Pagodas

North Vietnam, Pagodas, September 12th, 1961, Michel Nr. 176-179; Four stamps were issued in the nominals of 6 xu, 10 xu and two times 12 xu. These stamps were officially issued perforated (11.0) and im-perforated. Here is the official Xunhasaba bulletin that announces the publication of these stamps. Note that the printing volume of the im-perforated set amounted to only 15,000.

Here is the mint perforated set:

Here is the mint imperforate set all stamps with side selvage

Postally used stamps. Postally used stamps are at least ten times rarer than cancelled to order stamps.

This is rare perforation error set that is perforated but was left imperforate on the right selvage.

Below is an unadopted stamp design by Ng.V.Khanh that were probably submitted as an alternative to the set that was published above. At least the notes on the back of the frame design were dated November 15th, 1960 which was less than a year prior to the Pagoda set being issued. These are very rare and one of a kind items.

Rare single franking of the 6xu Pagoda value on a letter from July of 1963 to East Germany. The postage is a bit of a puzzle as 6xu only represented the postcard rate required at the time.A letter up to 20g actually cost 12xu but in this case was transported without and postage due remarks. An indication that postal clerks sometimes did not know international tariffs.

Here is now the correct 6xu franking of the Pagoda stamp on a postcard to East Germany the way it was intended.

Single franking of the 6x Pagoda value on a postcard to the Soviet Union. Moscow airport cachet and Moscow arrival cancel.

Rare multiple franking of the 6xu Pagoda stamp paying the correct 12xu letter rate to Czechoslovakia.

Rare single franking of one of the 12xu Pagoda values on a letter from Hanoi to East Germany.

Another, rare single franking of the green 12xu value from November 1962 on a letter to the Soviet Union. Moscow airport cachet. Moscow arrival cancel on the reverse.

Rare single franking of one of the 12xu stamps on a letter sent from Hanoi to East Germany.

Another rare single franking of the blue 12xu value on a letter from Hanoi to Dresden, East Germany. The letter was mailed on New Years Day in 1962. The cancel shows an error as it is missing the “6 in 62”.

Mixed franking from February of 1963 composed of the 5xu National Defense stamp, the 50xu Animal stamp and the 10 xu Pagoda stamp for an overall postage of 65 xu. The standard letter rate to Western countries amounted to 50xu for 20 grams, so this letter must have been of the second weight level.

Xunhasaba mailing to West Germany featuring four stamps from the Wild Animal set plus the 10xu Pagoda stamp for an overall postage of 1.70D (ex Klewitz).

Colorful mixed franking of the 30xu Artist stamp with other NVN stamps (including the 10xu Pagodas stamp) for an overall postage of 72xu. The letter, sent from Bin Luc (small post office) was addressed to Theo Klewitz in West Germany and so should have cost 50xu postage plus 60xu registration fee for a total of 1.10D. However, the sender only wrote “Germany” on the envelope leaving it open if the letter was going to East or West Germany. The postal clerk hence accepted the lower 12xu postage to East Germany by mistake.

Mixed franking of a pair of the 1xu NLF stamp together with the 10xu Pagoda stamp, the 30xu Ballistic Rocket and 50xu Geneva Convention stamp for an overall postage of 92xu. The letter was sent by the Vietnamese National Library to the National Library of East Germany in August of 1970.

Letter mailed from Hanoi to East Germany most likely in 1961 carrying two of the Pagoda stamps, one 12 xu National Savings and one 2xu Geological Research stamp for an overall postage of 38xu. Since the standard letter rate to East Germany was only 20xu as of March 1st, 1960 this letter must have been heavier than the standard 20g.

Interesting mixed currency franking sent by Xunhasaba as Printed Matter to Great Britain in 1961. Great Britain was an unusual destination at that time. The letter carries two of the 350D Ha Long Bay stamps in old currency that ere devalued by 1,000:1 on March 1st, 1959, which meant they were only worth 70xu in 1961. Together with the 10xu Pagoda stamp in new Dong the overall postage amounted to 80xu.

Registered letter sent to Klewitz in September of 1961 containing the entire perforated set. The overall franking of 73 xu would have been insufficient for a registered letter to West Germany (50 xu letter rate plus 60 xu international registration fee) but since the sender wrote “RDA” at the bottom of the letter (which stood for East Germany) the postal clerk applied the lower letter rate to fellow socialist countries (12 xu plus 60 xu registration fee).

Letter sent from Cam-Duong to the Soviet Union. Since the Soviet Union was a fellow socialist brother state the standard letter rate to that destination was only 12 xu. This is met by a single stamp of the pagoda set (6 xu) and a 6 xu stamp of the Titow set.

Xunahasaba bulletin announcing the publication of the Pagoda set franked with one of the 12 xu stamps plus two of the Ha Long stamps still denominated in Old Dong. The 700 Old Dong were only worth 70 xu after the devaluation of March 1st, 1959 so the overall franking amounts to 82xu. The United States was a pretty rare destination in 1960.

Here is a letter mailed to Klewitz in February of 1964. It contains one of the 10 xu pagodas set plus other North Vietnamese stamps for an overall postage of 52 xu. Required postage for a standard 20 gram letter to West Germany was 50 xu.

Registered letter sent to Klewitz in May of 1964 with the one of the 10 xu stamps. The overall postage amounted to 73 xu which was too little for a registered letter to West Germany (Tariff of 1.1 Dong). However, the clever sender had duped the postal clerk into thinking the letter was actually directed to East Germany as he wrote “Germany RDA” which stood for East Germany. The required postage to that destination was only 72 xu and so the postal clerk was happy with the overall franking.

Very rare letter featuring the entire im-perforated set of the Titow issue and the 10 xu pagoda series from Hoan Kiem to Fulda, Was Germany (ex Klewitz). Im-perforated stamps on postally used covers are very rare! The letter is franked overall with 72 xu and that would have been insufficient for a registered letter to West Germany. However, the sender duped the postal clerk into thinking the letter was routed towards Was Germany by writing Cong Hoa Dan Chu Duc (= East Germany). The standard letter rate to East Germany was only 12 xu plus the 60 xu international registration fee only required a postage of 72 xu.

Very rare registered express mail sent to Klewitz in March of 1972. It carries pair of the 40 xu and one of the 50 xu stamps of the sport series. It also carried a pair of the 10 xu Pagaoda stamp issue and a 12 xu stamp of the domestic chicken series. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 2.02 Dong which was most likely in excess of the required tariff of 1.60 Dong for a standard 20 gram registered express mail letter to West Germany.

Very rare express mail letter sent to Klewitz in August of 1977. It carries some of the im-perforated dragon fly stamps plus other im-perforated pagoda and orchid stamps. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage amounted to 2.20 Dong. Bad Nauheim transit and Fulda arrival cancels on the reverse.

Another very rare express mail letter sent to Klewitz in August of 1977. It carries some of the im-perforated dragon fly stamps plus other im-perforated pagoda and sculpture stamps. It also includes one of the 12 xu pagoda stamps. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage amounted to 1.95 Dong. Bad Nauheim transit and Fulda arrival cancels on the reverse.

Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in November of 1978. It carries three of the 6 xu stamps without the name of the designer at the bottom plus many other flower stamps. There are also two of the Pagoda stamps. The overall postage amounted to 4.02 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in July of 1978. It carries a block of four of the Children stamps plus two of the 10 xu Pagoda stamps. The letter was sent from Bac Ninh but interestingly enough the R-Label was only attached in Bac-Giang. The letter was opened un-professionally during transit (as pointed out by Klewitz) which may have been a censorship move but no censor marking were indicated. The overall postage amounted to 5.08 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.