South Vietnam, Postage Due Stamps 1955, June 6th, 1955, Michel Nr. SVN P7-10; Four stamps in nominals of 2D, 3D, 5D and 10D were issued in perforation 13.5.
Here is the mint set.
These stamps were printed in large sheets that contained two panes of 50 stamps (5 rows of 10 stamps) that were separated by gutter fields. The sheets arrive folded at the post office so folds in the gutter area are normal and do not represent any deficiency. Here is the mint set in gutter pairs.
Complete mint sheet of the 5P value.
Postally used pair of the 5D value.
These stamps were not officially released imperforate, however, a small number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here is the imperforate set in matching sheet corners.
A plate error is known on the 2D value on which the “2” is partially broken. Below are identical pairs.The left is the mint and the right is the postally used version.
Domestic letter (full contents preserved) sent in October of 1960 from Hue to Saigon that was mailed without postage. As a result it received a black “T” hand stamp plus a bilingual cachet that indicated that the postage was insufficient. The receiving post office then two of the 2P postage due stamps paying for the 2P required postage and the 2P penalty.
Rare Post Card sent from France to Colon in July of 1961. The card was dropped into the mail box without postage. As a result it received what appears to be a black “T” hand stamp indicating that additional postage was due. Two 2P postage due stamps were added for an overall penalty of 4P.
Rare air mail letter sent from France to Saigon in October of 1965. The letter was franked with a red free frank for 30F which was judged insufficient upon arrival and hence a manuscript “T 0.12” remark was made in front. 3P of postage due was collected upon delivery by adding a 3P postage due stamp on the reverse.
Rare multiple franking of the 1.50D Flowers stamp (2) paying an overall postage of 3D on a domestic folded letter sent from Vung Tau to Tay Ninh in December of 1965. The letter was apparently judged short in postage and hence postage due stamps for 4.50P were added upon arrival on the reverse (three 50c and one 3P stamp).
Very rare registered package wrapper from a package that was sent from France to Saigon via air mail . The package that contained royal bee jelly carried a postage of 330F but was judged to be short of the required postage. As a result two postage due stamps (0.50P and 3P) were added in Saigon for an additional postage of 4.50P.
Rare single franking of the 3D Craft stamp on a domestic air mail letter (full contents preserved) that was sent within Saigon in August of 1971. Note that the day and mont in the Saigon machine cancel was inserted upside down. The letter was judged to be deficient in postage and as a result a 1D and 5P postage due stamp was added on the reverse.
Multiple franking of the 5D Sapan stamp (4) paying an overall postage of 20D on a domestic letter sent in September of 1974 from Son Ho (small post office) to Kien Hoa. The standard letter rate had increased to 25D and as a result a black “T” hand stamp was added onto the envelope to indicate that additional postage was due upon delivery. On arrival a 5P and 10P postage due stamp was added to the envelope to pay for this. Normally postage due in Vietnam was calculated at the missing postage plus a 100% penalty. This would have indicated 10P in this case. The editor is unsure why the total postage due was calculated at 15P. Did the penalty towers the end of the war go up to 200%? Very rare handmade cachet showing a 5 pointed star and a palm tree on the reverse.
Postal stationary folded aerogram sent in August of 1974 from the United States to Saigon. The 18C postage imprinted in the stationary was insufficient at the time of mailing and hence a violet postage due cachet of 16C was struck on the envelope. The 16C postage due and 16C penalty later on were converted in Saigon into a 75D amount due (witness the manuscript remark “Tal 75” in blue ink in front). Three 5D postage due and two 30D postage due stamps of the 1955/1956 stamps were added on the back of the envelope to cover this amount. This cover impressively shows that almost 20 years after issuance these postage due stamps still remained at postal counters.
Rare multiple franking of the 5D Year of the Buffalo stamp (2) paying an overall postage of 10D on a domestic letter sent within Gia Dinh in July of 1974. The letter was judged short in postage and hence a black “T” hand stamp was added to the envelope along with a “30” manuscript. Three 10P postage due stamps were added on the reverse paying an overall penalty of 30P.
Registration Nr. 200095
Comments are closed.