Post Denmark, Stamps & Philately

Mini Sheet Booklet: Sports
On 21 March 1996, Stamps & Philately will issue a mini sheet booklet for the third time. The mini sheet booklet contains two mini sheets with a co-print of the four stamps in the sport series, i.e. eight stamps in all.

Each of the vignettes on the two mini sheets represents a sport - football and tennis, respectively - together with the logos of the Danish Federation of Sports for the Disabled, The Sports Confederation of Denmark, and the Olympic Games.

The mini sheet booklet showing the sports stamps costs DK-Kroner 46 (for customers in Denmark). The two mini sheets are only issued in booklet form, and thus cannot be obtained individually. The mini sheet booklet can be obtained from Stamps & Philately from the day of issue, 21 March 1996, or may be ordered already now (see our address below).

Sports
There are many reasons why 1996 should be the occasion for issuing a series of stamps with sports motifs.

This year marks the centenary of the first Olympic Games in the modem period in Greece, and at the same time it is a hundred years since the Sports Confederation of Denmark, Danmarks Idræts-Forbund (formerly Dansk Idræts-Forbund) was formed. It is also 25 years since the formation of the Danish Federation of Sports for the Disabled (DHIF), and finally 1996 is an Olympic year, in that the Olympic Summer Games will take place in Atlanta, USA.

The Four Motifs
The fact that sports for the disabled have been chosen together with swimming, boat racing and cycling, has been as it were a matter of making priorities. A number of other sports might just as well have been chosen, and it has been difficult to make the final choice of motifs. However, the four motifs chosen have this in common that they are all branches where Denmark has usually been very successful in the Olympic context. And of course 1996 will be dominated by the Olympic Games in Atlanta.

The Sports Confederation of Denmark 100 Years
14 February 1996 marks the centenary of the date when 18 unions and the Danish Football Association - the only special association - met at the Søpavillionen in Copenhagen to form Dansk Idræts-Forbund (DIF), The Sports Confederation of Denmark. The founder of the DIF, Eugen Stahl Schmidt, got his idea for the formation of the Confederation after having worked with a number of people interested in sports on formulating uniform amateur regulations for sportsmen. At its foundation, the DIF represented nine different branches and about 5,000 members. Since then developments have been rapid. Today the DIF is the central organization of 57 special unions, almost 11,000 unions of organized members and approximately 1,5 million members.

The Olympic Committee of Denmark
In 1993 the Dansk Idræts-Forbund (The Sports Confederation of Denmark) changed its name to Danmarks Idræts-Forbund. This was in connection with the fusion with the Olympic Committee of Denmark, which till then as an independent committee had taken care of Danish participation in the Olympic Games. The DIF, however, is an Olympic committee, and its purpose is to work for the spreading of information about the Olympic movement, to protect it, and to represent Danish sports within the framework of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and to take care that the rules and regulations of this committee are observed. Thus DIF today takes care of Denmark's participation in the Olympic Games.

The Centenary
A centenary programme comprising a broad spectrum of sports spread over large parts of the country has been put together to cover all of the year 1996. The centenary activities will comprise sports both for the elite and for ordinary participants, for veterans as well as for children and young people, and for both organized and non-organized participants. And of course room has also been found for cultural arrangements and conferences, where the history of sports is put into perspective and visions for the future discussed.

The Danish Federation for Sports for the Disabled
Denmark is probably one of those countries in the world that have got the farthest as far as sports facilities for the disabled are concerned. The mere fact that the Dansk Handicap Idræts-Forbund (DHIF - the Danish Federation of Sports for the Disabled) can already celebrate its 25th anniversary on 31 October 1996 shows something about this leading position.

A Plethora of Sports
In principle, sports for the disabled are the same as for the able-bodied. However, it has been necessary to change existing and known rules a little within individual sports so that the rules are adapted to the various groups of disabled. These days only imagination sets limits to sports for the disabled. With the many technical aids and enterprising sportsmen, new disciplines are continually added to the list of possible sports, which is long already.

Who Can Take Part in Sporting Activities?
Being disabled is no obstacle when it comes to taking part in sports. One of the most important tasks for the DHIF is to make sure that everybody, irrespective of disablement, is able to carry out sports activities for the benefit of the individual, the family, and society. The DHIF has done great things for the disabled in Denmark, both concerning sports for the many, and when it comes to sports for those disabled who are of champion quality.

Sport Is Part of Our Culture
Sport in its widest sense is an important part of Danish cultural life, and this is true whether one is active at champion level, an amateur, or just a spectator. Not all sportsmen are organized in a club or society, and many places, both private and public, provide offers for those who want to engage in sporting activities at a less demanding level, alone or together with others.

Exciting Sports Events Coming Up
Most Danes will probably remember the Olympic Games 1992 in Barcelona, where we experienced great triumphs in sports for the disabled and boat racing, among other things, and the impressive results last year in cycling and swimming are prob- ably also well remembered. With the many other sports cultivated in Denmark, there will be exciting events also in 1996. The four sports stamps will hopefully grace a great number of letters containing descriptions of active Danish sportsmanship both at home and abroad.

Presentation Pack, Stamp Booklet and Postcard
Together with the issue of the four sports stamp, Stamps & Philately is issuing a presentation pack containing one of each of the four stamps. The pack is lavishly illustrated and also contains a short description of the sports organizations DIF and DHIF. Stamps & Philately is also issuing a new booklet of special stamps. The booklet contains 10 specimens of the stamp illustrating sports for the disabled.

Likewise, a postcard with the stamp illustrating sports for the disabled printed on it both as franking and as part of the illustration will be issued. A mint postcard for customers in Denmark costs only DKK 4.75 inclusive of VAT, i.e. only DKK 1.00 above the nominal value. All the stamps mentioned above are available at Post Denmark, Stamps & Philately from 21 March 1996 - see address and e-mail below.

Should you wish to learn more about Danish stamps this is a good opportunity to do so. Danish stamps will provide you with a better knowledge of the geography, scenery, art, culture and history of Denmark.

Whether you are already a collector of stamps - or are contemplating starting a collection, it is a good idea to get to know Post Denmark, Stamps & Philately. We are not only in charge of the planning, printing, and issuing of stamps, but also your direct contact to service and up-to-date information about Danish stamps. Post Denmark, Stamps & Philately, issues between 20 and 25 new Danish stamps every year. Therefore, it is neither impossible nor especially expensive to get a complete collection.

Send in a request for further information
Send a letter directly to us or click here to send an e-mail with your full 'snail mail' address - Please remember to enter 'Post Denmark' as the subject of your e-mail. As mentioned above you will then receive a catalogue showing Danish stamps for sale from Post Denmark, Stamps & Philately, a brochure presenting the various subscription options and a trial subscription to a stamp magazine - free of any charges and obligations.