Unified Vietnam, 150 Years German Railway, September 13th, 1985, Michel Nr. 1608-1615, Block 41; Seven stamps in nominals of 1D (two stamps), 2D (two stamps), 3D, 4D and 6D were issued in perforation 12.5 and imperforate. There was also a souvenir-sheet that was perforated 13 and also issued imperforate.
This set was issued one day prior to the currency devaluation which devalued the Old Dong by 10:1 on September 14th, 1985 but based on postal history in the editors possession it appears that this set was already denominated in New Dong and hence did not need to be discounted like the older stamps.
Stamps sold at Vietnamese post offices were sold without gum while stamps sold by the official Vietnamese stamp agency were gummed.
Here is the mint perforated stamp set
and here the imperforate set in mint pairs
The souvenir-sheet is known in two distinct color variations. The left version shows a brownish locomotive boiler and a grey-blue sky, while the right version shows a blackish locomotive boiler and a light-blue sky. Klewitz speculated that they represent two different printings
Here is the imperforate souvenir-sheet
Very rare proof sheets that were used within the postal administration to enact the final sign-off for the production of the set. Note that the sign-off happened on August 28th, 1985 and production began about two weeks later.
Registered air mail letter sent in January of 1986 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries perforated German Railway stamps plus stamps from the Women Congress, Communications, World Fodd Day, Chinese New Year, Hai-Phong Liberation, Intercosmos and Union Congress sets. Allstamps, except the German Railway set, was still denominated in old Dong while The Railway ramps were already denominated in new Dong. The Vietnamese Government conducted a devaluation of the Dong on September 14th, 1985. This meant that all stamps issued prior to October 13th were only worth one tenth at the time of mailing. The overall postage hence amounted to 26.6 oD = 2.66 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (19 nD) plus the red free frank for 9 nD for 30.66 nD.
Registered air mail letter sent in October of 1986 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries imperforate German Railway stamps plus stamps from the Reconstruction (imperforate) set. Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The overall postage of the letter amounted to 39 Dong.
Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1881 from HCM City to Hong Kong. The letter carries the Postal Union, Cooperation between Vietnam & CSSR, Paracel & Spratly sets plus stamps from the German Railway souvenir-sheet and the Peace Movement stamp paying an overall postage of 2,865D (including the red free frank for 2,565D). Souvenir-sheets on postally used cover are very rare.
Registered air mail letter sent in October of 1987 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the perforated German Railway souvenir-sheet plus stamps from the ARGENTINIA Stamp Exhibition, and Cham Culture sets. Souvenir-Sheets on postally used cover are very rare. The ARGENTINIA stamps were still denominated in old Dong while the other stamps were already denominated in new Dong. The Vietnamese Government conducted a devaluation of the Dong on September 14th, 1985. This meant that all stamps issued prior to October 13th were only worth one tenth at the time of mailing. The overall postage hence amounted to 19 oD = 1.9 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (63 nD) plus the red free frank for 487 nD for 551.9 nD. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered air mail letter sent in December of 1987 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the imperforate German Railway set in matching top right sheet margin with sheet numbers plus stamps from the Year of the Cat, Haley, 5 Billion Humans, Humane Living and Intercosmos (souvenir-sheet) sets. Imperforate stamps and Souvenir-Sheets on postally used cover are very rare. The Intercosmos stamps were still denominated in old Dong while the other stamps were already denominated in new Dong. The Vietnamese Government conducted a devaluation of the Dong on September 14th, 1985. This meant that all stamps issued prior to October 13th were only worth one tenth at the time of mailing. The overall postage hence amounted to 3 oD = 0.3 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (48 nD) plus the red free frank for 1,077 nD for 1,125.3 nD. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1988 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the perforated German Railway souvenir-sheet in both color variations plus stamps from the Elephant, Communist Party, Motorcycles, Postal Union, Paracel and Spratly Island, Cacti and Manned Space Flight (souvenir-sheet) sets. There is also the military free frank issued in 1981 that was not allowed for international postage but apparently was accepted by the postal clerk nevertheless. Imperforate stamps and souvenir-Sheets on postally used cover are very rare. The ARGENTINIA stamps were still denominated in old Dong while the other stamps were already denominated in new Dong. The Vietnamese Government conducted a devaluation of the Dong on September 14th, 1985. This meant that all stamps issued prior to October 13th were only worth one tenth at the time of mailing. The overall postage hence amounted to 2 oD = 0.2 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (154 nD) plus the red free frank for 2,835 nD for 2,989.2 nD. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1988 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the imperforate German Railway souvenir-sheet plus stamps from the Elephants, Hanoi Liberation, Corals, Bach Dang and MEXICO World Cup sets. Souvenir-Sheets and imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The Hanoi Liberation stamps were still denominated in old Dong while the other stamps were already denominated in new Dong. The Vietnamese Government conducted a devaluation of the Dong on September 14th, 1985. This meant that all stamps issued prior to October 13th were only worth one tenth at the time of mailing. The overall postage hence amounted to 3.50 oD = 0.35 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (255 nD) plus the red free frank for 252 nD for 507.35 nD. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered air mail letter sent in November of 1987 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries perforated and imperforate stamps from the Elephant set plus stamps from the 150 Years Railway and Humane Living sets. Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. While the Railway souvenir-sheet was sold one day prior to the currency reform on September 14th, 1985 it apparently it was already denominated in new Dong, at least it was accepted for full value on November 14th, 1987. The Vietnamese Government conducted a devaluation of the Dong on September 14th, 1985. Th over-all postage of the letter hence amounted to 552D. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered air mail letter sent in May of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the perforated and imperforate Red Cross stamp plus stamps from the Railways (Souvenir-sheet) and Fish sets for an overall postage of 1,530 (including the red free frank of 1,260D). Imperforate stamps and souvenir-sheets on postally used cover are very rare. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered air mail letter sent in June of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the perforated and imperforate Red Cross stamp plus stamps from the Railways (Souvenir-sheet), Bach Dang, HAFNIA Airplanes and Afro-Asian Solidarity (imperforate) sets for an overall postage of 1,542 (including the red free frank of 1,007D). Imperforate stamps and souvenir-sheets on postally used cover are very rare. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered air mail letter sent in June of 1988 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries stamps from the Parrots, Railroads (souvenir-sheet), Bonsai (imperforate), National Assembly, Party Decisions and Friendship sets. Souvenir-Sheets and imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The Friendship stamps were still denominated in old Dong while all other stamps were already denominated in new Dong. 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 2 oD =0.20 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (158 nD) plus the red free frank for 1,309 nD for1,467.2nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered air mail letter sent November of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries imperforate and perforated souvenir-sheet of the German Railway set plus stamps from the Tourism and Roses (imperforate) set for an overall postage of 5,095D (including the red free frank for 4,950D). Souvenir-Sheets and imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registration Nr. 103960
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