The theme “Olympic History” is expanded every two years and in 2008 pays tribute to the medal winners of the Helsinki Olympics.
The stamp block’s release was the result of cooperation with the HOC. The photographs for the graphic design were provided by the Archives of the Hungarian Museum of Sport. At the XV Summer Olympics held between 19 July and 3 August 1952 in Helsinki almost five thousand sportsmen and women from 69 countries took part. The Finnish capital had already been granted the right to host the games in 1940, but this was cancelled due to the outbreak of the Second World War. Thanks to the excellent performance of our sportsmen and women, Hungary achieved a prestigious third place in the medals table. (Source: hu.wikipedia.org)
Gold medallists: József Csermák (hammer-throwing)  Valéria Gyenge (swimming)  Imre Hódos (wrestling)  Ágnes Keleti (gymnastics)  Margit Korondi (gymnastics)  Pál Kovács (fencing)  László Papp (boxing)  Éva Székely (swimming)  Miklós Szilvásy (wrestling)  Katalin Szőke (swimming)  Károly Takács (shooting)  Ilona Novák, Judit Temes, Éva Novák, Katalin Szőke, Mária Littomeritzky (women’s 4x100 m freestyle relay)  Tibor Bercelly, Aladár Gerevich, Rudolf Kárpáti, Pál Kovács, Bertalan Papp, László Rajcsányi (sabre team)  József Bozsik, László Budai II, Jenő Buzánszky, Lajos Csordás, Zoltán Czibor, Jenő Dalnoki, Gyula Grosics, Nándor Hidegkuti, Sándor Kocsis, Imre Kovács I, Mihály Lantos, Gyula Lóránt, Péter Palotás, Ferenc Puskás, József Zakariás (football team)  Gábor Benedek, Aladár Kovácsi, István Szondy (pentathlon team)  Róbert Antal, Antal Bolvári, Dezső Fábián, Dezső Gyarmati, István Hasznos, László Jeney, György Kárpáti, Dezső Lemhényi, Kálmán Markovits, Miklós Martin, Károly Szittya, István Szívós, György Vízvári (water polo team)
Silver medallists: Gábor Benedek (pentathlon)  Ilona Elek (fencing)  Aladár Gerevich (fencing)  Szilárd Kun (shooting)  Éva Novák (swimming)  Gábor Novák (kayak-canoe)  János Parti (kayak-canoe)  Imre Polyák (wrestling)  Margit Korondi, Ágnes Keleti, Edit Weckinger (Vásárhelyi) Perényi, Olga Tass, Erzsébet Köteles Gulyás, Mária Kövi Zalai, Andrea Bodó, Irén Karcsics Daruházi (women’s gymnastics team)
Bronze medallists: Ambrus Balogh (shooting)  Tibor Berczelly (fencing)  Ödön Földessy (long jump)  György Gurics (wrestling)  Ágnes Keleti (gymnastics)  Margit Korondi (gymnastics)  Imre Németh (hammer-throwing)  Antal Róka (50 km walking)  István Szondy (pentathlon)  Judit Temes (swimming)  Ferenc Varga, József Gurovits (kayak pairs)  László Zarándi, Géza Varasdi, György Csányi, Béla Goldoványi (4x100 m relay race)  Andrea Bodó, Irén Karcsics Daruházi, Erzsébet Köteles Gulyás, Ágnes Keleti, Margit Korondi, Edit Weckinger (Vásárhelyi) Perényi, Olga Tass, Mária Kövi Zalai (gymnastics, portable apparatus team)  Tibor Berczelly, Aladár Gerevich, Lajos Maszlay, Endre Palócz, József Sákovics, Endre Tilli (foil team)

The design of the stamp of the numbered block shows a portrait of Ferenc Puskás framed by the Hungarian sportsmen and women who won a gold medal at the Helsinki Olympics. The composition is completed by the five Olympic rings. A special feature of the commemorative stamp block is that the names and disciplines of the gold, silver and bronze medallists on the frame are visible under UV light. The numbering in the top right corner also fluoresces in UV light. The first day cover is decorated by the names of the medal winners and the postmark features a stylised drawing of the stadium to symbolise the 16 gold medals. SO

Order code:
2008170030011/stamp block
2008170060012/FDC

Date of issue: 28 October 2008
Face value: HUF 600
Perforated size: 30x40 mm
Imperforated size: 120x70 mm
Number of copies: 80,000
Printed by Pénzjegynyomda
Designed by György Kara