Unified Vietnam, 35 Years of Independence, September 2nd, 1980, Michel Nr 1128-1131; Four stamps in the nominals of 12 xu (two stamps), 40 xu and 1 Dong were issued in perforation 12.75. The Vietnamese Postal Authorities apparently decided that for marketing purposes it would be beneficial to switch to mini sheets that other postal authorities had pioneered earlier.
Below is the complete set in mint mini sheets. Note the black sheet numbers in the top left corner of the selvage.
Klewitz reports that the 12 xu stamp with the State Coat of Arms was printed in two distinct printings. The first one was only sold in the South of Vietnam and it shows sheet numbers below 100,000 and a dark red brown background color. The second printing shows sheet numbers in excess of 100,000 and it was released in Hanoi.
First Printing
Second Printing
There are also two know re-occuring plate errors on the 1 Dong stamp. The first one shows a red dot to the left of the bottom left leaf (Field 2 of the sheet). Here is a detailed scan of the affected area:
The second plate error is found in Field 17 of the sheet and it shows a small red line on top of the leaf set at the bottom left:
First Day Cover of the set:
Registered letter featuring the set and other NVN stamps for an overall postage of 7.90. Note that the zero money free frank was necessary to create the R-label as it came out of the name machine. Unusual red cancel. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Mixed franking of three 10xu Flower stamps together with other NVN stamps paying an overall postage of 2.90D on an air-mail letter sent to West Germany.
Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz in September of 1981. The letter carries a mass-franking of the 5 xu Day of the Child stamp plus the entire Independence set for an overall postage of 8.26 Dong (including the red free frank for 2.7 Dong). There is also one International Child Day stamp from 1978 that shows a significant passer-shift of the violet color towards the bottom. Errors stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz in December of 1981. The letter features the two different color variations of the 12 xu Coat of Arms stamp with the sheet numbers. Stamps with sheet numbers attached on postally cover are rare. The letter also carries a military free frank for veterans on the back. Since this free frank actually had a nominal valuer it could be used for both, domestic and international postage though 12 xu only covered the standard domestic letter rate. A number of Bird set stamp and other NVN stamps on the reverse. The overall postage amounted to 7.90 Dong (including the red free frank of 2.72 Dong).
Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz in December of 1981. It carries two stamps from the Independence set with sheet numbers. Stamp with sheet numbers on postally used cover are rare. There is also a military free frank issued in 1970. Since it did not carry a nominal value it was not valid for international postage but it appears that the postal clerk was not aware of that. The overall postage (including ther free frank that was worth 12 xu) amounted to 8.32 Dong.
Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz in December of 1981. It carries two stamps from the Independence set with sheet numbers. Stamp with sheet numbers on postally used cover are rare. There are also there of the Lotus stamps with post master perforations of 14 and 15 (yellowish paper) and one with perforation 15 (white paper). The overall postage amounted to 8.32 Dong.
Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz in February of 1982. It carries the entire set with pairs of both colors of the 12 xu Coat of Arms stamp. The overall postage amounted to 7.90 Dong. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz in September of 1981. The letter carries the entire perforated Bird set plus a block of four of the 1 Dong 35 Years of Independence stamps for an overall postage of 7.90 Dong. The zero money red free frank was required to produce the R-label as it came out of the same machine. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz in April of 1982. The letter features the entire Nutritional Day set. The 2 Dong stamps features both color variations. 1 Dong Independence stamp on the reverse. The overall postage amounted to 9.78 Dong. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz in June of 1982. The letter carries two of the 2 Dong Nutritional Day stamps which both show significant distortion of all inscriptions. Error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Both color versions of the Independence stamps. Pigeon set on the reverse. The overall postage amounted to 8.34 Dong. The zero money red free frank was required to produce the R.label as bot items came out of the same machine. Green Fulda custom cachet on front. Unusual red cancel.
Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in August of 1982. The letter carries various error stamps of the red HCM stamps. Error stamps are very rare on postally used cover. 35 Years of Independence stamp on front. The overall postage amounted to 11 Dong (including the red free frank for 8 Dong). Green Fula custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in June of 1982. The letter carries half of the Hymenopterons set plus stamps from the 1981 Bird set for an overall postage of 8.3 Dong. 1 Dong Independence stamp on front. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Another registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in June of 1982. The letter carries the other half of the Hymenopterons set plus stamps from the 1981 Bird set for an overall postage of 8.2 Dong. 1 Dong Independence stamp on front. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered letter that features the first known usage of the stamp with the Post Master Perforation 8.5. The letter was cancelled on September 15th, 1981 more than seven months ahead of the official issuing date in Quang 5 (Ho Chi Minh City). Post Master Perforation son postally used cover are very rare. Independence stamps on front and back. The overall postage amounted to 7.6 Dong. Green custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in September of 1982. It carries six of the Militia stamp in Post Master Perforation 9-11.5 (bottom right row of the sheet). On the first stamp the woman looks straight ahead and on the next two stamps the woman looks towards her right. Independence set on front and back. The overall postage amounted to 14.44. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Very large letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in September of 1982. It features two blocks of eight of the Militia stamps. The upper block shows the Post Master Perforation 11.5 while the bottom block shows the Post Master perforation 12.5. The plate error “long white line behind the sun” and “damaged uniform bottom” is present on both blocks. The letter also carries ten of the Lotus stamps with Post Master Perforation 14-15. Independence stamps on the reverse. The overall postage amounted to 23.84 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in October of 1982. The letter carries the entire Bulgaria set- The 2 Dong on the reverse shows the orange/salmon color error of the nominal value (instead of light violet). Error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Independence stamps in front and back. The overall postage amounted to 14.56 Dong (including the red free frank for 7 Dong). Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz in October of 1982. The letter carries the Dimitroff set. The 30 xu value is of the rare color variation orange-red instead of brown-red. Error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The letter also carries the entire Piegon set and some of the Football stamps. 12 xu Independence stamp in front. The overall postage amounted to 20.66 Dong (including the red free frank for 8 Dong). Unusual red cancel. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in November of 1982. The letter carries both Women Union sets plus other NVN stamps for an overall postage of 20.74 Dong. Independence stamps in front and back. Unusual red cancel. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Air mail letter sent in August of 1984 from Cang That (small post office) to West Germany. The letter features three of the 1D Independence set plus stamps from the Mushroom and Ciconiiformes sets for an overall postage of 23D.
Registered express air mail letter sent in March of 1986 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Ming City to Klewitz. The letter carries the entire perforated Reconstruction set and KPdSU stamps that were already denominated in new Dong and stamps fro the Independence and Socialist Republic sets 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 3.16oD =0.32 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (71D) for71.32 nD. The zero money red free frank was required to produce the R-label as it came out of the same machine. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registered air mail letter sent in February of 1986 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh to Klewitz. This letter represents a very unusual mixture of three different currencies. The August Revolution stamps issued in 1958 were devalued by 1,000:1 on March 1st, 1959 and then again by 10:1 on September 14th, 1985. So at the time of mailing they were worth only 0.045 nD. The stamps issued prior to the September, 1985 devaluation (August Revolution 1985, 35 Years Independence and Peace Meeting) were devalued by 10:1 so only worth 3.16 nD. Finally the stamps issued after September 14th (Musical Instruments, Reconstruction and Laos) were worth their full value of 20 nD. The overall postage hence amounted to 23.2 nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.
Registration Nr. 103000
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