Lot 30159 – 1923 Group of four parliamentary bills for the introduction

1923 Group of four parliamentary bills for the introduction of the 1924 Olympic issue (« le projet de loi relatif à l’emission de timbres-poste spéciaux à l’occasion des jeux olympiques de 1924 »):

– 7th December 1923 « Chambre des Députés » 3-page report no.6730. The text mentions that Olympic stamps of limited validity were issued by Greece in 1896 and 1906 and by Belgium in 1920. That the Olympic Committee has asked the postal administration for four values; 10c, 25c, 30c and 50c as well as a 20c postcard. It goes on to explain that because of the limited validity of the stamps a new law must be authorised and their period of validity would not exceed December 31st, 1924. And to avoid objections of a budgetary nature, the Olympic Committee has undertaken to bear the costs of the essays and engraving by Mr. Becker.

– 13th December 1923 « Chambre des Députés » 3-page « Avis » no.6786. The text mentions that the issue of these stamps would be advantageous to the Treasury since the costs of design will be borne by the Olympic Committee, and the costs of printing are negligible in view of the additional revenue from selling the stamps to collectors. It mentions that for 1920 Antwerp they printed 10 million of each value. Therefore France must conform to the well established tradition of promoting the Games through the issue of stamps. It requests a change of the period of validity until 30th September 1924.

-22nd December 1923 « Sénat » 3-page report no.890. The text confirms the proposal that the date of validity would be 30th September, after which the reserve and unsold stock would be destroyed. It then proposes that from October 1st that special stamps for the 1925 Decorative Arts exhibition will be issued.

– 28th December 1923 « Chambre des Députés » 1-page « Projet de Loi », no.1454. A notice confirming the definitive text and adoption of the project to issue postage stamps and a postcard of limited duration for the 1924 Olympic Games.

An extremely rare and important group of documents in the history of the 1924 Olympic issue.