Launch of the first ballistic Missile of the Peoples Republic of China

North Vietnam, Launch of the first ballistic Missile of the Peoples Republic of China, July 25th, 1967, Michel Nr. 483-484; The successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile marked the beginning of China’s Super Power status and hence was celebrated by friendly North Vietnam. Two values in the nominals of 12 bus and 30 xu were issued in perforation 11.0.

This is the mint perforated set.

Mint blocks of four perforated.

These stamps were not officially released imperforate however, a very small number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here are two of them.

Here is a mint block of four of the 12 xu value. It shows a plate error on the bottom right stamp in the shape of an additional star.

Here is a close up of the plate error:

A printing error is know on the 12 xu value. On this mint pair the yellow print run is entirely missing. Rare.

Here is mint block of four of the 30 xu value:

Very rare local letter featuring the 12 xu stamp sent to a member of the North Vietnamese Armed Forces (as can be seen from the Hom Thu number in the address line). Most local letters were destroyed in the multi-decadal war, destroyed by the tropical climate or by recycling due to raw material shortages.

Another very rare local letter sent in October of 1967 from a civilian to a member of the military (as can be seen from the Hop Thu number in the address line). The envelope contains the original letter.

Mixed franking featuring the Production and Struggle set plus the 30xu Ballistic Missile and 6xu Agrarian Wood stamps paying an overall postage of 1.30D on an international registered air mail letter sent from Hanoi to the Netherlands in May of 1969.

Mixed franking of the 12 xu Handicraft stamp together with stamps from the Ballistic Missile, Revolution and SVN Home and People sets for an overall postage of 74 xu on an international letter sent from Hai-Phong to Switzerland in 1970.

Mixed ranking of the 40 xu Fruit stamp together with the 30 xu Ballistic Missile stamp paying an overall postage of 70 xu on an international letter sent from Hai Phong to Switzerland in March of 1970.

Mixed franking of two of the 30 xu value along with the 20xu Children Games stamp paying an overall postage of 80xu. The letter was sent from Hai-Phong to France in May of 1970.

Here is a similar letter from the same correspondence but this time featuring the 20 xu Nguyen Du stamp and two of the 30xu Missile Launch stamps for an overall postage of 80 xu.

Rare multiple franking of the 30xu value paying a 60xu tariff on a homemade letter directed to Set Germany in January of 1979.

Rare express mail letter featuring the entire set on a letter to Klewitz in January of 1968. The overall postage amounted to 1.10 Dong which was slightly above the required standard express mail letter toWest Germany (1.00 Dong). Fulda arrival cancel o the reverse.

Mixed franking on a letter sent to Budapest, Hungary including the 12 xu Ballistioc Missile stamp for an overall postage of 36xu. Since the standard letter rate to Hungary was only 12xu this is an indication that the letter was of the 3rd weight level.

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.