Original 1980 Soviet Olympic Poster - Mongolian artist Yadamsurengiin Urzhine – Moscow Olympics

This is an original 1980 Soviet Olympic poster, published by Plakat (Plakat Publishing House), Moscow, and designed by Mongolian artist Yadamsurengiin Urzhine — a remarkable example of the international artistic collaboration that characterised the Soviet cultural sphere at its peak.

The design is immediately distinctive: Misha the Bear, the beloved mascot of the Moscow Games, carries children from around the globe in an illustrative, almost storybook style that was a deliberate departure from the more rigid Soviet sports graphics of the era. Surrounding them, a chronological arc traces every previous Olympic host city from Athens 1896 to Montreal 1976 — including the cancelled Games of 1916 and 1940–44, a quietly poignant acknowledgement of the movement’s resilience through war. Woven into the composition are record-breaking athletic achievements, lending the piece a documentary quality alongside its celebratory warmth.

Published on 14 March 1980 with a print run of 200,000 copies, this poster was produced for mass distribution ahead of the Games — yet its illustrative complexity and historical depth make it far more than a piece of sports ephemera.

Authenticity

100% Guaranteed Original Vintage Poster — not a modern reprint or reproduction.

Artist: Yadamsurengiin Urzhine, Mongolian People’s Republic
Year: 1980 (published 14 March 1980)
Publisher: Izdatelstvo Plakat, Moscow
Print Run: 200,000 copies
Occasion: XXII Summer Olympic Games, Moscow
Origin: USSR (Soviet Union)
Style: Illustrative / storybook Soviet graphic design
Size: 36 × 56 cm (14.2 × 22.0 in)
Medium: Offset lithograph on paper

Condition

Overall: Very Good (Vintage Grade)

Wear: A visible diagonal fold/crease in the lower left corner across the “Mexico 1968” text. Light handling wear along the margins consistent with age.

Details: Colours remain remarkably bright and saturated. No major foxing or staining on the main graphic.

This is an authentic vintage item. Please review the high-resolution photographs for a full and accurate representation. What you see is what you receive.

Shipping & Packaging

We handle historic paper with the utmost care to ensure it arrives immaculate.

Handling: Dispatched within 1–3 business days from our Sarajevo studio
Packaging: Rolled in acid-free tissue paper and shipped in a heavy-duty reinforced mailing tube — no folding, no creasing, no edge damage
Tracking: Fully tracked from our studio to your door
Standard delivery: Registered post (BH Pošta), arriving in 1–4 weeks
Express delivery: DHL Express available at checkout — delivery in 2–5 business days

International buyers are responsible for any applicable customs fees or import taxes.

Framing

Professional custom framing is available for this piece upon request. Contact us before checkout to discuss options and tailored pricing.

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