Unified Vietnam, Paracel and Spratly Islands, January 19th, 1988, Michel Nr. 1886-1887; Two stamps with nominals of 10D and 100D were issued in perforation 13.  While geographically in close proximity to Vietnam, increased Chinese hegemony resulted in China claiming all of the China Sea as its territory including Paracel and Spratly Islands. This disagreement between the two countries resulted in a kind of propaganda war in which both sides claim the longest historical ties to their respective countries. The two stamps here form part of this propaganda effort by the Vietnamese Government. Below is a map that shows the geographical location of the islands.

Vietnam even erected a large monument on Spratly Island which is show in this black-white photograph below.

Here is the mint set

Single 10D stamp that shows a wet color transfer of the pink color caused by stacking sheets that were freshly printed on top of each other.

Mint block of four on which on which the bottom right 100D stamp shows the plate error of “partially covers 2 on map”.  The numbers 1 and 2 were initially intended to be in brown only but because this was hard to see the numbers were overprinted in black color. On the error stamp that overprint failed partially.

Detailed scan of the affected areas. First scan with black overprint on “2”. Second scan with partial black overprint on “2”.

These stamps were not officially released imperforate however some imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here are imperforate mint pairs of these proofs. The right 100D stamp also shows the above detailed plate error of partially overprinted 2.

Detailed scan of the affected areas. First scan with black overprint on “2”. Second scan with partial black overprint on “2”.

Other plate errors are known on the 100D value. Here is a mint block of four imperforate trial proofs on which the top right stamp shows the plate error of “N in CHINH looks like II” and the bottom left stamp the plate error “broken H in CHINH”.

Detailed scans of the affected areas

Local air mail letter mailed in March of 1988 from Truong-Sa to Ho Chi Minh City paying the standard letter rate of 10D at the time.

International folded letter sent from Yen Bai to Czechoslovakia featuring a multiple franking (4) of the 100D value paying an overall postage of 400D.

Multiple franking of the 100D value (9) paying an overall postage of 900D on an international air mail letter sent from Hanoi to France in May of 1988.

Mixed franking of the 100D value plus the 50D October Revolution paying an overall postage of 150D on an international air mail letter sent to Czechoslovakia.

Mixed franking of seven 100D Paracel stamps plus the 50D KPdSU stamp paying an overall postage of 750D on an international air mail letter sent from the Hanoi area to Czechoslovakia.

Rare international express mail letter featuring nine of the 100D value hence paying an overall postage of 900D on a letter sent from Bien Hoa to the United States in 1988.

Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1881 from HCM City to Hong Kong. The letter carries the Postal Union, Cooperation between Vietnam & CSSR, Paracel & Spratly sets plus stamps from the German Railway souvenir-sheet and the Peace Movement stamp paying an overall postage of 2,865D (including the red free frank for 2,565D). Souvenir-sheets on postally used cover are very rare.

Registered air mail letter sent in May of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the perforated and imperforate Paracel and Spartly Island stamps plus stamps from the Peace Movement, HAFNIA Airplanes and Water and Mountain Spirit sets for an overall postage of 1,604D (including the red free frank for 1,187D). Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Air mail letter sent in August of 1988 from Quang Ninh to Czechoslovakia. The letter carries two of the 100D Paracel island stamps plus one 20D Execution of Party Decision stamps for an overall postage of 220D.

Registered air mail letter sent in January of 1989 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries an imperforate  block of four of the 10D Paracel and Spratly Island stamp plus stamps from the Red Cross, 30 Years Socialist Newspaper, Hydro Stations, Tourism and Union Congress sets for an overall postage of 6,490D (including the red free frank for 4,000D). Imperforate trial proofs on postally used cover are basically unheard off. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

International letter sent from Hanoi to Italy in February of 1989. The letter features four of the Off-Shore OilProduction stamp plus two of the Spratly Island stamps paying an overall tariff of 4,200D.

Registered air mail letter sent in March of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the perforated  Paracel and Spartly Island stamps plus stamps from the Communist Party, Butterflies, Old Motorcycles, and Hanoi Air Attack sets for an overall postage of 1,243D (including the red free frank for 1,072D). The 4D Communist Party stamps are the rare mixed perforation 12.5:11.0. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in February as a mixed currency franking of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the perforated  Paracel and Spartly Island stamps plus stamps from the Peace Movement, 5 Billion Humans, Union Conference, Dam Building and WW II (imperforate)sets. Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The World War II , Union Conference, Peace Meeting and Ha Long Bay stamps were still denominated in old Dong while all other stamps were already denominated in new Dong.  The Vietnamese Government conducted a devaluation of the Dong on September 14th, 1985. This meant that all stamps issued prior to this date were only worth one tenth at the time of mailing. The overall postage hence amounted to 15.5 oD = 1.5 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (116 nD) plus the red free frank for 1,149 nD for 1,166nD. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Air mail letter sent in October of 1988 from Troung Sa to Klewitz. Truong Sa is the Vietnamese name for Spratly Island. The letter carries an imperforate  set of the  Paracel and Spratly Island stamp plus stamps from the Bach Dang and Off-shore Oil Production sets for an overall postage of D 3,670. Imperforate trial proofs on postally used cover are basically unheard off.

Registered air mail letter sent in June of 1988 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries stamps from the Parrots (including the souvenir-sheet), Bonsai (imperforate), National Assembly, Ha Long Bay (imperforate) and Paracel and Spratly Islands sets. Souvenir-Sheets and imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The Ha Long Bay stamps were still denominated in old Dong while all other stamps were already denominated in new Dong.  The Vietnamese Government conducted a devaluation of the Dong on September 14th, 1985. This meant that all stamps issued prior to this date were only worth one tenth at the time of mailing. The overall postage hence amounted to  1 oD =0.10 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (334 nD) plus the red free frank for 1,119 nD for1,453.1nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter mailed in October of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries  the perforated Union Congress set plus stamps from there Bach Dang, Paracel and Spartly Islands, Ton Du’c Thang and Party Decision sets for an overall postage of 5,150D (including the red free frank for 4,4200D).

Registered air mail letters ent in October of 1989 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries perforated Horses stamps plus stamps from the Paracel and Spratly Islands (imperforate), FINLANDIA Turtles, Helicopters, French Revolution I, Hydro Stations and Thanh Giong sets for an overall postage of 9,860D (including the red free frank for 5,240D). Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare.

Registered air mail letters ent in October of 1989 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries perforated Horses stamps plus stamps from the Paracel and Spratly Islands (imperforate), FINLANDIA Turtles, Bicycles, French Revolution I, Off-shore Oil Production and Thanh Giong sets for an overall postage of 9,410D (including the red free frank for 6,580D). Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare.

Registration Nr. 104480

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