The Canal Zone Seal & Jet Airmails (1965-1976)

Each of the stamps in this twelve-stamp series except the 80-cent represents a specific postal rate, and students of modern postal history assert they are a delight to collect.

The numbers printed vary tremendously, reflecting their expected and actual use. By the time the Canal Zone Postal Service (CZPS) ceased operations at close of business on Sept 30, 1979, all of the low values still in stock and many of the higher values had been snapped up. In fact, only the 6-cent and 8-cent were destroyed in fairly large numbers when they were no longer needed, long before September 1979. The last remnants of the CZPS stock were burned in 1980, and over 1,100,000 of these were 20-cent to 80-cent airmails from this series.

The Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmails are all found on first day covers serviced by a variety of people. Due to public demand, the 10-, 11-, and 13-cent stamps were also made up into booklet panes to provide a convenient way to store stamps. In the realm of postal history, the possibilities are nearly endless, which accounts for their popularity. While the low values are quite common on cover, when used in combination with other stamps to meet 'odd-ball' rates, they are in particular demand by specialists.

Robert J. Karrer

The 6-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail (Scott C42) was one of the original six stamps of this series issued on July 15, 1965. Its main purpose was to pay for an airmail postcard addressed to the United States.

Of the 820,000 printed, only some 548,000 were actually sold. The rest were destroyed sometime before 1979.

The 6-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail is quite common used on a postcard, and first day covers are equally common. Some first day covers are known on a postcard, but the overwhelming majority are found as a set with a cachet prepared by isthmian artist Elmer Smith. Other usages in a 'make-up' function are less common and are quite popular with postal history enthusiasts.

Robert J. Karrer

The 8-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail (Scott C43) was one of the original six stamps in this series issued on July 15, 1965. It was mainly intended for use on airmail letters to the United States.

A large number of these stamps were printed. Of the 8,357,000 released, about 1,132,000 were pulled from sale at close of business on February 29, 1972, which was a leap year. These remainders were soon destroyed.

The 8-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet stamp is common on cover. Equally common are usages on first day covers, usually in combination with the other stamps of this series. Large numbers of these stamps were also used in 'make-up' rates on various types of covers, some examples of which are very hard to find.

Robert J. Karrer

The 10-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail (Scott C48) was released on March 15, 1968, to meet the new airmail rate to the United States. It replaced the 8-cent stamp of the same series. Twenty-stamp booklet panes consisting of four stamps assembled in five individual panes were issued February 8, 1970, in response to customer demand.

All of the 10,055,000 examples of this stamp had been sold prior to the close of the Canal Zone Postal Service on September 30, 1979. Of the 1,020,000 booklet panes shipped to the Canal Zone, some 306,000 were destroyed when new postal rates rendered them of little use in 1972.

Covers bearing the 10-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail are common. First day covers numbering over 7,700 are also commonly seen, but the number of cachet artists involved in them is relatively low as Elmer Smith (the former chief producer of first day covers on the Isthmus) had died.

On the same day this stamp was issued, authorities also released a 25-cent airmail and a 6-cent regular issue to meet the postal rate increase. Quite a few first day covers are known with examples of all three stamps. In the realm of postal history, individual usages on letters to the United States are very common, but collectors seek covers with this stamp in multiples or in combination with other stamps.

Robert J. Karrer

Intended to cover postage on a letter to the United States, the 11-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail (Scott C49) was issued on September 24, 1971, in both pane and booklet pane formats. A rate increase on May 16, 1971, which made the 10-cent airmail virtually useless, prompted the issue.

None of the original 3,335 000 stamps remained on sale when the Canal Zone Postal Service closed on September 30, 1979. In fact, frantic customers purchased the few remainders at that time to be used on 'Last Day Covers'. The same was true for the 319,440 five-pane booklets.

Covers with the 11-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail are quite common. First day covers for both the pane and booklet stamps numbered about 10,900, many of which were prepared by a local stamp club. Quantities of official covers used as VIP souvenirs also exist. When used in multiples or full booklet panes and in tandem with other stamps in a 'make-up' mode, they are less frequently seen.

Robert J. Karrer

The 13-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet Airmail (Scott C-50) was issued in regular pane and booklet formats on February 11, 1974, in anticipation of the new airmail thirteen-cent rate to the United States to be effective on March 2, 1974.

Some 1,865,000 copies of this airmail stamp in pane format were printed, and all were sold prior to the close of business on September 30, 1979, after which date the Canal Zone and its postal service ceased to exist. All of the 619,000 booklet panes shipped to the Canal Zone were also sold.

Postal use of these stamps was high, and regular covers as well as first day covers are common. However, very few cachet artists were active at the time they were released. Multiples and combinations with other stamps as well as full booklet panes are less frequently seen, and many collectors find them very interesting.

Robert J. Karrer

The 15-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail (Scott C44) is one of the original six stamps of the series issued on July 15, 1965. Its principal use was originally intended for airmail letters to Latin America and the Caribbean or on air letter sheets to anywhere in the world. However, when the rate for a first class letter to the United States was raised to 15-cents on July 29, 1978, existing stocks of the old airmails were sometimes used.

On January 10, 1976, the Canal Zone changed over to all airmail service to the United States on first-class mail and stopped requiring airmail postage on such letters. In addition, the rate remained thirteen cents for all these first-class letters until July 29, 1978.

Of the 2,385,000 copies printed of the 15-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail, all were sold prior to September 30, 1979, at which time the Canal Zone and its postal system ceased to exist.

First day covers, usually in combination with the other stamps of the Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail series, are common. Many are recorded on covers sold by the widow of local cachet artist/producer Elmer Smith, who passed away the year before. Singles on cover to Latin America are seen, and most other examples of this stamp are found used in multiples or in combination with other stamps. Usages on air letter sheets to foreign destinations, however, are quite rare.

Robert J. Karrer

The 20-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail (Scott C-45) was part of the initial six stamps of this long-lived series. Originally intended to be used on letters to various foreign destinations, it later saw extensive use on mail to Latin America.

Of the 2,440,000 copies printed, all but ca. 150,000 were eventually sold. Those 150,000 were burned in 1980.

As with the other stamps of the first group, the 20-cent Canal Zone Seal and Airmail is often found in combination with the other stamps of the series on first day covers. Other than these, it is most often seen on letters to Latin America, but it is seen much less frequently in combination with other stamps or in multiples on any variety of usages.

Robert J. Karrer

The 22-cent value (Scott C51) in the long-lived Canal Zone Seal and Jet series was issued on May 10, 1976. Its stated purpose was for use on airmail postcards and air letter sheets, or aerograms, to overseas addresses. The 22-cent postcard and air letter sheet rate had been raised to 22-cents on January 3, 1976, so it had a relatively short period of use.

A total of 680,000 of these stamps were printed, but only slightly over 363,000 were sold, and the remainder was burned in 1980.

Almost all first day covers of this stamp, usually found in combination with the 35-cent stamp of this series, were prepared by only three publishers, including the official examples made for VIPs by the Canal Zone Postal Service. The most common, however, are those prepared by the Isthmian Collectors Club of Balboa, Canal Zone. On that first day of sale 10,388 of the 22-cent stamps were sold and a total of 5,047 first day covers of both values were processed. From the number in collectors' hands it appears that a large percentage of them bore no cachet. While first day covers of the 22-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail are relatively common, non-philatelic examples are very seldom seen in any form. Few proper usages on postcards seem to have been saved, and examples on an aerogram are almost unknown.

Robert J. Karrer

The 25-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail was issued together with the 10-cent of this series on March 15, 1968. At that time its main purpose would have been to cover a 25-cents airmail rate per 1/2 ounce to Europe that apparently went into effect in early November 1967. This rate remained until 1971. Strangely, Canal Zone foreign mail rates of the later years are not well documented in known files. In addition, sometime in 1974 the airmail rate to Latin America was also raised to 25-cents. It is anomalies like these which make Canal Zone philately and especially postal history a 'work in progress.

There were 1,930,000 printed, of which more than 1,640,000 were actually sold. The 290,000 remainders were burned in 1980. Approximately 19,000 were sold on the first day of issue, and about 7,200 covers processed. The cover figure is somewhat of an estimate as many had examples of both airmails as well as the 6-cent regular stamp also issued that day.

First day covers are common, but only a very few cachet artists were active at the time. Many if not most of the cachets were produced by one American firm, but they are in reality 'generic' as they could be used for any significant Canal Zone occasion. On a non-philatelic cover the 25-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail is sometimes seen on foreign letters, and others are found as 'make-ups' in a variety of usages. Despite the number sold, relatively few of these letters seem to have survived.

Robert J. Karrer

The 30-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail (Scott C46) was one of the six stamps in this series. Its principal original use was to cover airmail postage to Australasia, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, a rate that had been in efect since July 1, 1961. In 1971 this rate was extended to Europe and the Mediterranean, and finally to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America and Colombia/Venezuela on January 3, 1976. The stamp is known with two different types of gum. The first printing is found with the 'normal' shiny gum; those released for sale in early 1976 (as stocks diminished and demand remained fairly high) were printed with a dull gum that makes the stamp look as if there is no gum at all. On cover there is no way to differentiate the two printings.

A total of 2,625,000 copies were printed, but when the Canal Zone Postal Service shut its doors at close of business on September 30, 1979, a substantial group of nearly 300,000 remained. These were almost surely of the 'dull gum' variety that were burned in early 1980.

This 30-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet stamp is most often seen on first day covers, almost always in combination with the other stamps of this series. Individual usages in the proper date frames except to Europe are seldom seen. Apparently the 30-cent rates were not well understood even by C.Z. Postal Service people as there are numbers of improperly rated covers with no postage due requested or collected in collections.

Robert J. Karrer

The 35-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail (Scott C53) was issued on May 10, 1976, together with the 22-cent value. These two were the last in this long-lived series that began in 1965. At the time it was issued the 35-cent airmail paid a variety of rates. It is most often seen on letters to Europe, which had that rate after January 3, 1976. At that same time the rate to the bulk of South America as well as Australasia, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa was also raised to 35-cents.

Only 580,000 were printed, the lowest quantity of any stamp in this series. Of these, some 10,777 35-cent stamps were sold and 5,047 first day covers processed. However, many of the covers contained an example of both stamps. Interestingly, almost all of these stamps were actually sold. Only about 6,200 were finally burned in 1980.

First day covers are relatively common, but non-philatelic usages on cover (mainly to overseas destinations) are quite scarce. Some are also used as 'make-ups', and these too are scarce. The number of first day cover producers was small, with only three types being seen in any abundance, including those for VIP use that were prepared by the Canal Zone Postal Service. Those prepared by the Isthmian Collectors Club of Balboa, Canal Zone, are the most commonly found.

Robert J. Karrer

The 80-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmail (Scott C47) is the high value of this series. It was one of the original six stamps issued on July 15, 1965. There was no real postal rate calling for an 80-cent stamp, and it was always intended to be used in 'make-up' rate situations.

A total of 1,535,000 copies were printed, and of that number all were eventually sold except for a mere 78,000 examples, which were burned in early 1980.

The 80-cent Canal Zone Seal and Jet airmails are almost always seen used in combination with the other stamps of the original series on first day covers. Its non-philatelic usages are very seldom seen, usually being found on registered letters or on fragments of airmail parcels.

Robert J. Karrer