North Vietnam, Folk Dances, March 20th, 1962, Michel Nr. 201-204, Block 6; Four values with the nominals of 12 xu (two stamps), 30 xu and 50 xu were issued. The 50 xu stamp was intended for the standard letter air mail rate to Western Europe. The stamps were intentionally released perforated (11.5) (300,000 sets) and imperforate (30,000 sets).

Here is the mint perforated set:

This is the mint im-perforated set:

Mint im-perforated set in blocks of four:

Also, a souvenir sheet was issued with the 30 xu value (30,000 sheets only perforated). Here is a mint copy of one

Here is the souvenir-sheet with the standard Hai-Phong date canceller. Cancelled souvenir-sheets are at least a hundred times rarer than mint ones.

First Day Cover mailed to Klewitz in Wes Germany. The overall franking was 1.04 Dong which would have been insufficient for a registered letter to West Germany (1.1. Dong). However, the clever sender wrote “RDA” at the bottom of the address which stood for “East Germany”. The standard letter rate to a fellow socialist country was only 12 xu, so the required rate for a registered letter (60 xu registration fee) added up to only 72 xu of postage. The duped postal clerk had no objections.

Rare single franking of the 50 xu value on a postcard to Italy from February of 1965. The postcard postage to Western countries was actually 46xu but apparently only the 50xu stamp was on hand.

Here is a similar postcard but this time it is addressed to East Germany, so the postal tariff was only 6xu. Clearly the sender was unaware of that and hence over-ranked the card by 44xu.

Cancelled souvenir sheets of Vietnam during the war are much rarer than mint ones. The ratio of mint to used souvenir sheets, based on long term market observation is easily 100:1. Postally used souvenir sheets are hardly known. Here is a letter (ex Klewitz) that features a single franking of Block Nr. 6 cancelled with the First Day Cancel plus a standard Hanoi date canceler.

Very rare mixed franking of the imperforate Folk Dance set and the souvenir-sheet paying an overall postage of 1.34D on a registered air mail letter sent from Hanoi to East Germany in April of 1964. Postall used souvenir-sheets and imperforate stamps hardly exist.

Rare Specimen/Printed Matter Xunhasaba mailing from February of 1965. The letter carries a mix of regular stamps (Phu Lo’i and Folk Dance sets) plus one of the 40 xu Official Union Congress stamps for an overall postage of 1.10D. West Germany was still a rare destination in the early 1960’s.

Very rare express mail letter sent to Klewitz in April of 1970 featuring the entire im-perforated medical plant set plus four 12 xu stamps of the folk dance set im-perforated. Im-perforated stamps postal used cover are very rare. Overall franking of 1.7 Dong. The standard letter rate to West Germany was 50 xu, international registration fee 60 xu and express mail fee 50 xu. So, the letter was either slightly over-franked or heavier than the standard 20 grams.

Very rare letter express mail cover sent to Klewitz in April of 1970 with the complete im-perforated set. Two of the 50 xu im-perforated stamps of the folk dance issue were added for an overall postage of 1.98 Dong. Im-perfroated stamps on postally used covers are ver rare. A standard letter to West Germany cost 50 xu, the international registration fee 60 xu and the express mail fee of 50 xu amounted to a required postage of 1.60 Dong, so the letter must have been heavier than the standard 20 grams. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse.

Rare Single franking of one of the 12xu values on a letter from Hanoi to Leipzig, East Germany paying the correct tariff in force at the time.

Here is an interesting letter (ex Klewitz) that features a mixed currency franking. One can see that the Five Year Plan issue was printed attached to each other on one sheet. The letter also nicely illustrates that North Vietnamese stamps retained their validity forever. The 100 Dong railroad stamp from 1956 had been devalued in March of 1959 by 1,000:1, which meant it was only worth 10 xu at the time of use. The overall franking with the 30 xu stamp from the Folk Dance issue hence amounted to 1.12 Dong which was just a whisker above the require rate of 1.10 Dong.

Another rare letter (ex Klewitz) featuring two of the 50 xu im-perforated of the folk dance series plus four im-perforated 12 xu stamps from the 1962 flower series. Overall franking amounts to 1.72 Dong which appears to be correct (50 xu standard letter rate, 60 xu international registration fee, 50 xu express mail fee). Railmail transit stamp and Fulda arrival stamp on reverse.

Very rare express mail letter sent to Klewitz featuring the entire im-perforated set. On the reverse there are two im-perforated values of the wild animal set from the same year plus an im-perfroated 50 xu stamp of the folk dance issue. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage amounted to 2.18 Dong which is on account of the registration and express mail fee.

Rare express mail letter sent to Klewitz in April of 1970. It features the entire Cuban Revolution set plus four im-perforated 30 xu stamps of the Folk Dance set of 1962. Im-perfroated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall franking amounts to 1.68 Dong which is just a whisker above the required rate (50 xu standard letter rate, 60 xu international registration fee, 50 xu express mail fee)

Here is a registered letter mailed to Klewitz with one of the 30 xu values. The overall postage amounted to 1.52 Dong. A standard 20 gram registered letter to West Germany cost 1.10 Dong, so this letter must have been heavier than the standard. Klewitz’ associates were not known to waste much postage!

Very rare express mail letter mailed to Klewitz in April of 1970. It features two of the 30 xu stamps of the set plus some perforated North Vietnamese postage. Im-perforated stamps on postally used covers are very rare. The overall franking amounted to 2.02 Dong. A standard 20 gram registered express mail letter to West Germany cost 1.60 Dong, so this letter must have been heavier than the standard. Klewitz’ associates were not known to waste much postage!

Very rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in October of 1968. It features the 50 xu value. The overall postage amounted to 1.58 Dong which was 2 xu shy of the required tariff for a standard registered express mail letter to West Germany (1.60 Dong). Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse.

Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in October of 1968 featuring the 50 xu stamp. The overall franking amounted to 1.46 Dong which appears about 12 xu short of the required tariff of 1.60 Dong for a registered express mail letter to West Germany, however the letter passed without any assessment of postage due. This is another example of a case where the postal worker apparently was not sufficiently familiar with the postal tariff to “exotic” foreign destinations.

Here is a very rare express mail letter featuring the entire im-perforated set sent to Klewitz in June of 1968.  It also carries six im-perfroated stamps of the 1962 folk dance series. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 2.36 Dong which was most likely in excess of the required tariff of 1.00 for a standard 20 gram express mail letter to West Germany. The initial intention was to send this letter registered (Tariff of 1.60 Dong). Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse.

Very rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in April of 1970. Apart from a pair of the Court of Justice stamp the letter also features a block of four of the im-perforated 12 xu stamp of the Folk Dance series plus a single of the im-perforated 50 xu stamp of the same set. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall franking amounted to 1.70 Dong which was slightly above the required tariff of 1.60 Dong.

Registration Nr. 100680

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