1983 40c Summer Olympics '84: Shot Put & Men's Gymnastics, First Day Cover

U.S. #C108r
1983 40¢ Men’s Shot Put and Gymnastics
Summer Olympics Issue

Issue Date: April 8, 1983
First City: Los Angeles, California
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Perforation: 11.2 Bullseye

Color: Multicolored

This Fleetwood cover pictures two stamps commemorating the 23rd Olympic Games which were held in Los Angeles during the summer of 1984.  The stamps feature shot put and men’s gymnastics.

In the field event of shot put, a heavy metal ball – the “shot” – is “put” or thrown with a pushing action. The U.S. earned silver and bronze medals in the 1984 Olympics in this sport.

In the 1984 Summer Olympics, the American men’s gymnastic team took the gold medal in the all-around competition.

All 12 of the 1983 Commemorative Airmails picture athletes participating in Olympic events.  These stamps were issued in anticipation of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.  The Games were boycotted by the Soviet Union and many other Communist nations. Many saw this as revenge for the U.S. boycotting the 1980 Games held in Moscow.