Date of Issue : 29 Jul 2008
Postmark : Melbourne VIC 3000
Denomination : 50c
Stamp Size : 26 mm x 37.5 mm
Paper : Tullis Russell
Printing Process : Lithography
Australian football had its revolutionary beginnings in the 1850s in scratch matches (i.e. games without standard rules) played in Melbourne parks during holidays. In 1858, the idea of establishing a football club and formalising the rules was first suggested in a public forum. It was until May 1859 when the Melbourne Football Club was made official and a committee of four men organised some rules. Commemorating 150 years of Australian football in 2008, the single stamp in this issue features an early engraving of an Australian game of football.