MY OLYMPIC PHILATELY

Four of New Zealand's finest Olympians relived their gold-medal winning moments in by New Zealand Post's official unveiling of the world's first 'action replay' stamps. The denominations are: 45c - John Walker; 90c - Yvette Williams; $1.50 - Ian Ferguson and Paul MacDonald; $2.00 - Peter Snell.

John Walker, Montreal 31 July 1976 - 45c:

At 300 meters from home and the American Rick Wohlhuter loomed dangerously on Walker's outside shoulder. He couldn't wait any later. He had to go. Walker took off. With 300 metres to go he burst into the lead. The Belgian Ivo Vandamme come at him from the outside, but Walker lunged at the line with all his strength, flinging his arms in the air…

Yvette Williams, Helsinki 23 July 1952 - 90c:

Time came for her fourth jump of the day. She was tired after the long cold waits between each jump. The Olympic record had been broken eight times already. She stepped up to her mark. Knowing this was it. Her event. Her moment. She took off from her mark, sprinting at the pit like never before…

Ian Ferguson & Paul MacDonald, Seoul 30 September 1988 - $1.50:

East Germany, Poland and Hungary closed in. All were capable of winning but it was the final burst of the Russians that was the real heart stopper. The Soviets attacked. But the Kiwis countered, calling on all their strength and experience....Russia, New Zealand....New Zealand, Russia...

Peter Snell, Rome 2 September 1960 - $2.00:

At the 100 metre mark Snell's plan was to make the move. Snell didn't have it in him. Moens had the lead. Moens kept looking over his shoulder to his right. He didn't see Snell coming at him fast on the inside. Snell was strong. With 10 metres to go he closed his eyes and gave it his all. He threw his whole body forward, and…

The technology behind action stamps:

The effect of movement is created through a special printing process called Lenticular. This effect is achieved by two or more images being printed together, or 'inter-laced', into each other. These are printed around the wrong way on the back of a special lens material. Due to the optics in the lens, your eye is forced to see only a very small area of the lens at a certain angle. So, when you tilt the stamp, the images in the stamp appear to move.

FDC :