The 1932 Olympic Games stamps were not just used to promote the 1oth Olympiad in Los Angeles, but also for political purposes. George Linn, owner of Linn’s and publisher of Linn’s Weekly Stamp News, was an avid supporter of Franklin Roosevelt during his campaign for President. He and the public used the stamps on covers with cachets supporting a “Stamp Collector for President.”
The 1932 Summer Olympic Games stamps (Scott 718-719) were issued to commemorate the 10th Olympiad in Los Angeles. The most notable stamp from this series was the 3-cent violet stamp, which depicted a runner at the starting mark, symbolizing the anticipation and excitement of the games.
George Ward Linn (1884–1966) was a notable philatelist and publisher, best known for founding Linn’s Weekly Stamp News in 1928. His contributions to stamp collecting were extensive—he published numerous philatelic journals and handbooks, including The Columbian Philatelist and The Stamp Collector’s Journal. Linn also created the first pre-printed cacheted first-day cover, commemorating President Warren G. Harding with the black 2-cent “mourning stamp” issued in 1923. His dedication to the hobby earned him a place in the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame in 1967.
Interestingly, Linn was also involved in political advocacy through philately. During Franklin Roosevelt’s presidential campaign, he used 1932 Summer Olympic Games stamps on covers with cachets supporting a “Stamp Collector for President” movement.
“Stamp Collector for President” cachets
