Overprint – 2020 London International Publicity by Brian Austin                                                                                             

SG No. 835 ‘Philympia 70’ Stamp Exhibition

Overprinted:  London 2020

The coronavirus pandemic brought the philatelic world almost to a complete stop in mid-March 2020, with international exhibitions and local stamp fairs being cancelled or postponed, shops and museums closed, and societies abandoning  or suspending  their programmes of events. Six weeks before it was due to open its doors for an eight day extravaganza, it was announced that the London 2020 international exhibition would not to be taking place, as the UK government tightened its guidelines against large gatherings. It was postponed until February 2022.