South Vietnam, 300. Death Anniversary of Father Alexandre de Rhodes, September 5th, 1961, Michel Nr. SVN 247-250; Four stamps in nominals of 50c, 1D, 3D and 6D ere issued in perforation 13.

Here is the mint set

and here the postally used set

These stamps were not officially released imperforate, however, a small number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here is the set in imperforate pairs.

Enpreuves de Luxe; “Atelier de Fabrication des Timbres-Postes, Paris” inscribed at bottom right.

Color Trials; prior to authorizing the final printing run for stamps the Vietnamese Postal Authority requested a few sheets of color sheets on one particular value of a set in order to decide which final color combination would be best suited for each stamp within the set. The color sheets had the size of a standard sheet but contained alternating color options on the designated nominal value. While these sheets were only intended for internal postal use some of them came to market. Virtually all of these complete sheets were cut apart. So one mostly finds single color proofs or small strips of them. While they are actually very rare one can still obtain them for under $10 a piece (with some exceptions) as not many collectors appear to have an interest in them so far. Here are various color trials for the 3D value.

Very rare single franking of the 50c value on printed matter mailing by the Carmelites of Hue to a donor in France from 1961. Most printed matter mailings were simply thrown out and hence are now very hard to find.

Rare multiple franking of the 50c value (13) paying an overall postage of 6.50D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to Portugal in February of 1961.

Rare multiple franking of the 1D value (2) paying 2D on a domestic letter (full contents preserved) sent from from Cai Lay to Thi Nghe from December 1961. Saigon machine arrival cancel on the reverse.

Mixed franking of the 1D Alexandre Rhodes stamp together with the 20c Family Law stamp paying an overall postage of 1.20D on a rare international printed matter mailing sent from Tourane to the United States.

Mixed franking of the 3D Alexandre Rhodes stamp together with the 2D Family law stamp paying an overall postage of 5D on an international air mail letter sent fin An The to Hong Kong in October 1963. Rare rural An Khe cancel.

Mixed franking of the 3D Prosperity Values together with stamps from the de Rhodes and 4 Years Constitution sets paying an overall postage of 12D on an international surface letter sent from Saigon to France in July of 1963.

Mixed franking of the 3D Alexandre Rhodes stamps (2) together with one 2D UNESCO paying an overall postage of 8D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to France in August of 1963.

Rare multiple franking of the 5D Alexndre Rhodes stamps (2) paying an overall postage of 10D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to France in January of 1966.

Mixed franking of the 8D Boy Scout stamp together with stamps from the UNESCO and Alexandre de Rhodes sets paying an overall postage of 16D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to France in June of 1965.

Registration Nr. 200290

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