Unified Vietnam, 20. Anniversary of the Cuban Victory of 1961, August 15th, 1982, Michel Nr. 1254; On April 17th, 1961 the American invasion of Cuba failed in the Bay of Pigs. This stamp was issued to commemorate the win of the Cuban side. The nominal was 30 xu and the perforation 11.
The stamp was issued own white and on grey paper. The latter is more scarce.
Mint stamp on white paper:
Mint stamp on grey paper:
This stamp was not officially issued im-perforated, however a small number of im-perforated trial proofs have come to market. Below are all the im-perforated phase prints as well as the im-perforated finished stamp.
Here is a mint block of four that shows a significant passer-shift of the red color towards the right.
This issue is subject to a fairly large number of plate errors. Since the sheet of 120 stamps as composed of 40 individual cliches that were then copied three times, the errors appear three times in each sheet.
Mint block of then stamps. The first stamp from the top left shows “a re-engraved inscription”, second stamp from the top left shows the re-occuring plate errors of “a broken NA in Vietnam”, “an additional blue dot on the left side” (fourth stamp from top left) and “indentation at lower right of image” (third stamp from bottom left).
Detail scans of the affected areas:
Mint strip of five stamps that shows a “dirty black print” (Field 107) on the second stamp from the left, “a lilac end at the bottom right of the flag” (third stamp from the left) and “a broken R in HIRON” (right most stamp)
Detailed scans of the affected areas:
Here is a mint pair on grey paper that shows the plate errors of “blue dot inside flag” (left stamp) and “broken R in HIRON”.
Detailed scans of the affected areas:
Mint strip of four stamps. The second stamp from the left shows the plate error of “comma after E in VIETNAM” and two plate errors “partially missing accent on E of VIETNAM and “left cross bar of T thin”.
Detailed scan of the affected areas:
Mint strip of five stamps. The second stamp from the left shows the plate error of “red cross bar in M of VIETNAM”.The second stamp from the right shows the plate error of “partially missing accent on E of VIETNAM”.
Detailed scan of the affected area:
Mint strip of five stamps. The second stamp from the right shows the plate error of “two sides of white star shorter”.
Detailed scan of the affected area:
Mint strip of five stamps. The third stamp from the left shows the plate error of “black dot under 1961”.
Detailed scan of the affected area:
Mint block of twenty stamps that shows a number of the plate errors described above. There is also an additional plate error that shows “violet print partially missing on the right”.
Detailed scan of the affected area:
Mint strip of five stamps. The third stamp from the left shows the plate error “30 and xu combined” and “additional black dot in white margin at the bottom” (second stamp from the right).
Detailed scans of the affected areas:
Mint strip of five stamps. The left most stamp shows the plate error of “partially missing M of VIETNAM”, re-touched inscription of VIET in VIETNAM (second stamp from the left) and “black dots on the right side of the stamp”. 
Detailed scans of the affected areas:
Mint strip of five stamps. The second stamp from the left shows the plate error of “broken Y in KY” (Fields 37,77 and 117) and the third stamp from the left shows the plate error “black dots under 1961” (Field 38, 78 and 118).
Detailed scans of the affected areas:
International letter sent from Hanoi to Czechoslovakia in December of 1982 and carrying two of the Cuban Victory stamps plus the 1D Asia Games stamp paying an overall postage of 1.60D.
Rare registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz. The letter features the perforated and im-perforated stamp plus other NVN stamps for an overall postage of 12.64 (including the red free frank for 5 Dong). Im-perforated trial proofs are very rare on postally used cover. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in January of 1984. The letter features two strips of five of the Cuba stamps some ion which feature the plate errors described above. The overall postage amounted to 38.15 Dong (including the red free frank for 2.15 Dong). Green Fulda custom cachet on the reverse. Unusual red cancels.
Registered air mail letter sent as a mixed currency franking in April of 1999 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries a pair of the Cuban Revolution stamp plus stamps from the 1981 Cuban Victory, Domestic Pheasant (Stamp from souvenir-sheet), Gold Fish (stamp from souvenir-sheet), Discovery of America and World Exposition Sevilla sets. Stamps from souvenir-sheets on postally used cover are very rare. The 1981 Cuban Victory set was still denominated in old 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 1.2 oD =0.12 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (83D) for 29,100 nD. Incoming German Post registration receipt on the reverse. German Post orange electronic routing code on front.
Registration Nr. 103250
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