Tuesday 10 March 2020

London 2020 retail booklet issued 10 March 2020

As previously reported, Royal Mail are churning out the 1d black and similar stamps for the upcoming international exhibition in London.  We now have the booklet and can show the detail.

UPDATE: Show now in 2022

Earlier versions of the 1d black reproductions have been criticised for being poor - the overall shading for the 2015 edition has a pink tone. The latest version is closer to the original, as it has a yellowish tone - but still with the white border (unlike the Wildings in 2002/3 which had an all-over wash which imitated the off-white colour of the original stamps.)

This is a picture of a (damaged) used original 1d black:


A comparison of the 2015 (top) and latest booklet versions:



As mentioned previously the new booklet contains 1d black, 2d blue and 1d red reproductions as 1st class stamps.


The cover is normal, but of course the purpose of the booklet can be seen by the tab on the extended rear cover.

This is not regarded as a new issue - indeed all the stamps have been issued before in one form or another. The 2d blue version has not been issued in self-adhesive form before, and will therefore have its own place in the catalogues and preprinted album.

As you will see from the pictures, the current booklet is printed with Security Backing paper, unlike the booklet issued in 2015.  So for specialists this booklet produces three new stamps.

It's available on the Royal Mail website.

First Day Covers
Cover producers seem to have overlooked this as there are no sponsored handstamps for this booklet and new stamp, so little opportunity for maximum cards at this stage (there ought to be opportunities when the remainder of the exhibition stamps are issued in May.)  [Postmarks can be found on Royal Mail's website here.]


15 comments:

  1. The 2d Blue 1st Class was actually issued self adhesive in a Smilers Sheet, although obviously it wouldnt have had its own SG Number under their criteria.
    This time it should get one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The London 2020 retail booklet appears to have been removed from the Royal Mail Shop website. It was available to pre-order but seems to have been pulled for probably obvious reasons.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The London 2020 retail booklet appears to have been withdrawn from the Royal Mail Shop website, probably for obvious reasons. It was available to pre-order last week but I can't find it now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no reason not to sell something which has already been issued and used.

      We have not been asked to return them.

      Delete
  4. The booklet has not yet been sent to the pre-order. At least here in Italy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Given the situation in Italy, that is not a surprise after only a few days. This from Royal Mail's International Incidents webpage:

      Incident: Deliveries to Italy delayed
      Italian Post has advised the whole of the country has now become a Yellow Zone, subject to extraordinary measures, which is effective until 3 April or unless a later date is advised. Human movement and social contact are to be minimised. Commercial transport is permitted with precautionary measures aims at preventing/minimising human contact to preserve personal safety, hence a heavy reduction in work force is applied in the logistic chain within Italian Post with impacts to processing and delivery.

      As a result Quality of service is affected on all postal products until the end of the Coronavirus epidemic. Precautionary delivery methods continue with signatures not obtainable from the actual addressee during this period.

      Delete
  5. I just had a look and cannot see it either. Has it been withdrawn or has it sold out? Glad I pre-ordered.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I alerted RM via their Twitter account earlier today, because the URL still comes up on their Shop Search facility. I suspect a slight Typo in the actual page URL.

      I don’t expect any results until Monday, if then.

      Delete
  6. Just received them yesterday in Waterford, PA. USA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've been told by another dealer that the booklet is now available but I can't yet see it on the RM shop webpage.

      Delete
  7. It is again visible on the page https://shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues. However, the chances that it is advertising an event which will happen on the dates shown must be very small.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Received mine too. B. Warren Dublin

    ReplyDelete
  9. Did you notice that the URL on the booklet is missing the final .uk ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well spotted, never noticed that! Well, I can;t see it being reprinted, but it's a design or productione error.

      Delete
    2. The .uk is not missing. That is the correct URL, it is www.london2022.co

      Delete

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