World Cup Soccer 98
South Africa, Marseilles · 1998-06-08
Official first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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This official South African First Day Cover, issued on 8 June 1998 and cancelled in Marseilles, France, commemorates South Africa's participation in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. It carries a single R1.40 stamp featuring the "Bafana Bafana" logo, the beloved nickname of the national football team, paired with a lively cachet showing an animated football. According to the collector's listing, the cover is in very fine condition: clean and crisp with barely any signs of handling, though it wasn't addressed or signed. Issued not long after South Africa hosted the 1996 African Cup of Nations.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet shows a playful, cartoonish football character mid kick, with human arms and legs but a soccer ball for a head, complete with big cartoon eyes and an open mouth. It wears black and white striped boots and has just sent a second ball flying across the design. Bold red and green lettering above reads "World Cup Soccer 98", with a faint outlined sketch of a stadium and crowd in the background, and the Bafana Bafana logo tucked into the bottom left corner.
Information Card
No info card was issued.
Theme: Sport
Condition: Very FineVery attractive. Clean and crisp, no discolouration, only the slightest signs of handling.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R1.4 (ZAR)
SG reference: 1054
SAPO serial number: 6.76
Estimated value: ~US$0.43
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 209 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
