Featuring Research Volunteer Contributions

Fourth Series (1906)

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8-cent on 50-cent Canal Zone single

In early 1906 the Canal Zone needed further supplies of 1c and 2c stamps but Panama Scott numbers 179 and 180 used by the Canal Zone for Scott numbers 9 and 10 had run out. As the Canal Zone did not want to have another series of double overprinted stamps Panama agreed to supply them with the 20c and 1 peso stamps of the 1892-96 Colombia Department of Panama issue, Panama Scott numbers 19 and 21, but without a Panama overprint or surcharge. This is the only time that Panama sent Republic of Colombia stamps to the Canal Zone which were not first overprinted by Panama with the customary bar and PANAMAs.

The ICC printing office set up one form with a surcharge in black with two horizontal bars to obliterate COLOMBIA at the top of the stamp and CENTAVOS or PESO at the bottom. PANAMA was printed in small Roman capital reading vertically up at the left and down at the right and CANAL ZONE was horizontal in two lines.

There were 3 deliveries of these stamps to the Canal Zone and since a different form was used each time each printing should have received a major number in the stamp catalogues because each is a major type.

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8-cent on 50-cent Canal Zone single

The 8c on 50c blister brown, Scott No. 18, was issued on or after November 13, 1905. It has the Third Panama overprint, with PANAMA reading up at both sides of the stamp with the exception of 350 copies that have PANAMA reading up and down. It has the thin 8 cts surcharge with a period after cts. This 8c stamp existed in only one combination of Panama printings and C.Z. overprint stages.

David Zemer and Robert J. Karrer

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8-cent on 50-cent Map of Panama single

The 8-cent overprint on the 50-cent bister brown map stamp was issued on or after March 6, 1906. It has the Third Panama overprint with PANAMA reading up both sides of the stamp, with the exception of 380 copies that have PANAMA reading up and down. It has the thin 8 cts surcharge without a period after "cts." This 8-cent stamp existed in only one combination of Panama printings and Canal Zone overprint stages.

Varieties include antique letters in CANAL ZONE, 8 cts doubled, and "P NAMA".

Object Info:

This particular copy appears to have a faint invert of the "8 cts" overprint.

David Zemer and Robert J. Karrer

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1-cent Canal Zone surcharge on 20-cent single

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Surcharge 2-cent on 1-peso Single