Stamps of Vietnam: Annam and Tonquin

Today known as North and central Vietnam , Annam and tonquin came jointly under the protection of the French in 1885, when French stamps with a special overprint were introduced Two years later annam and Tonquin became part of the Union Indochinoise.

In January 1888 French colonial key types of the ‘Commerce’ design, overprinted A & T, were issued in Annam and tonquin. The stamps were additionally surcharged for use as 1 or 5 centimes values.

Three overprints were used: two used the ampersand, but are distinguishable by the size and shape of lettering and figures; the third resembled the second, except that the ampersand was replaced by a hyphen. They were superseded by stamps inscribed INDO-CHINE in 1888, but remained postally valid until 1892.