Panama Canal Zone

The Panama Canal Zone was a 553 mile² (1,432 km²) territory inside of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area extending 5 mi (8.1 km) on each side. Its border spanned two of Panama's provinces and was created on November 18, 1903 with the signing of the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty.

Postage stamps

The Canal Zone issued its own postage stamps beginning in 1904. Initially they were the current stamps of Panama or (less often) the US, overprinted with "CANAL ZONE" in various ways. Philatelists have identified over 100 varieties, some of them quite rare (and counterfeited). The last of these overprints were issued in 1939.

Related Topics:
Postage stamp - 1904 - Overprint - Philatelist - Counterfeit - 1939

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In 1928, the Zone issued a definitive series inscribed "CANAL ZONE POSTAGE" depicting various persons involved in the construction of the canal, as well as a 5 c value showing the Gaillard Cut. A series of 16 stamps in 1939 commemorating the 25th anniversary of the canal's completion showed "before" and "after" views of various points along the canal. Thereafter stamps appeared at an average rate of about two per year, with a commemorative set in some years and no stamps in others. The inscriptions were changed to just "CANAL ZONE" in the 1960s.

Related Topics:
1928 - Definitive series - Gaillard Cut - 1960s

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The last stamp of the Zone was issued on October 25, 1978, and depicted one of the towing locomotives and a ship in a lock. Thereafter Panama resumed the administration of postal service.

Related Topics:
October 25 - 1978 - Towing locomotive

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