Temple of Hung Vu'o'ng - Vietnam Collector

North Vietnam, Temple of Hung Vu’o’ng, April 5th, 1960, Michel Nr. 123-124; The Hung Vu’o’ng temple is considered to be the one of the most sacred places in all Vietnam. Two values were issued. One in the nominal of 12 xu and the other with 4 Dong (=400 xu). The lower value was most likely an extension value to complete off postage amounts. The higher value was clearly intended to serve for large commercial envelopes and packages. The stamps were perforated 11:0. Here is the official Xunhasaba stamp bulletin that was released upon issuance of these stamps. Note that the 4D value was only produced in an edition of 60,000 stamps.

Here is the mint set:

Postally used stamps are very hard to find, which is especially true for the large 4D value that mostly used on packages or large envelopes that typically were thrown out. Below is a pair of postally used 12xu and a cut out from a large envelope that features seven(!) of the 4D stamps postally used.

Letters with the stamps are rare. Here is an exceedingly rarer letter that features North Vietnam souvenir sheet Nr. 1 and the complete set of the Hung Vu’o’ng Temple issue (ex Klewitz). The overall postage amounted to 446 xu or 4.46 Dong which is on account of the registered and express mail charges. Especially the 4 Dong value is very hard to find on cover. This is the only postally used cover known to the editor to feature Block 1.

Single franking of the 12xu stamp paying the correct standard air mail tariff to fellow socialist countries. Mailed in September of 1960 from Hai Phong to East Germany.

Mixed franking of three of the 12xu Hung Vu’o’ng stamps on a Xunhasaba stamp bulletin announcing the release of this very issue plus a 2xu Traditional Costumes stamp for an overall postage of 38xu in April of 1960. Ireland was a very rare destination for the early1960’s.

Below is a very similar letter (ex Klewitz) that shows a single of the 4 Dong value plus four stamps for the International Women Day for a total postage of 448 xu or 4.48 Dong. Again the letter was sent registered and via express courier.

Here is an exceedingly rare letter that features North Vietnam Block 2 plus a single stamp of the 12 xu stamp temple issue. The overall postage amounts to 22 xu which is slightly above the required rate of 12 xu to East Germany This is the only postally used cover known to the editor that features Block 2.

Rare single franking of the 12xu stamp on a letter sent on December 7th of 1961 from Hanoi to Bukarest, Romania paying the correct tariff in force at the time. Bukarest machine arrival cancel on the reverse. Based on this the surface letter took a full two months to arrive.

Another letter mailed to Klewitz in March of 1965. Curiously enough it also carries the special cachet that was produced for the first day of use of the National Army stamps which was month earlier. The letter is franked at 4.48 Dong which is well above the required rate of 1.10 Dong for a standard registered letter to West Germany. Nevertheless rare use of the 4 Dong temple stamp on postally used cover.

Exceedingly rare package wrapper featuring, among others, two of the high 4D Tempel stamps. Yes, the document looks ratty and some stamps are damaged but this is still one of the rarest postal history pieces that one can find. Most package wrappers were thrown out or destroyed when opening the package so very few of them survived.

Registered letter mailed to Klewitz on the First Day of Issuance of the 20 Years Republic issue and featuring a mixed currency franking and one of the 12 xu stamps. The Jade Temple stamp from 1958 of 150 Dong had been devalued by 1965 (1,000:1) so it was only worth 15 xu and the overall franking amounted to 112 xu which was 2 xu above the required postage for a standard registered letter to West Germany.

Rare express mail letter with three of the 12 xu stamps sent to Klewitz in February of 1970. The letter is overall franked with 1.62 Dong which is a tad above the required standard letter postage for a registered express mail letter to West Germany (1.60 Dong).

Large envelope sent in June of 1960 by a member of the Czechoslovakian Embassy and by registered mail to Czechoslovakia. This letter is interesting in that it features a triple mix franking of official service stamps and general postage stamps in Old and New Dong. The collection of Old Dong stamps (August Revolution, Cam Phase Mine, Trade Exhibition, Peoples Sport, Union Congress and Democratic Women) amounted to a total of 3,650, the official World Union Congress stamps to 200D and as of March 1st, 1959 were worth only 3.85 New Dong. Together with the stamps in New Dong (Hong-Xuan Sluice, Radio Station Me Tri, 10 Years Peoples Republic of China, Women Day, Hung Vu’o’ng Temple and National Assembly) that amounted to 0.63xu the total postage came to 4.48 New Dong. Very unusual and rare combination.