Scott No: 2397-2401
Serial number: 1992-8
Values in set: 4
Souvenir Sheet: 1
Date of issue: July 25, 1992
Designers: Yin Huili
Size:
27*40mm for Value 1,4
40*27mm for Value 2,3
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition: 50
Printing process: offset

The commemorative stamp set The 25th Olympic Games, catalog number 1992-8, was issued on July 25, 1992. It consists of four stamps and one souvenir sheet, produced using the photogravure process. The stamp sizes are 27×40 mm for (4-1) and (4-4), and 40×27 mm for (4-2) and (4-3), with a perforation gauge of 11 degrees. Each sheet contains 50 stamps. The souvenir sheet stamp measures 54×40 mm, and the souvenir sheet measures 91×68 mm. The stamps were designed by Yin Huili and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works.

Thematic Focus of the Set

This stamp set was issued to celebrate the 25th Summer Olympic Games held in Barcelona, Spain. This was a very important international comprehensive sports event in the 1990s. The Chinese delegation won multiple gold medals at these Games, achieving a major breakthrough on the Olympic stage. The stamps feature four highly watchable and widely known competitive events, paired with a marathon souvenir sheet symbolizing the spirit of endurance. They showcase the Olympic spirit of striving, forging ahead, and surpassing oneself, and highlight the value of the Olympics in connecting nations and enhancing international friendship.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Basketball

The image depicts the dynamic moment of a basketball player leaping into the air and raising a hand to shoot. The figure is full of power. The Olympic rings emblem is placed at the top of the design. Basketball is a highly popular team ball sport that emphasizes teamwork.

Gymnastics

The image shows a female gymnast in an expansive, soaring competitive pose. Her form is light and graceful. Gymnastics emphasizes strength, flexibility, and beauty, making it a highly artistically watchable Olympic event.

Diving

The image depicts the moment an athlete somersaults in the air just before entering the water. The lines are smooth and graceful. Diving tests aerial posture control and entry technique, and it is also a traditional strength of China at the Olympics.

Weightlifting

The image portrays a weightlifter exerting force to lift the barbell. His muscles are taut, highlighting the beauty of strength. Weightlifting embodies the competitive connotation of constantly breaking through limits and challenging oneself.

Souvenir Sheet: Marathon

The main subject is a running marathon athlete. The marathon originates from a classic ancient Greek story and symbolizes perseverance and never giving up. It is a classic symbol of the Olympic spirit.

Artistic and Design Features

The set uses a modern decorative color-block silhouette style. The colors are bright and intense, the forms are concise and generalized, and the images are full of dynamism. The four stamps alternate between horizontal and vertical formats, presenting team events, technical events, water events, and strength events respectively, with a rich and balanced variety of event types. The souvenir sheet elevates the theme with the long-distance running event. It has a strong contemporary atmosphere and is a representative work of 1990s Olympic-themed stamps.