P201

Winter Olympic Games

Speed Skating, Downhill Skiing, Ski Jump, Ice Hockey

Collins Cover Announcement 

1980 WINTER OLYMPICS

arrived at the sleeping village of Lake Placid, deep in the north country of mountainous up-state New York, at 3:00 a.m. Someone said it was 15° below 0. After a little more than three hours sleep, I walked a few hundred yards to the Post Office as a light snow began to fall. All through the morning the small lobby of this village sized post office was jammed by local citizens, Olympic visitors and a few First Day "regulars" all caught up in the excitement of this Olympic First Day with true national significance. A highlight of the morning was a conversation with Patrick Moffitt, a member of the U.S. Ski team. Pat will probably be Purchasing a set of the COLLINS Olympic covers for himself and other team members. At precisely 11:15 a.m. in the continuing snowfall, I left the village via taxi with my destination the small airport at Saranac Lake. Soon I was aboard a small DeHavilland twin otter aircraft at the end of the runway. As the propellers kicked up the snow, we took off into the wintry sky. Below the frozen lake and snow covered mountains affirmed that, indeed, this beautiful semi-remote spot was the right location for the winter games.

In Albany, I left the twin otter for a commercial jet and was soon in Washington, D.C. Along the Olympic torch route (see enclosure), there were special one-day pictorial cancels. On February 1st, the torch was in D.C. which provided a perfect unofficial cancel. I am 99.9% certain that my covers are the only ones with these duo-cancels as I don't believe anyone else made it to D.C. with Placid serviced covers.

The pictorial may be the best COLLINS second cancel to date. It shows a runner with Olympic torch held aloft. Framing the runner in a square are the words - Olympic Torch Relay Station, Washington, D.C. 20013, Feb 1 80. The hand painted set of five (only 150 complete sets made) will be a beautiful addition to any First Day collection and also, believe, an excellent investment.

Winter 2022 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 5 P201 — Winter Olympics — (2-1-80)

The day of issue of these stamps was a whirl of activity. I was at the Lake Placid Post Office well before it opened. After obtaining the official slogan first day of issue postmark on a plate number pair, it was off to Saranac Airport and my flight on a small twin otter aircraft to Washington, D.C. My goal was a torch relay pictorial postmark from Washington, D.C., and it was ONLY available that day — February 1'. I don't know if anyone else even attempted it, but I accomplished the goal. A Collins exclusive I believe. This magnificent Winter Olympics pictorial postmark ties the other pair to the envelope on issue date. The cachet shows a figure skater, and it is handpainted including the five Olympic Rings. With the interlocking pattern and colors in a chain configuration, this was a VERY time-consuming cover. With Collins prices trending upward, do consider this one.

Winter 2024 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 8 P201 through P205 set of five - Winter Olympics — 2/1/80

(P201) Figure Skating, (P202) Speed Skating, (P203) Slalom, (P204) Ski Jumping, and (P205) Ice Hockey

This lot has all five covers with this postmark configuration. These covers are perfect for enhancing your Collins collection or for Olympics collectors or Winter Sports collectors. I only had time to produce 148 complete sets of these covers. This is the first time that a full set of five has appeared in one of my mail sales. To find and acquire this set is almost impossible. Only Collins obtained "The Runner with the Torch" cancel on the first day of issue. A philatelic treasure considering postmarks obtained, cachets individually hand painted, low numbers that exist, and cachets made by Fred Collins. What an opportunity