South Vietnam, World Refugee Year, April 7th, 1960, Michel Nr. SVN 204-207; Four stamps with nominals of 50c, 3D, 4D and 5D (Q:1,000,000 sets) were issued in perforation 13.

Here is the mint set

and here the postally used set

These stamps were not officially released imperforate, however, a small number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here is the set in imperforate pairs.

Enpreuves de Luxe; “Atelier des Fabrication des Timbres-Postes, Paris” at bottom right.

Color Trials; prior to authorizing the final printing run for stamps the Vietnamese Postal Authority requested a few sheets of color sheets on one particular value of a set in order to decide which final color combination would be best suited for each stamp within the set. The color sheets had the size of a standard sheet but contained alternating color options on the designated nominal value. While these sheets were only intended for internal postal use some of them came to market. Virtually all of these complete sheets were cut apart. So one mostly finds single color proofs or small strips of them. While they are actually very rare one can still obtain them for under $10 a piece (with some exceptions) as not many collectors appear to have an interest in them so far. Here are various color trials for the 0.50D value.

Mixed franking of the 6D UNESCO stamp together with stamps from the Family Law and WorldRefuge Year sets paying an overall postage of 8.50D on an international air mail letter sent to the United States in April of 1960.

Mixed franking of the 2D Three Years Republic stamps (4) together with the 0.50D World Refugee Year paying an overall postage of 8.50D on an international air mail letter sent from Dalat to the United States in March of 1961.

Rare single franking of the 3D value on a domestic letter (full contents preserved) on a domestic letter sent from Dalat to Saigon in December of 1962.

Mixed franking of the 7D Prosperity Zones stamp together with stamps from the World RefugeeYEar and Defense sets paying an overall postage of 11D on an international letter sent from Transit Cham to Switzerland in November of 1962.

Mixed franking of the 4D Refugee stamp together with the 50D National Unity stamp paying an overall postage of 54D on a rare international express air mail letter sent in November of 1969 from Saigon to the United States.

Mixed franking of the 5D World Refugee Year together with stamps from the Prosperity Zones, Sport and Youth,  Children’s Day, Colombo Conference and Election of Ngô Đình Diệm sets paying an overall postage of 7D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to Argentina in December of 1961.

Mixed franking of five 5D World Refugee Year together with two 3D Country Defense stamps paying an overall postage of 31Don an international air mail letter sent from Danang to the United States in March of 1964.

Mixed franking of the 5D World Refugee Year (4) together with the 2D UNESCO stamp paying an overall postage of 22D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to Switzerland in May of 1964.

Multiple franking of the 5D value (3) paying an overall postage of 15D on a registered international air mail letter sent from Saigon to West Germany in September of 1964.

Multiple franking of the 5D value (3) paying an overall postage of 15D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to the United States.

Multiple franking of the 5D value (3) paying an overall postage of 15D on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to the United States in April of 1965.

Registration Nr. 200260

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