HISTORY
The Organizing Committee decided to produce a series of artistic posters to "represent the intertwining of sports and art worldwide." Because the financial investment was too much for the Organizing Committee, they decided to form a partnership with a German publisher and formed a new company, Edition Olympia 1972, GmbH -- (translated as: Olympic Editions 1972, Ltd.), founded in Munich in 1968. The contract with F. Bruckmann KG gave two-thirds of the profits to the Organizing Committee while Bruckmann kept one third. By the end of 1972 the Organizing Committee had received nearly two million Deutschemarks (2,000,000 DM) from the sale of posters.

The ORIGINAL 1972 PRICES
The original prices of the posters varied due to printing costs. Some posters had more colors than others, and the artists fees varied. The terminology that the Germans used in the Official Report and publicity brochures referred to three "classes" of posters. This terminology has caused confusion among collectors today because it is different than the terminology used in English. Most collectors are not familiar with the graphics world. Briefly stated: there is a single piece that is the "original" artwork, followed by limited editions that are individually signed and numbered; followed by signatures that are within the plate (or stone) and printed on the limited edition; and finally there is the "poster" which is a lithographic or offset print -- usually called an "open edition" and printed in large quantities for the public. The "classes" below are the GERMAN terms that were used, and my description

• Class 1 - "Original graphics": prices in 1972 ranged from 300 to 800 DM each.
  This was a limited edition of 200 (two hunded) prints, each individually signed and numbered by the artist, the most valuable set.
  

• Class 2 - "Original posters": prices ranged from 30 to 70 DM each.
  This was a limited edition of 2,000 (two thousand) prints, all signed in the stone. The term used in the American graphics and print industry is "limited edition prints." The signature is printed onto the paper as part of the printing process.

• Class 3 - "Reproductions": originally priced at 10 DM each.
  This is the most confusing term for most collectors. These are actually the posters - the Germans used the word "reproductions."
  But in the USA these are called "open edition posters" meaning that they are printed as needed, no limits, whatever can be sold to the public. The posters were printed in 1970 and 1971 and have not been reproduced since then. Some of the posters have the German word Reproduktions Plakate in the lower left corner which means it is this "open edition" and not a reproduction made in recent years.

My inventory is mostly Class 3 above - the OPEN EDITION posters. ORIGINALS - not reproductions!

A 29th poster, the official design of the Munich Olympics entitled SPIRALE, was also produced in a larger format and as of July 2011 is available in my inventory. In my 1995 Catalog 14 I incorrectly identified this poster as part of the ART SERIES because of the way it was advertised in the USA. In truth it was designed as the official symbol of the Munich Olympics. I have also been informed -- by a member of the artist team that assisted Otl Aicher -- that the Spirale was never offered to the public for sale. But I think he meant in Germany because a poster was printed for the USA market in a limited edition.

The story behind the graphics program is fascinating! Quite an effort went into the selection of a design

Otl Aicher was the design commissioner for the Organizing Committee and he submitted his design of a "wreath of rays" in September 1967. The Organizing committee didn't like it and instructed Aicher to make alternative designs, which he did. By November 1967 the Organizing Committee still didn't like his submissions and decided to have a competition for all German artists. By April 1968 there were 2,332 designs submitted and they were all rejected. On May 8, 1968 the committee went back to Aicher's original designs and chose an alternative - his wreath of rays within a spiral. This symbol was then used on all Munich Olympic publications and ads. In addition to the Spirale design, Aicher created the numerous pictograms used for each sport

CONDITION: All posters offered are in near mint condition. This means that the posters are as close to new as they can be, but keep in mind that they have been moved from Munich to Berlin, to the USA to my warehouses over a period of several years. So -- they have been touched, rolled, unrolled, stacked, etc.

MY PRICES: My price range is $45.00 to $ 95.00, with 11 posters priced over $100.00.

The complete set of 28 posters listed above is valued at approximately $ 2,900.00.
A complete set of the limited edition posters (Class 2) would be worth considerably more.
A complete set of the limited edition graphics (Class 1 -- edition of 200) would be worth even more.
However -- condition is a major factor in value and can detract from value considerably -- so these values are a simple guide.