Military Free Frank 1960

South Vietnam, Military Free Frank 1960, July 1st, 1960 (Michel Nr. SVN M1a) and October 31st, 1960 (Michel Nr. SVN M1b); This stamp was given to military personnel free of charge at the rate of two stamps per month. One stamp covered the standard surface letter rate. Additional services (i.e. air mail, registration, express fee) had to be paid extra.

Here is the mint stamp (1st printing in dark green color)

Note the shape of the roulette perforation which is different from that of the second printing.

Here is the mint stamp (2nd printing in light green color)

Note the shape of the roulette perforation which is different from that of the first printing.

The stamp was produced in Vietnam and as a result the printing quality and security was often poor and a number of printing errors have come to market. Below is an imperforate mint block of four (2nd printing) on which all inscriptions are missing.

Here is a similar imperforate mint pair, which also misses all inscriptions but also shows a significant passer-shift of the green color.

Mint block of the second printing as a printing error that is imperforate, is missing all of the inscriptions and shows a significant passer-shift.

Single franking of the military free frank (dark green color) on a domestic air mail letter (full contents preserved) sent by a member the military (KBC 4091/Quang Trung Training Center in Quan Tre) to a civilian in Nha Trang in September of 1961. Fragment of black KBC cachet on front.

Single franking of the military free frank (light-green color) on a domestic air mail letter sent from Saigon to Cholon in April of 1968. Black propaganda cachet on front. Unusual cancel “Saigon Ben.Thanh”. Most military mail was canceled with the “mute” Quan Buu cancel.

Single franking of the military free frank (dark green color) sent by a member of the military (KBC 4691/Tieu Doan 3/9 in Chon Thanh) sent to a civilian in Tan Dinh in January of 1973. Mute “Quan Buu” military cancel.

Multiple franking of the military free frank (2-dark green color) paying the second weight level on a philatelic letter sent from KBC 3799 to Lam Son in May of 1973.

Registration Nr. 200275