Unified Vietnam, Chinese New Year, January 21st, 1985 (3 Dong) and March 30th, 1985 (5 Dong), Michel Nr. 1544-1545; Two stamps were issued in nominals of 3D and 5D and in perforation 10.75. The issue was subject to a range of different color tones.

Here is the issue in purple/dark lilac red and dark ochre/brown colors

and here the pale-lilac/dark-lilaq and ochre/light-brown colors

and the pale pink/dark-lilaq and dark-ochre/light-brown colors

Mint block of four of the %D value with light-ochre base color

Mint block of four of the %D value with red-ochre base color

The stamps are also known in different sizes which was a function of the manual perforation process. Below are pairs of large/small stamp sizes.

These stamps were not officially released imperforate however a number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market.

Imperforate pair of the 3D value in purple/brown-lilaq on glossy paper

Imperforate pair of the 3D value in pale-pink/dark-lilaq on standard paper

Imperforate pair of the 5D value in dark-ochre/lilaq-brown color

Imperforate pair of the 5D value in light-ochre/brown-lilaq color

Here is a phase print of the 3D value that only shows the dark-lilaq color

Here is a pair of the mint 5D value in light-ochre on which the entire right edge of the right stamp is white. This was a result of a mis-perforation of the sheet which led to an inclusion of the white selvage that normally would be torn off.

Mint pair of the 5D value on which the right stamp shows a printing flaw

Detailed scan of the affected area

Mint block of four of the 5D value that shows a paper fold

Detailed scan of the affected area

Mixed franking using two of the 10D National Sport Games stamps plus the 50D Cambodian Friendship and 5D Year of the Ox stamps paying an overall postage of 75D on an international air mail letter sent from Hanoi to Czechoslovakia.

Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1986 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries pairs of the New Year set and the 30xu Defense and Production stamp. These were still denominated in old Dong. On September 14th, 1985 the Vietnamese Government conducted a currency reform in which the Dong was devalued 10:1. This means the old stamps were only worth one tenth of their face value at the time of mailing (16.82D = 1.68nD). Together with the 10D Reconstruction stamps, the Le Loi stamps and the 15D red free frank the overall postage of the letter amounted to 39.68 nD. Fragment of green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in May of 1985 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the rare purple 3D New Year stamp plus stamps from the Union Congress, Hanoi Liberation, Winter Olympics and Provisional Overprint stamps for an overall postage of 81D (including the red free frank for 33D). Fragment of green Fulda custom cachet on front. The first Union Congress stamp on the reverse shows the plate error “rose over NAM of VIETNAM”. Plate errors on postally yused cover are very rare.

Registered air mail letter sent in June of 1985 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries pairs of the New Year set plus stamps from the World Food Day, Friendship, Lenin, Peace Meeting and Provisional Overprint sets. There are also two stamps issued in 1959 that were devalued by 1,000:1 on March 1st, 1959 and hence were only worth 30xu at the time of mailing. Hence the overall postage of the letter amounted to 391.3D (including the red free frank for 330D). 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 City to Klewitz. The letter carries the different color tones of the 5D value plus a 5D stamp with a printing flaw. Stamps from the Ha long and Reconstruction sets. The New Year and Ha Long stamps were denominated in old Dong. On September 14th, 1985 the Vietnamese Government conducted a currency reform in which the Dong was devalued 10:1. This means the old stamps were only worth one tenth of their face value at the time of mailing (73oD = 7.3nD). Together with the 10D Reconstruction stamp and the 10D red free frank the overall postage of the letter amounted to 27.3 nD. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1987 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries perforated stamps from the Wickerwork, Poultry, Reconstruction, Communist Party and Chinese New Year sets. Apart from the Chinese New Year stamps 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  8 oD =0.80 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (94 nD) plus the red free frank for 245 nD for 339.80 nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in May of 1987 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries three of the Year of the Cat stamp plus stamps from the Chinese New Year (color variations), October Revolution, Traditional Houses, Union Congress, KPdSU and Reconstruction sets. The October Revolution stamps are all perforated 12.5.  The Chinese New Year 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 26 oD =2.60 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (55.5 nD) plus the red free frank for 318 nD for 376.1 nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in November of 1987 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries stamps from the Monkeys,  Old Ships, Chinese New Year (color and size variations) Butterflies, Postal Union, Communist Party (Perf.12.5) and Year of the Cat sets. The Chinese New Year 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  6 oD =0.60 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (83 nD) plus the red free frank for 486 nD for 569.6 nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1989 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the perforated Ice Dancing souvenir-sheet plus stamps from the Chinese New Year, Communist Party, Hydro Stations, INDIA Stamp Exhibition, Children Drawings and Qing Army sets. The King Army stamps show a severe mis-perforation. Errors stamps and souvenir-sheets on postally used cover are very rare. The Chinese New Year, Communist Party and Qing Army 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 20.60 oD = 2.06 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (4,200 nD) plus the red free frank for 2,370 nD for 6,572.06 nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registration Nr. 103820

Comments are closed.