Unified Vietnam, Olympic Summer Games 1984 Los Angeles, June 13th, 1983, Michel Nr. 1344-1351, Block 20; After Western countries had boycotted the Olympic Summer Games in Moscow in 1980 due to Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan, Russia retaliated in 1984 and announced on May 8th, 1984 to also boycott the Games in the United States. Most Eastern Block nations, some African nations and Vietnam, all under Russian influence, also followed suit.  Vietnam declared the boycott on May 11th, 1984. Michel reports that the stamps and there souvenir sheet were withdrawn from sale thereafter and that both were declared invalid for postage. The catalogue does not state the exact date this withdrawal/annulation but one can assume that it must have been on or shortly after May 11th, 1984. Seven stamps in nominals of 30xu, 50xu, 1D, 2D, 3D, 5D and 8D and one souvenir sheet with a 10D nominal were issued in perforation 12.75 and imperforate.

Here is the mint perforated souvenir sheet.

and the mint imperforate sheet.

The postal administration also produced an aerogramme with a 3D nominal in honor of the Olympic Summer Games. The mint version (shown here) is easy to find but that is another story for the used aerogramme. Due to the Olympia boycott it was also declared invalid in May of 1984 so the time to actually use it postally was very limited.

Here is a very rare specimen of the aerogramme that was sent to Klewitz on February 25th, 1985. By that time the postage for such an aerogramme had gone up to 26D cased by rampant inflation.

Registered air mail letter sent from Ho Chi Minh City on May 19th, 1984 to Klewitz. This is eight days after Vietnam declared its boycott of the Summer Games so technically the stamps should have been invalid by then but clearly the postal clerk was not aware of that restriction. Due to their relatively short period of validity these stamps are extremely hard to find postally used. The editor has not seen any other postally used letters (other than the Klewitz letters featured below)  carrying these stamps. This letter carries the 30xu, 5D and 8D Olympic Games stamps and some of the Dahlia and Flowering Woods stamps for an overall postage of 52.40D (excluding the red free frank that is illegible). Green Fulda custom cachet on front.  Very rare.

Registered air mail letter sent from Ho Chi Minh City on May 19th, 1984 to Klewitz. This is eight days after Vietnam declared its boycott of the Summer Games so technically the stamps should have been invalid by then but clearly the postal clerk was not aware of that restriction. Due to their relatively short period of validity these stamps are extremely hard to find postally used. The editor has not seen any other postally used letters (other than the Klewitz letters featured below)  carrying these stamps. This letter carries the 50xu, 1D, 2D and 3D Olympic Games stamps and some of the Dahlia, Soccer and Flowering Woods stamps for an overall postage of 42.80D (excluding the red free frank that is illegible). Green Fulda custom cachet on the reverse.  Very rare.

Air mail letter sent from Quan 5 to Klewitz on May 26th, 1984. This is fifteen days after Vietnam declared its boycott of the Summer Games so technically the stamps should have been invalid by then but clearly the postal clerk was not aware of that restriction. Due to their relatively short period of validity these stamps are extremely hard to find postally used. The editor has not seen any other postally used letters (other than the Klewitz letters featured below)  carrying these stamps. This letter carries the 30xu, 1D, 5D and 8D imperforate Olympic Games stamps and some of the Inter-cosmos and reptile  stamps for an overall postage of 30.50D. Very rare.

Air mail letter sent from Quan 5 to Klewitz on May 26th, 1984. This is fifteen days after Vietnam declared its boycott of the Summer Games so technically the stamps should have been invalid by then but clearly the postal clerk was not aware of that restriction. Due to their relatively short period of validity these stamps are extremely hard to find postally used. The editor has not seen any other postally used letters (other than the Klewitz letters featured below)  carrying these stamps. This letter carries the 50xu, 2D and 3D imperforate Olympic Games stamps and some of the Inter-cosmos stamps for an overall postage of 30.50DVery rare.

Registered air mail letter mailed on May 17th, 1984 to Klewitz featuring the perforated 10D Olympic Games souvenir sheet along with some Soccer and Flowering Woods stamps for an overall postage 46.50D. This is six days after Vietnam declared its boycott of the Summer Games so technically the stamps should have been invalid by then but clearly the postal clerk was not aware of that restriction. Due to their relatively short period of validity these stamps are extremely hard to find postally used. The editor has not seen any other postally used letters (other than the Klewitz letters featured below)  carrying these stamps. The zero money red free frank was required to produce the R-label that came out of the same machine. Very rare.

Registered air mail letter mailed on May 17th, 1984 to Klewitz featuring the imperforate 10D Olympic Games souvenir sheet along with some Soccer, Reptile and  Flowering Woods stamps/souvebir-sheet for an overall postage 53.00D. This is six days after Vietnam declared its boycott of the Summer Games so technically the stamps should have been invalid by then but clearly the postal clerk was not aware of that restriction. Due to their relatively short period of validity these stamps are extremely hard to find postally used. The editor has not seen any other postally used letters (other than the Klewitz letters featured below)  carrying these stamps. The zero money red free frank was required to produce the R-label that came out of the same machine. Very rare.

Registration Nr. 103430

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