North Vietnam, 81. Birthday of Ho Chi Minh, May 19th, 1971, Michel Nr. 650-654, Block 10; Four stamps with the nominals of 1 xu, 3 xu, 10 xu and 12 xu and one souvenir sheet with a 12 xu nominal were issued. The stamps were only issued in perforation 11.0 and the souvenir sheet was only issued imperforate.
Parts of the set was printed on sheets with very large margins. Here is the set with long top margins.
Here is the mint set. Note that the 1 xu and 3 xu values show a double perforation strike in the lower margin.
These stamps were not officially released im-perforated, however a few imperforate stamps or partially perforated stamps have come to market.
Im-perforated 3 xu value from top left margin corner:
Imperforate 10 xu value:
12 xu value imperforate at the top:
Rare registered express mail cover sent to Klewitz in November of 1971 featuring the entire set. The letter also carries an im-perforated 20 xu value of the domestic birds series. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Th over-all postage amounted to 1.44 Dong which appears to be 6 xu shy of the correct postage of 1.60 Dong.
Mixed franking of the 12 xu air defense stamp (2), the Liberation of Hanoi set and the 3xu HCM 81st Birthday (2) paying an overall postage of 54xu on an international air mail letter sent from Hanoi to East Germany in October of 1974.
Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in May of 1982. The letter features the 90. HCM Birthday set in different color tones plus two of the 12 xu Communist Party stamps and the 10 xu HCM Birthday stamp for an overall postage of 10.90 Dong (including the red free frank for 5 Dong) . The 40 xu and 50 xu Water Flower tamps are actually intact. They are just cut off from the scan due to an over-lapping album page. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Specialist distinguish between two different printings of the souvenir sheet. One printing is on flat paper and shows darker frame colors such as this specimen:
Another printing is on woven looking paper and shows lighter frame colors:
Here is a very rare trial proof that still shows “1890-1971” in the red color which was later changed to grey. It also shows printer guiding marks all around the souvenir sheet.
Very few of the souvenir-sheets were cancelled as apparently collectors at the time preferred to collect them mint. As a result cancelled souvenir-sheets are now very hard to find these days. Here is one showing the official First Day cancel.
Virtually all off cover souvenir-sheets carry the First Day Cancel. Here is there only souvenir-sheet the editor has ever seen that carries a standard date canceler. It was cancelled in August of 1973 in Hanoi.
Very rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in February of 1972. Souvenir sheets on postally used cover are hardly ever seen. This letter features the version printed on flat paper and darker frame colors. On the reverse it features im-perforated stamps of the 1966 orchid set and Luna moon landing set of the same year. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are also very rare. The overall postage of this large envelope amounted to 1.74 Dong which appears to be in line with the required tariff.
Very rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in February of 1972. Souvenir sheets on postally used cover are hardly ever seen. This letter features the version printed on woven paper and lighter frame colors. On the reverse it features im-perforated stamps of the Luna moon landing set of the same year. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are also very rare. The overall postage of this large envelope amounted to 1.74 Dong which appears to be in line with the required tariff.
Another, very rare registered letter featuring the souvenir-sheet on woven paper and lighter frame colors along with a number of other NVN stamps for an overall postage of 6.82D. The letter was sent from Hanoi to Essen in West Germany in February of 1978.
Registration Nr. 101880
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