South Vietnam, Fight against Hunger, March 21st, 1963, Michel Nr. SVN 284-287; Four stamps in nominals of 50c, 1D, 3D and 5D were issued in perforation 13.

Here is the mint set

and here a partial 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 imperforate set in pairs.

Enpreuves de Luxe; “Atelier de Production des Timbres-Poste, 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 of the 0,50D value.

First Day Cover

Multiple franking of the 0.50D value (3) paying an overall postage of 1.50D on a domestic air mail letter sent in December of 1963 from a member of the military (KBC 4416) to a civilian in Saigon. Cancelled with the mute “Quan Buu” military cancel. Saigon machine arrival cancel on the reverse.  Red circular KBC cachet on front.

Multiple franking of the 0.50D value (3) paying an overall postage of 1.50D on a domestic air mail letter sent in September of 1963 from a member of the military (KBC 4421/Air Force Training Center in Nha Trang) to a civilian in Bien Hoa. Cancelled with the mute “Quan Buu”military cancel. Circular red KBC cachet on front. Bien Hoa arrival cancel on the reverse.

Mixed franking of the 1D Sisters Tru’ng stamp together with the o.50D Fight against Hunger stamp paying an overall postage of 1.50D on a domestic letter sent by a member of the military (KBC 4721/ Air Force Training Center located in Nha Trang) to a fellow military  member (KBC 4804/9th Airborne Battalion located in Saigon). Circular KBC seal on frontThe cover was sent in October of most likely 1965 as indicated by the Bien Hoa transit cancel. Red propaganda cachet on the reverse.

 

Rare single franking of the 1D value on a domestic letter sent from Cholon to Phuoc Tay in December of 1961. Phuoc Le transit cancel on the reverse.

Single franking of the 1D value on a domestic letter sent from a member of the military (KBC 4100/Thu Duc Infantry School in Thu Duc) to a civilian in Binh Dinh. The letter was apparently insufficiently franked and hence received a black “T” hand stamp to indicate that additional postage was due. Red KBC cachet on front.

Mixed franking of the 1D Fight against Hunger and 0.50D Defense stamps paying the 50% discounted military tariff for a local letter sent in July of 1963 by a member of the military (KBC 4049) to a civilian in Cho Lon. Saigon machine transit cancel on the reverse. Red KBC seal on front.

Mixed franking of the 1D Fight against Hunger and 50C Sisters Tru’ung paying the 50% discounted military rate. Sent in September of 1969 by a member of the military (KBC 4100/Military School in Thu Doc) to a civilian in Saigon. Cancelled with the “mute” Quann Buu military cancel. Red circular KBC seal on front. Saigon machine arrival cancel on the reverse. The full contents of the letter is preserved.

Single franking of the 3D value on a domestic folded air mail letter (full contents preserved) sent from Saigon to Thu Duc in November of 1963.

Mixed franking of the 3D Fight against Hunger stamp together with stamps from the Red Cross and Meteorology sets paying an overall postage of 4D on an international surface letter sent from Dalat to Switzerland in July of 1964.

Multiple franking of the 5D value (3) paying an overall postage of 15D on an air mail letter front sent in April of 1967 from Saigon to Taiwan. Taiwanese arrival cancel on front.

Mixed franking of the 5D Fight against Hunger stamps (3) together with the 3D Tuberculosis stamp paying an overall postage of 18D on an air mail letter sent in March of 1967 from Saigon to Switzerland. The Tuberculosis stamp is very rare to find on postally used cover.

 

Mixed franking of the 3D Beach of Ha Then stamp together with stamps from the Railroad and Fight against Hunger sets paying an overall postage of 12D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to France in May of 1965.

Mixed franking of the 5D Fight against Hunger and 8D Sisters Tru’ung stamps paying an overall postage of 13D on an international air mail letter sent from Da Nang to the United States in December of 1963.

Registration Nr. 200390

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