South Vietnam, Historical Postal Riders, June 6th, 1971; Michel Nr. SVN 470-471; Two stamps in nominals of 2D and 6D  (Q:5,000,000 sets) were issued in perforation 13.5.

Here is the mint set.

and here the postally use set.

These stamps were not officially released imperforate, however, a small number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here is the imperforate set with matching right sheet margins.

A printing flaw is known on the 2D value on which there is a passer-shift of the dark color towards the right.

Enpreuves de Luxe; printed on thin cardboard paper.

Rare single franking of the 2D stamp paying the 50% discounted military tariff on a letter sent in September of 1971 by a member of the military (KBC 4418) to a civilian in Saigon. Cancelled with the “mute” Quan Buu military cancel. Unusual late use of a bridge KBC cachet on front.

Mixed franking of the 2D Postal Rider stamps (3) together with stamps from the Year of the Book set (2) paying an overall postage of 10D on a domestic letter sent from Da Lat to Gia Dinh in May of 1973.

Single franking of the 2D Postal Rider stamp on a domestic letter mailed in December of 1971. The postal tariff was 6D at the time and so the postage was short by 4D which was collected upon arrival in Cholon by adding two 1D and 3D postage due stamps (including the 100% penalty) in front. Manuscript “T” on front.

Multiple franking of the 2D Postal Rider stamp paying a tariff of 4D on a domestic letter sent to Saigon. The letter was judged to be deficient in postage as indicated by the red manuscript “T” on front. As a result four 1D postage due stamps were attached upon arrival in order to collect the missing postage and penalty.

Mixed franking of the 30D Animal stamp together with the 2D Postal Rider stamp paying an overall postage of 32D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to the United States in November of 1971.

Mixed ranking of the 16D TET-Offensive (3) and 2D Postal Rider stamps paying an overall postage of 52D on an international letter sent to the United States in January of 1972.

Mixed franking of the Postal Riders set paying an overall postage of 8D on a domestic letter sent from Saigon to Din Binh in November of 1971.

Mixed franking of the Postal Riders set paying an overall postage of 8D on a international surface letter sent from Saigon to the United States in January of 1972.

Mixed franking of the Day of the Military set together with stamps from the Fish, Postal Riders, National Minorities, Harvest and TET Offensive sets paying an overall postage of 110D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to Switzerland in 1971.

Mixed franking of the 7D Folk Dance value together with stamps from the Birds, Postal Riders, Calligraphy and Development of Land sets paying an overall postage of 21D on a rare printed matter mailing sent from Saigon to France in April of 1973.

Very unusual and rare fancy cancel on a domestic air mail letter featuring a multiple franking of the 6D value paying an overall postage of 12D on a domestic letter sent from Nha Be to Saigon in January of 1972. Two black propaganda stamps on front.

Single franking of the 6D value on a domestic letter sent from Hue to Nha Trang in February of 1972.

Multiple franking of the 6D value (2) paying an overall postage of 12D on a domestic letter sent fromAn Giang to Saigon in July of 1972.

Mixed franking of the Harvest set in pairs together the Postal Rider set and UPU stamps paying an overall postage of 200D on a rare registered express air mail letter sent from Hue to West Germany. Ex Klewitz. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse.

Mixed franking of the 1D Agrarian Law stamp (6) together with stamps from the Harvest and Postal Rider sets paying an overall postage of 13D on a domestic air mail letter sent to Vinh Binh.

The Postal Administration also issued an aerogramme on February 7th, 1973 (folded letter) with the image of the 2D stamp but a nominal value of 60D. However, the aerogramme tariff was raised to 75D on the same date which required the addition of manual surcharge hand stamp in the amount of 15D (SICP Journal Volume from February, 1974, 4 Nr. 1). Some of these unissued aerogrammes have come to market.  Here is the mint aerogramme without surcharge.

Inflation was rampant in South Vietnam so postal rates had to be changed often, especially in the late years of the Republic until 1975. As explained above the 60D aerogramme was already rate redundant when it was issued and as a result was sold with a 15D surcharge.  Here is the 15D on 60D surcharge in red paying an overall postage of 75D in May of 1973 and sent to the Japan. Surcharges in other colors (violet, blue, black, green) have been reported

Mint version of the 15D on 60D aerogramme with red surcharge.

Postally used aerogramme with the 60D + 15D surcharge paying an overall postage of 75D  sent from Saigon to the United States.

Here is the same aerogramme but this time used by the indochinese Garuda IV Contingent that was sent to Vietnam in 1973 and 1974, towards the end of the war, as peacekeepers. Sent to Canada in April of 1973 paying an overall postage of 75D.

An additional surcharge was required on this aerogramme front sent from Da Lat to France in November of 1973. Apart from the 15D red surcharge stamps from the Reconstruction after TET Offensive and Fishery sets with a nominal value of 15D were added for an overall postage of 90D.

Here is the 90D postage variation of the aerogramme made up of the initial 60D nominal plus a black surcharge of 30D.

Another 90D postage version of the aerogramme made up of the initial 60D postage plus two 15D red surcharges in different sizes.

60D Mail Rider aerogramme overprinted with an additional surcharge of 10D and 30D in red color for an overall postage 100D used by a member of the Canadian peace keeping mission in April of 1974. Unusually the additional 30D surcharge was placed at the bottom left of the stationary.

60D mail rider aerogramme overprinted with three red surcharges of 10D and 15D (twice) for an overall postage of 100D.

60D mail rider aerogramme overprinted with two red surcharges of 10D and 30D for an overall postage of 100D.

Here is a rare mint aerogramme that carries two surcharges. First the one for the additional 15D that was used in the first half of 1973 and the additional 25D surcharge applied due to the tariff increase from 75D to 100D. The effective date of this tariff increase was February 1st, 1974 (SICP Journal Volume VI Nr. 2, May/June 1976).

Postally used specimen of the 60D + 25D + 15D surcharge paying an overall postage of 100D on an aerogramme sent from Saigon to Switzerland in February of 1972.

60D mail rider aerogramme overprinted with one dark red surcharge of 40D for an overall postage of 100D. The dark red surcharge is  rarer. It was created by first using a red and then later a black or blue ink pad when adding the surcharge.

60D mail rider aerogramme overprinted with one violet surcharge of 40D for an overall postage of 100D. The violet surcharge is much rarer. It was created by first using a red and then later a black or blue ink pad when adding the surcharge.

60D mail rider aerogramme overprinted with one red surcharge of 40D for an overall postage of 100D. Note that the surcharge was printed up-side-down.

60D mail rider aerogramme overprinted with one red surcharge of 40D for an overall postage of 100D used in May of 1974 from Hue to Honduras.

60D mail rider aerogramme overprinted with three red surcharges of 10D, 15D and 25D for an overall postage of 110D on a favor cancelled aerogramme in July of 1974.

Mint 60D mail rider aerogramme overprinted with one red surcharge of 50D for an overall postage of 110D.

Mint 60D mail rider aerogramme overprinted with one black surcharge of 50D for an overall postage of 110D. Surcharges in colors other than red are rarer.

Postage kept creeping up and so a different surcharge of 50D on top of the 60D nominal value of the aerogramme for an overall postage of 110D can be found as of July 22nd, 1974. The aerogramme was used in October of 1974. Below are two postaly used samples sent to the United States.

Registration Nr. 201060

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