South Vietnam, Youth and Sport, July 7th, 1961, Michel Nr. SVN 239-242; Four stamps in nominals of 50c, 70c, 80c and 8D were 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 imperforate set in 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 0.50D value.

Very rare single franking of the 50c value on a printed matter mailing from Saigon to France in August of 1961.

Mixed franking of the 1D and 4D Reelection of President Ngô Đình Diệm stamps together with the 50c Sport and Youth stamp paying an overall postage of 17.50D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to Portugal in June of 1961.

Mixed franking of the 50c value (4) together with the 2D Land Reform and 3D Colombo Conference stamps paying an overall postage of 7D on an international letter sent from Saigon to Monaco in February of 1962. Monaco is a rather rare destination.

Mixed franking of the 70 and 80c values paying an overall postage of 1.50D on a domestic letter front sent from Danang to a member of the military (KBC 3042) in October of 1968. Letters to military members could be mailed at a 50% discount to the standard tariff.

Mixed franking of the 5D World Refugee Year together with stamps from the Prosperity Zones, Sport and Youth,  Children’s Day, Colombo Conference and Election of Ngô Đình Diệm sets paying an overall postage of 7D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to Argentina in December of 1961.

Mixed franking of the Reconstruction of Hue set together with stamps from the Sisters Tru’u’ng, World Food Organization, Sport and Youth, 5 Years Republic and Saigon-Dong Ha Rail Line sets paying an overall postage of 34D on a rare international registered express mail lettre sent from Da Lat to West germany in October of 1971.

Single franking of the 8D value on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to France in September of 1965.

Single franking of the 8D value on a registered domestic letter (full contents preserved) sent by a member of the military (KBC 4900) to Gia Dinh in June of 1968. Go-Vap and Pleiku transit cancels on the reverse.

Single franking of the 8D value on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to France .

Mixed franking of the 2D Madonna stamps (2) together with stamps from the Defense Against Malaria and Sport and Youth sets paying an overall postage of 13D on an international letter sent from Da Nang to the United Staes in October of 1962.

Mixed franking of the 7D Refugee Aid samp together with stamps from the Air Mail, Sport and Youth, Sports, Buildings and Confucius Year and 3 Years of Revolution sets paying an overall postage of 36D on an international air mail letter set from Saigon to Switzerland in October of 1967.

Registration Nr. 200270

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