://colnect.com