Elephants

Unified Vietnam, Elephants, March 19th, 1987, Michel Nr. 1777-1782; Six stamps with nominals of 1D, 3D and 5D (two stamps each) were issued in perforation 12.5:12.25 and imperforate.

Stamps sold at Vietnamese post offices were without gum while stamps delivered by the official Vietnamese stamp agency were gummed.

Here is the mint perforated set

and here is the mint imperforate set

Mixed franking of the Elephant and Battle of Dach Dang sets plus two Children Vaccination stamps paying an overall postage of 2,938D on a registered air mail letter sent from HCM City to Hong Kong in July of 1988.

Mixed franking of the Elephant and Mutual Economic Aid sets plus the Child Vaccination and Peace Movement stamps paying an overall postage of 1,288D on a registered international air mail letter sent rom HCM City to Hong Kong in July of 1988.

Registered air mail letter sent in September of 1987 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the entire Elephant set plus stamps Insects, National Assembly and Hai Phong Liberation sets. The Hai Phong Liberation 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 15 oD =1.5 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (81 nD) plus the red free frank for 470 nD for 552.50 nD.

Registered air mail letter sent in May of 1987 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries stamps from the Elephant set plus stamps from Nguyen Trai, Reconstruction, Year of the Cat and Day the Child sets. There are also two of the military free frank issued in 1981 that were technically not valid for international postage but apparently were nevertheless accepted by the postal clerk. The Nguyen Trai and Day the Child 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 1.52 oD =0.15 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (77 nD) plus the red free frank for 296 nD for 373.15 nD.

Registered air mail letter sent in May of 1987 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries stamps from the Elephant set plus stamps from theCommunist Party, Vietnamese Post and Union Congress sets. The 30xu Communist Party stamp shows a significant passer-shift of the dark brown color downwards. Error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The Communist Party 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 1.1 oD =0.11 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (111 nD) plus the red free frank for 262 nD for 373.11 nD.

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 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 Butterflies and Friendship Treaty sets for an overall postage of 552D. Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in September of 1987 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries stamps from the Year of Peace, Year of the Cat, 5 Billion People and Elephant sets for an overall postage of 569D (including the red free frank for 539). Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in December of 1987 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the entire perforated Animals and Plant set and stamps from the Elephant and Costume stamps. The Animal and Plant stamps were denominated in old Dong (27.5). On September 14th, 1985 Vietnam conducted another currency reform in which the old Dong was devalued by 10:1. So the postage value of the A&P stamps on the envelope were only worth one tenth of their face value (2.75 new Dong). The overall postage of the letter amounted to 142.75 new Dong (including the red free frank for 116.2D) . Green Fulda custom cachet on the reverse.

Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries perforated stamps from the Flowering Cacti set plus stamps from the Elephants, Cham Culture, Paracel & Spratley Islands, Battle of Bach Dang and Insects sets for an overall postage of 1,478D. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in September of 1987 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the entire perforated Monkey set plus stamps from the Red Cross, Elephants, Indochina War, National Assembly and Year of the Cat sets for overall postage of 574D (including the red free frank for 439D). Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in September of 1987 from Ho Chi Minh Ciyt to Klewitz. The letter carries three of the 5 Billion Human stamps plus stamps from the Butterflies, Elephants, Old Ships and Postal Union sets for an overall postage of 585D (including the free frank for 517D). Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the entire perforated Rose set plus the souvenir-sheet plus stamps from the Elephants and Vietnam-CSSR Cooperation (imperforate) for an overall postage of 1,547 (including the red free frank for 1,284D). Souvenir-Sheets and imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet.

Registered air mail letter sent in December of 1987 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries three of the Picasso stamps plus stamps from the Elephant (imperforate and perforated) and Postal Union sets for an overall postage of 1,249D (including the red free frank for 1,150D). Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front. Since the letter was by error routed via Monteal, Canada there is also a red Montreal arrival cancel.

Registered air mail letter sent in December of 1987 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries three of the Picasso stamps and the souvenir-sheet plus stamps from the Elephant (imperforate and perforated), Butterflies (imperforate) and Cham Culture sets for an overall postage of 1,277D (including the red free frank for 1,031D). Imperforate stamps and souvenir-sheets on postally used cover are very rare. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front. Since the letter was by error routed via Monteal, Canada there is also a red Montreal arrival cancel.

Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the entire imperforate Picasso stamp set plus stamps from the Elephant and Old Ships (imperforate) for an overall postage of 1,576D (including the red free frank for 1,414D). Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Green Folds custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter mailed in January of 1988 from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz. The letter carries the entire perforated Coral stamp set plus stamps from the Elephants and Union Congress sets for an overall postage of 1,265D (including the red free frank for 1,100). Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in April of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries perforated and imperforate stamps from the Mushroom set plus stamps from the Monkeys (imperforate), Elephants and Manned Space Flight sets for an overall postage of 1,610D (including the red free frank for 1,410D). Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare.Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered express air mail letter sent in July of 1988 as a mixed currency franking from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries a block of four of the Child Inoculation stamps plus stamps from the Protected Animals, Off-shore Oil Production (imperforate), Poultry and Elephants sets. Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. The Protected Animal 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 3.5 oD = 0.35 nD. plus the stamps in new Dong (1,256 nD) and the red free frank for 1,170D for 2,426.35 nD. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered air mail letter sent in July of 1988 from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz. The letter carries the perforated and imperforate Child Inoculation stamps plus stamps from the Mushrooms (imperforate), Party Decisions, Off-shore Oil Production, Elephants and Bach Dang sets for an overall postage of 1,585D (including the red free frank for 1,270D). Imperforate stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Fragment of the green Fulda custom cachet.

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.