Vietnam — Stamps & Postal Service

Postal Service Overview

Vietnam Post (Tổng công ty Bưu điện Việt Nam) is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’s national postal operator. Vietnam’s philatelic history is among Asia’s most complex, reflecting the country’s turbulent 20th century: French Indochina (covering Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos) issued stamps from 1886; post-1954 Geneva Accords divided Vietnam into North (Democratic Republic) and South (Republic of Vietnam), each issuing separate stamps; and the post-1975 unified Socialist Republic issued from Hanoi. Each period is a distinct collecting area.

Notable Stamp Issues

French Indochina stamps (1886–1954) are classic French colonial material — the Indochinese subjects (temples, fishing boats, Angkor Wat, rice cultivation) are among the most beautiful of all French colonial designs. North Vietnamese stamps (1954–1975) documented the war against the US with propaganda imagery and historical themes. South Vietnamese stamps (1955–1975) depicted the Republic’s symbols, the Saigon Cathedral, and cultural heritage. Unified Vietnam stamps (1976–present) feature Hội An ancient town, Hạ Long Bay, and Vietnamese traditions.

Collecting Tips

French Indochina stamps are listed in Yvert & Tellier. North and South Vietnamese stamps are in Scott Asia. The French colonial Indochina stamps featuring Angkor Wat are popular with Cambodian and Southeast Asian collectors. North Vietnamese wartime stamps are historically significant political documents. South Vietnamese stamps from the final years (1973–1975) are rare in unused condition due to the fall of Saigon. Unified Vietnamese stamps on Hạ Long Bay limestone karsts are popular with landscape thematic collectors.

Part of the Asia Postal Directory.