Canal Zone Stamps
Featuring Research Volunteer Contributions

Eighth Series (1911-1914)

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10-cent on 13-cent gray Map of Panama single

The Eighth Series has only two stamps, the 10c on 13c Map of 1911 and the 10c Map of 1914 both of which are gray. These stamps are similar to the 1c and 2c Map stamps of the third series but the currency has been changed from the previous centavo/peso to centesimo/balboa.

In October 1933 the ABNCo struck plate cancellation proofs of these stamps. It is assumed that this was done on the orders of Panama and that the plates were destroyed shortly thereafter. These plate cancellations are bright green and imperforate and do not have the CANAL ZONE overprint.

However since they were only issued for the Canal Zone they are of interest to the Canal Zone collector as well as the Panama collector.

They were stamped with the order number “F 9756” and on the bottom of the sheets dated 10/10/33 and Oct. 11/33, with various initials and the word “Cancel”.

In addition the 13 cts plate cancellation proof had “ROTARY PLATE” stamped on the selvage as well as “F2171 ROTARY” in pencil.

The 10 cts. plate cancellation proof had “FLAT PLATE” stamped on the selvage as well as “ FLAT F2932” in pencil.

David Zemer and Robert J. Karrer

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10-cent on 13-cent gray Map of Panama single

The 10-cent on 13-cent stamp was originally ordered in 1909 to pay the five-cent overseas rate together with the eight-cent registry rate. Panama ordered 500,000 of these stamps to be overprinted CANAL ZONE by the ABNCo, and they were apparently delivered to the Canal Zone on October 1, 1909. When the ABNCo archives were sold in 1990, collectors could see from the hand stamp on the top selvage of the Specimen stamps that this order was F 2171 and was dated "SEP 16 1909." There was no engraved number on the selvage because the ABNCo had not yet begun to engrave the order numbers on the plates.

By the time these stamps had reached the Canal Zone, the registry fee had been increased to ten cents, making the thirteen-cent rate obsolete. On January 4, 1911, the Canal Zone Postal Service had them surcharged ten cents in black, and they were issued on January 14, 1911.

There were two noticeable errors in this issue, one with the ten-cent surcharge inverted and the second with the ten-cent surcharge omitted. Collectors should be warned that counterfeits exist of the ten cents 'omitted' error, usually on used stamps, and usually they have had the ten-cent surcharge removed.

There were three panes of one hundred Specimen stamps, each sold at the 1990 ABNCo archive auction. Three stamps in one pane had the word SPECIMEN inverted, the only time that this has been noted on the Canal Zone Specimens.

David Zemer

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10-cent gray Map of Panama single

The 10-cent Map stamp was originally ordered in April 1911 and resembled the previous 13-cent Map stamp but with the 10-cent denomination replacing the 13-cent denomination. Panama ordered 200,000 of these stamps to be overprinted CANAL ZONE by the ABNCo, and they were apparently delivered to the Canal Zone August 22, 1911. However, the Canal Zone had just placed the ten-cent surcharge on the 13-cent stamp on sale in the post offices a few months earlier to pay the ten-cent registry fee, and this new 10-cent Map stamp was not issued to the public until January 6, 1914.

There were no noticeable errors in this issue, but at least one pane had badly misplaced vertical perforations, and collectors have saved stamps from it.

When the ABNCo archives were sold in 1990, collectors saw from the hand stamp on the top selvage of the Specimen stamps that this order was F 2932 and was dated MAY 26, 1911. There was no engraved number on the selvage because the ABNCo had not yet begun to engrave the order numbers on the plates.

David Zemer

Canal Zone Stamps