80. Birthday of Ho Chi Minh

North Vietnam, 80. Birthday of Ho Chi Minh, May 19th, 1970, Michel Nr. 614-616, Block a9, Block B9; Three stamps in the nominals of 12 xu (two stamps) and 2 Dong were issued in perforation 11.0. Two souvenir sheets in the nominals one 6 xu and two 12 xu stamps (Block A9) and 6 xu and 12 xu (Block B9) were issued only im-perforated. While the image of the individual stamps and the sounder sheets were identical the colors of the two were different.

Here is the mint perforated set:

These stamps were not officially released imperforate but a handful of imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here are two of them:

Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in October of 1970. Apart from the entire stamp set it also features a playful single 5 Dong stamp from 1948. While the 5 Dong stamp was still valid for postage in 1970, it had already been devalued twice. By 10:1 in 1954 and by 1,000:1 in 1959. It hence was only worth 0.0005 New Dong in 1970 and therefore quasi worthless. May be this was the reason that the postal clerk did not grace it with a cancel. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 2.68 Dong which was likely in excess of the required postage for a standard 20 gram registered express mail letter to West Germany.

Rare single franking of one of the 12xu stamps on a letter from Son-La to Budapest in Hungary.

Here is the same franking but this time on a postcard directed to East Germany. The postcard tariff to East Germany was only 6xu but it appears the sender was not aware of that and hence used the letter tariff.

Very rare use of the high 2 Dong value of the HCM set together with two 50xu KPdSU stamp from 1981 on an air mail letter (full contents preserved) from Da Nang to West Germany in May of 1981.

Very rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in May of 1975. The letter features one of the 12 xu values of the set plus a number of the im-perforated chicken set from 1968. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage amounted to 2.60 Dong which was higher than the standard 20 gram registered express mail letter to West Germany (Tariff of 2.10) but the letter may have been heavier than the standard.

Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in May of 1975 featuring one of the 12 xu stamps plus a host of other NVN stamps. Overall postage of 2.90 Dong.

The souvenir sheets were produced in two separate print runs that show partially different colors. Specialists therefore distinguish between the 1. printing and 2. printing. Here is the mint souvenir sheet in the 1. print run that shows darker colors on the 6 xu value:

Here is the mint souvenir sheet in the 2. print run that shows lighter colors on the 6 xu value:

Souvenir-sheet cancelled with Hanoi date canceller in May of 1971. Cancelled souvenir-sheets are at least fifty times rarer than mint ones.

Here is a very rare and probably unique error on the souvenir sheet that shows a white cutout on the middle of right side. This was caused by an object that fell on the paper during the salmon color printing run (but before the black printing run).

Very rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz featuring the souvenir sheet from the first printing. Most of these souvenir sheets were collected mint. Very few of them were collected cancelled and as a result cancelled specimens are very rare. Souvenir on postally used cover hardly exist. The letter also featured im-perforated stamps of the traditional sports and reforestation series. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage of the cover amounted to 1.66 Dong which only a tad above the required standard 20 gram registered express mail letter to West Germany (Tariff of 1.60 Dong)

Very rare registered express mail letter mailed to Klewitz in December of 1970 featuring the 2. printing of the souvenir sheet. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 1.90 Dong which appears to be in excess of the required tariff of 1.60 Dong, however, the letter may have been heaver than the standard 20 grams. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse.

Very rare large letter sent by registered mail in February of 1978 to Essen, West Germany. The letter was franked with the souvenir-sheet from the second printing, a range of NLF stamps and other NVN stamps from the period. The 1975 Ho Chi Minh stamps were released by the National Liberation Front in South Vietnam and they were denominated in South Vietnamese Dong, which was not compatible to the North Vietnamese Dong. As a result they were not allowed as postage in North Vietnam. This prohibition was obviously disregard by the postal clerk in this case as the NLF HCM stamp were cancelled along with the other NVN stamps.

Again, specialist differentiate between two print runs of the second souvenir sheet. The first printing was printed on flat paper and it does not show any cliche fasteners:

This souvenir sheet also has a printing flaw that looks like white line that goes from the top of the beard to the collar.

The second printing was printed on what looks like woven paper and the 6 xu and the left 12 xu value show round cliche fasteners:

Clearly visible the round cliche fasteners to the left of the frame design:

Souvenir-sheet (1st Printing) cancelled with Hanoi date canceller from May of 1971. Cancelled souvenir sheets are at least 50 times rarer than mint ones.

In a partial printing of the the second print run a plate error in the number “80” is known. The top left side of the “8” is partially missing.

Very rare registered express mail letter mailed to Klewitz in March of 1972. It features the first printing of the souvenir sheet. Most souvenir sheets were collected mint and souvenir sheets on postally used cover are almost unheard of. The letter also features the im-perforated 30 and 50 xu values of the traditional sports set. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are also very rare. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 1.74 Dong which was slightly above the required tariff of 1.60 Dong. Hannover transit and Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse.

Another very rare letter mailed to Klewitz in December of 1970. It features the second printing of the souvenir sheet that also shows the damaged “80” plate error. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 1.80 Dong which as above the standard tariff of a 20 gram registered express mail letter to West Germany. Of course the letter may have been heavier than the standard 20 grams.

Registered air mail letter sent in July of 1986 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the HCM Birthday souvenir-sheets from 1970 and 1985 plus stamps from the National Assembly, Reconstruction, United Nations, Day the Child, Space Exploration and Qing Army stamps. There also are two military free franks from 1981 which were technically not allowed for international postage but which the postal clerk apparently nevertheless accepted. Souvenir-sheets on postally used cover are very rare. 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 (this was true for all stamps other than the ones from the United Nations, Reconstruction and National Assembly stamps) . The overall postage hence amounted to 11.44 oD = 1.14 nD. plus the stamps already in new currency of 26 nD for 27.14 nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in September of 1986 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the souvenir-sheet from the August Revolution set plus stamps from the Production and Defense, Water Flowers, Roses, HCM Birthday, Labor Day, Asia Games and Butterflies sets. All stamps, except the Reconstruction and Labor Day stamps were denominated in new Dong while the other stamps were still denominated in old 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 5.36 oD =0.54 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (50 nD) for 50.54 nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.