Increase of Rice Harvest

Increase of the Rice Harvest, January 30th, 1967, Michel Nr. 466; A single 12xu stamp was issued in perforation 11.0.

Here is the mint stamp:

Hers is the stamp canceled to order:

This stamp was not officially released imperforate however a very small number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here is one of them.

Here is a true piece of history. It is a combat cover (sometimes also referred as a bullet-hole cover) that was taken by either an ARV or an American soldier after wounding or killing a North Vietnamese mail man. Each side in the conflict was trying to gain an advantage by securing intelligence from the enemy so mail personell were a valuable target. It was a requirement that all mail taken in combat was to be handed over to the intelligence branch for translation and analysis which makes this type of mail so rare these days. So, most of these covers ended up in the files of the CIA or were destroyed after analysis. It was illegal to retain them but some service men nevertheless kept some envelopes as war trophies. This cover (full contents preserved) clearly shows the marks of bullet holes or shrapnel damage that was inflicted in the fight. The letter was sent from Quang Binh and addressed to another military unit as indicated by the Hom Thu Nr. on front. The envelope is a typical adversity cover that was fashioned out of old note paper. The post man was intercepted prior to reaching the post office as there is no cancellation mark yet. It contains a letter that, when folded, lines up perfectly with the bullet holes. It is likely dated in 1967. Very rare!

Mixed franking of the Rice Harvest stamps (2) together with the 50 xu Space stamp paying an overall postage of 74 xu and sent in may of 1967 from Hai Phong to Switzerland.

Mixed franking of the 50xu and 1D Snake stamps together with the 12xu Bumper Crop stamp for an overall postage of 1.62D. Malied by a Women Organization to a client in Canada in February of 1971.