Flowers

North Vietnam, Flowers, October 1974, Michel Nr. 774-775; Two values, both in 12 xu nominals. were issued in perforation 11.0.

Here is the mint set:

Mint blocks of four:

There are some tonality issues in stamp production resulting in lighter (left stamp) or darker color (right stamp).

Rare local letter (with content) with a single franking of the light blue stamp from Nam Dinh to Hanoi in December of 1974. Most local letters were destroyed in the multi-decadal war, the tropical climate or recycling due to raw material shortages. The 12 xu franking corresponded with the required postal tariff.

Another, rare local letter sent from Ha Tay to Saigon, shortly after the fall of Saigon sent on June 10th, 1975.

Rare local letter (with content) with a single franking of the violet stamp from Hanoi to Saigon in August of 1975. Interesting that the sender is still using the old name of the city instead of the new Ho Ch Minh City. Again the 12 xu franking corresponds with the required tariff.

Another, rare local letter sent from Den Son to Saigon in October of 1975. HCM City machine arrival cancel on the reverse.

Rare multiple franking of one of the 12xu values on an air-mail letter sent from Hanoi to Moscow, Soviet Union paying a 36xu postage. Postage for letters to the UdSSR had increased to 40xu as of January 1st, 1975 but it appears the postal clerk was unaware of this fact as no postage due remarks were adde to the envelope. Moscow arrival cancel on the reverse.

Mixed franking including the two tones (light and dark) of the 12 xu values of the set on a registered air mail letter to Klewitz in West Germany. The overall postage amounted to 2.60 Dong. The base letter tariff to the West had increased to 1 Dong as of January 1st, 1975. The international registration fee still stayed at 60 xu. However, an air-mail surcharge was introduced on December 1st, 1976 that amounted to 40 xu for every 5 grams of weight. One can therefore assume that the letter must have weighed around 10 grams. Note the green Fulda customs hand stamp indicating that the letter contained some merchandise (most likely stamps).

Rare express mail letter sent to Klewitz in in September of 1975. The letter featured two blocks of four of both flower stamps. The letter also features a number of im-perfroated stamps. Imperforate stamps postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage amounted to 3.30 Dong which appears to be high as compared to a standard express mail letter to West Germany (Tariff of 1.50). Fulda arrival cancel in front and Hannover arrival cancel on the reverse.

Registern letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in July of 1983. It features three stamps (Michel Nr. 1187) with a double printing of the red color and one stamp with a smeared “V” in “Vietnam”. There is also a Ho Chi Minh stamp that shows an obscured “30” (bottom stamp). Error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The Flower set is on the reverse. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 12.6 Done (including the red free frank of 9.8 Dong. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.