Unified Vietnam, 100. Anniversary of the Discovery of the Tuberculosis Pathogen, March 25th, 1983, Michel Nr. 1308; A single stamp with a 5D nominal was issued in perforation 10.75.

Here is a mint block of four (Fields 21-22 and 31-32) that also features two known plate errors. The top left stamp and bottom right stamps are of the “microscope closed” variety while the bottom left stamp shows the error “broken M in TIM”.

Detailed scan of the affected areas.

Mint horizontal pair (Fields 51-52) on which the right stamp shows the plate error “long 1 in 1982”.

Detailed scan of the affected area.

Mint block of two (Fields 47-48) of which the left stamp shows the plate error “additional black hair on back of head”.

Detailed scan of the affected area.

Horizontal mint pair of two (Fields 83-84) on which the left stamp shows the plate error “broken A on BAY” and the right stamp the plate error “additional black hair on back of head”

Detailed scan of the affected area.

Mint horizontal pair of two (Fields 93-94) on which the right stamp shows the plate error “white dot above microscope base”.

Detailed scan of the affected area.

Mint block of six (Fields 75-76, 85-86, 95-96) that shows a number of plate errors. The top left and right stamps show the error “closed microscope”, the middle left stamp the plate error “missing black hair on back of head”, the middle right stamp “broken M in TIM” and the bottom left stamp “broken N in VIETNAM”.

Detailed scan of the “broken N in VIETNAM” plate error.

Mint block of six (Fields 77-78, 87-88, 97-98) that shows a number of plate errors. The top right stamp shows the error “882 instead of 1882 and black spot at back of the head”, middle left stamp “closed microscope”, middle right stamp “black mole on forehead” and the bottom left stamp “white line left of UN Symbol”.

Detailed scan of the affected areas.

Mint horizontal block of the ten stamps that show a number of plate errors. Top left stamp “B in BUU tilted and large N in NOW”, top middle stamp “A in DEFEAT short”, top right stamp “closed microscope”, bottom  left stamp “882 instead of 1882”, bottom second stamp from the left “missing black hair on back of head”, bottom middle stamp  “FOEVEP instead of FOREVER” and bottom second stamp from the right “closed microscope”.

Detailed scan of the affected areas.

Mint horizontal block of eight stamps (Fields 55-58, 65-68) that show various plate errors. Top second stamp from the left “BUU mutilated, black spot on eyebrow and black dot in V of VIETNAM”, top second stamp from the left “black dot at base of microscope and long 1 in 1882, top right stamp “elongated microscope eye-piece”, bottom left stamp “A in DEFEAT short”, bottom second stamp from the left “E instead of C in KOCH” and the bottom right stamp “long N in NOW and “B in BUU tilted”.

Detailed scans of the affected areas.

Mint vertical pair that shows a significant mis-perforation. The top stamp also features the plate error “elongated microscope eye-piece” and the bottom stamp “long N in NOW”.

This stamp was not officially released imperforate however a small number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here is one without the black printing phase

Here is the same trial proof but this time with the plate error “FOEVEP instead of FOREVER”.

and another one without the turquoise printing phase and the plate error “elongated microscope eye-piece”.

Here is the same trial proof without the turquoise printing phase and the plate error “closed microscope”.

Here is a mint imperforate trial proof that shows a significant passer-shift of the black printing phase to the right.

Here is the same passer-shift but this time the stamp is perforated

Air mail letter sent in October of 1983 from Hanoi to Czechoslovakia paying the 6D tariff by using one of the 5D Koch and 1D Defense and production stamp.

Mixed franking of the 5D Koch stamp (8 of which one with the 2closed microscope error) together with two of the 2D World Food Day stamps for an overall postage of 44D on a registered international ir mail letter sent from Quang Non  to France in November of 1983. French arrival cancel on the reverse.

Multiple franking of the 5D value paying an overall postage of 10D on an  international air mail letter sent from Hai Phong to Pilzen in Czechoslovakia in 1985. The left stamp is of the closed microscope and the right stamp of the open microscope variety. The left stamp also carries the plate error “broken T in TIM”. Plate errors on postally used covers are very rare.

Registered air mail letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in December of 1983. It features ten of the Koch stamps from Fields 40, 59-60, 70 (front and 5-6 (reverse) that feature the various plate errors detailed above (“microscope closed”, “broken M in TIM”, “broken A on BAY”, “missing black hair on back of head”, “B in BUU tilted and large N in NOW”. Plate errors on postally used covers are very rare. The overall postage amounted to 52.8D. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in September of 1983 featuring sixteen of the Koch stamps which also feature a large number of the plate errors (indicated by pencil arrows) detailed above. Plate errors are very rare on postally used cover. Th over-all postage (including the red free fan for 2.30D) amounted to 82.30D. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered letter sent in August of 1983 from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz. The letter features six of the Koch stamps that show some of the plate errors detailed above (“microscope closed”, “B in BUU tilted, black spot on eyebrow, black dot in V of VIETNAM” and “E instead of C in KOCH”). There are also some of the stamps from the Mammal set. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 33.62D (including the red free frank for 2.40D) . Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in June of 1983. The letter features two of the Koch stamps (with plate errors “closed microscope”,and “elongated microscope eye-piece” plus some stamps from the Mammal set. Green Fulda custom cachet on front. Plate errors on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 17.34D.

Registered air mail letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in January of 1984. The letter carries the Chess souvenir sheet, give Koch stamps (one with the plate error of “additional black hair on the back of the head”) and other contemporary NVN stamps for an overall postage of 57.60D. Souvenir-Sheets and error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Green Fulda custom cachet on the reverse.

Mixed franking made up of the 5D Koch stamp together with the 30D Union Congress and 3D Locomotive stamp paying an overall postage of 38D on a rare international express air mail letter sets rom Ben Tre to the United States in August of 1984. Sacramento arrival cancels on the reverse.

Registered air mail letter sent in October of 1986 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The Robert Koch stamps on the front were still denominated in old Dong while the stamps from the KPdSU, Traditional Houses, Labor Day and Reconstruction sets on the cover are already denominated in new Dong. The KPdSU stamps are present in both perforated and imperforate form. Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The Vietnamese Government conducted a devaluation of the Dong on September 14th, 1985. This meant that all stamps issued prior to this date were only worth one tenth at the time of mailing. The overall postage hence amounted to  10 oD = 1 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (33.5D) for 34.5 nD. Fragment of the green FUlda custom cachet on front.

Registration Nr. 103370

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