1939 FIBA EuroBasket Stamps (Lithuania) Set and Checklist
‘It’s In The Details’
| Title | FIBA EuroBasket Stamps (Lithuania) |
| Year | 1939 |
| Size | 1″ x 1 9/16″ and 1 9/16″ x 1 13/16″ |
| Images | Color |
| Type | Stamps |
| Number in Set |
3 |
1939 FIBA EuroBasket Stamps (Lithuania) Overview
The third FIBA European Championship (FIBA EuroBasket) was held in 1939, hosted by Lithuania. The country produced a set of three stamps commemorating the event. As the event was entirely a basketball one, this is one of the few pre-war sets featuring more than one issue with basketball being the only sport.
One stamp used blank ink and featured a generic player driving to the basket for a layup against a defender. That image/logo was used on other products/signage promoting the event. A second stamp using a dark red ink included a similar picture of a player shooting a layup, but in a slightly different pose and without a defender. The third stamp included a basketball and rim, along with flags of 17 nations scheduled to play in the event. That stamp is closer to a square in shape and is a little larger than the other two.
While 17 countries were expected to play, only eight did. That is because of World War II conflicts, which were happening, forcing some countries to back out of the event. Lithuania finished a perfect 7-0 in the event, winning it for the second straight time.
Because the stamps were actual postage stamps, they carried specific denominations. They are often found canceled/used and those have less value than unused stamps.
1939 FIBA EuroBasket Stamps (Lithuania) Checklist
- Basketball Player (red ink)
- Basketball Players (black ink)
- Basketball with Flags
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