Wild Animals

North Vietnam, Wild Animals, March 8th, 1961, Michel Nr. 154-157; This set was again intended for international collectors as “Animals” was a much favored area by thematical collectors. Four values were issue: 12 xu (domestic national letter rate), 20 xu , 50 xu (international standard letter rate to Western Europe) and 1 Dong (intended for heavier international letters or packages). The perforated set was issued with an edition of 300,000. This marks the first time that the Vietnamese Postal Authority also issued intentionally imperforate stamps without economical need (as was the case with the older stamp issues). The imperforate stamps were probably intended for the collectors market to attract valuable foreign currency. The edition of the imperforte set was only 1,200 (according to the official Xunhasaba stamp bulletin) which is tiny. Michel values the imperforate set with a little more than double the perforated set value. This makes little sense unless Vietnam stamp collectors have no interest in imperforate varieties, which is clearly not the case. The imperforate set should be valued with a multiple of the perforated set. Here is the Xunhasaba bulletin that was released on occasion of the issuance of these stamps.

Here is the mint perforated set:

Mint blocks of for perforated:

Here is the rare mint imperforate set. Note the row total stamp numbers in the top margin. The numbers were intended to aid postal workers by making it easier to count the number of stamps and the associated price if a customer bought multiple stamps. but were later abandoned after a few issues had been marked with them.

Here is a mint imperforate set from the Klewitz collection . Please note the thin guide lines that were (according to Klewitz) printed only on the 1 Dong value in order to make the separation by scissors easier.

Here is a rare stamp that was the result of a separated paper train. After rupturing during the printing process the paper was glued together to continue the printing but the fix failed after the printing process resulting in another separation which then caused the top of the stamp to missing a part of the image.

Perforation errors do occur but are rather hard to find. Here is a used 12 xu value that is imperforate on the left margin.

This is the 50 xu issue which is imperforate at the bottom margin.

Here is the complete set on a registered letter to West Germany (ex Klewitz) from March of 1961. The overall postage applied (1.82 Dong) was more than the required amount (50 xu for the letter and 60 xu for the registration fee), so the letter is over-franked.

This is a very rare letter (also ex Klewitz) that contains a complete set of the im-perforated set. According to Klewitz the im-perforated stamps were fully valid as postage, however very few of them actually made it onto letters. Most of them simply vanished mint in the albums of stamp collectors. Given the scarceness of the im-perforated set (only 1,200 were made) a complete set on a postally run letter is considered a modern rarity. The editor hs never seen another set on postal cover.

Rare single franking of the 12xu stamp on a letter to Klewitz in West Germany. “RDA” stood for “Republique Democratic Allemagne” which was East Germany. So the sender fooled the postal clerk into thinking that the 12xu postage to fellow socialist countries was adequate (when in fact a 50xu stamp would have been required to Western countries).

Rare single franking of the 1D value on an air-mail letter from Vietnamese Philatelist Society to a fellow organization in Luxembourg. Luxemburg was a very rare destination in the early 1960’s. Since the required rate was only 50xu this letter was probably of the second weight level.

Mixed franking g of the Farm Animals, Wild Animals, Dien Bien Phu and Calm Sun sets paying an overall postage of 75xu on an international air mail letter sent in November of 1964 from Hai Phong to France.

Mixed franking of the 2xu Geological Research stamp together with the 30xu Fruit and 50xu Wild Animal stamps paying an overall postage of 82 xu on an international air mail printed matter sent by Xunhasaba from Hanoi to Austria in March 0f 1962. East Berlin transit cancel on the reverse.

Very rare air-mail letter from October of 1964 featuring an im-perforated 50xu Animal stamp plus the 3xu Dien Bien PHu stamp for an overall postage of 53xu. Im-perfroated stamps on postally used cover are very hard to find. The standard letter rate to Czechoslovakia was only 12xu so either this letter was much heavier than the standard 20g or it was philatelcally inspired.

Xunhasaba mailing to West Germany featuring four stamps from the Wild Animal set plus the 10xu Pagoda stamp for an overall postage of 1.70D (ex Klewitz).

Air-mail letter sent from Hanoi to Paris, France featuring the 20xu and 1D Animal stamps for an overall postage of 1.20D. The required tariff for a standard letter to Western countries was only 50xu, so this letter must have been heavier than the standard.

Mixed franking of the 3D Karl Marx stamp (2) plus stamps from the Fish and Animal sets paying an overall postage of 1.18D on an international air mail letter sent from Hanoi to France in November of 1963.

Exceedingly rare registered air-mail package wrapper sent by Xunhasaba to a stamp dealer in Belgium in the early 1960’s. Most package wrappers were simply thrown out after the package was opened so very few of them survive today. The wrapper is franked with two of the 20xu Flower stamps, the high nominal 2D Reunification stamp, the 50xu Animal stamp and the 8xu 950 Years Hanoi stamp for an overall postage of 2.98D. Unusual Brussels Customs arrival R-Label. Blue Vietnamese Customs declaration label, Blue-White Belgian Customs label. Black hand stamp indicating that the package was flown from Hanoi to East Berlin for further transit.

Rare registered letter sent from Hanoi to the editor of an East German publication in April of 1964. The letter is franked with the 1D Animal stamp, the 50xu Sun stamp and the 2xu Domestic Animal stamp for an overall postage of 1.52D. The required postage for a standard letter amounted to 12xu plus 60xu for registration, so this letter must have been heavier than the standard 20g.

Another Xunhasaba bulletin mailing featuring the 30xu Agricultural Products set, the 50xu Animal stamp and the 2xu Young Worker Union stamp for an overall postage of 82 xu mailed in October of 1962 to a stamp dealer/collector in England. England was still a rare destination in the early 1960’s.

Mixed franking of the 12xu and 30xu Wostock stamps on a rare registered letter with other NVN stamps (including the 1D Animal stamp) for an overall postage of 1.92D. Sent to the editor of a newspaper called “The People” in East Germany.

Xunhasaba stamp bulletin mailing announcing the release of the Wostok 3 set featuring a mixed franking of the 30xu value, the 50xu Animal stamp plus the 2xu Crop Plant stamp for an overall postage of 82xu. The bulletin was sent to West Germany still a rare destination in December of 1962.

Mixed ranking from February of 1963 composed of the 5xu National Defense stamp, the 50xu Animal stamp and the 10 xu Pagoda stamp for an overall postage of 65 xu. The standard letter rate to Western countries amounted to 50xu for 20 grams, so this letter must have been of the second weight level.

Here the high value of 1 Dong of the set from the top left of the sheet. It was used as an extension value on a letter sent to Klewitz in February of 1970. Express letters from North Vietnam are pretty rare. This one was registered (60 xu surcharge) and sent to West Germany (50 xu standard letter rate). The exact amount of express surcharge is unknown. Overall postage 1.72 Dong which appears to be quite tariff conform.

Exceedingly rare package wrapper featuring, among others, the 50xu and 1D animal 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.

Here is a letter sent to Klewitz in West Germany in November of 1962. It contains the entire set of the Farm Animal set among other stamps plus a 20 xu stamp of the wild animal set. The overall franking amounts to 72 xu which would have been insufficient for a registered air mail letter to West Germany. However, the sender duped the postal clerk by writing “RDA” at the bottom of the address which stood for “East Germany”. Letters to fellow socialist countries only cost 12 xu plus the 60 xu international registration fee totaled to the 72 x affixed to the cover. The fraud was never discovered.

Another mixed currency franking on a rare Specimen/Printed Matter mailing by Xunhasaba from December 1963. Great Britain was still an unusual destination in the early 1960’s. The 240D worth of the 1957 stamps was devalued by 1,000:1 on March 1st, 1959 so was only worth 24 new xu. Together with the 50xu Animal stamp the overall postage amounted to 74 xu. Note the red Air Mail Hanoi Berlin hand stamp that indicated the routing through East Berlin.

Rare registered express mail letter mailed to Klewitz in March of 1971 featuring five of the 20 xu value. The overall franking amounted to 1.72 which was slightly above the required tariff for a registered express mail letter to Wes Germany (1.60 Dong). Fulda arrival canceler on the reverse.

Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in November of 1971. It features one of the 12 xu stamps and the 20 xu stamps. The overall postage amounted to 1.72 Dong which is in excess of the required tariff for a standard 20 gram registered express mail letter to West Germany, so the letter may have been heavier than the standard.

Very rare registered express mail letter mailed to Klewitz in December of 1970 featuring the 2. printing of the souvenir sheet and the 1 Dong stamp of the wild animal set. 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.

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 and the high 1 Dong value of the wild animals set. 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.

Very rare letter mailed registered and per express mail to Klewitz featuring three of the wild animals stamps. It also features im-perfroated stamps of the wood print series. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall franking of the letter amounted to 1.98 Dong which may have been a bit much as a standard 20 gram registered express mail letter to West Germany only cost 1.60 Dong.

Very rare express mail letter sent to Klewitz in August of 1977. It carries some of the im-perforated dragon fly stamps plus other NVN stamps. There is also a 12 xu wild animal stamp. Im-perforated stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage amounted to 3.71 Dong. Bad Nauheim transit and Fulda arrival cancels on the reverse.