Among the famous Americans honoured in the United States Postal Service "Celebrate the Century" commemorative stamp series is America's first Native American sports hero. Jim Thorpe was hailed as the greatest athlete in the world after he won the pentathlon and decathlon in 1912 at the Stockholm Olympics. An all-American football player in 1911 and 1912, Thorpe played major league baseball from 1913 to 1919 and he was one of the greatest football players in history, playing from 1917 to 1929. Thorpe's Olympic gold medals were taken away when he admitted that he had played semi-professional baseball, but the medals were restored 20 years after his death. He was posthumously elected to the Football Hall of Fame a decade earlier.

One of the most versatile and accomplished athletes of the 20th century, Jim Thorpe's portrait appears on an official U.S. postage stamp, as part of the "Celebrate the Century" series honouring great Americans. He is also shown pole vaulting to victory.
And this important stamp has been reproduced on the sides of a 1912 Ford Model T, introduced the same year as Thorpe's remarkable accomplishments at the Olympics. Crafted with a two-tone paint scheme and gold-tone metal trim and wheels, this handsome die-cast replica comes to you with a rich array of authentic features, including detailed interior and under chassis.
Created for your Official U.S. Postal Service Collection: Celebrate the Century Edition, it is produced by - and available only from - Matchbox Collectibles.

(2000)

Scale: 1:35