Canal ZoneFirst Postage Stamp

Colombian heritage, Panamanian design, U.S. administration

Issued 24 June 1904, the 5c blue map overprint shown in this post is one of the three values belonging to the very first stamps used in the Canal Zone. It looks Panamanian because it is. The base is Panama’s 1903 map issue, printed just months after separation from Colombia. When the United States began running the Canal Zone postal service, they simply took what existed and overprinted it CANAL ZONE. The overprint was applied locally in Panama using composed typographic settings. Multiple settings exist, which is why spacing between letters and alignment matter. Doubled impressions and dramatic shifts are recorded. It is also why this issue attracts its share of forgeries. Given Panama’s tropical humidity, gum disturbance on Canal Zone issues is fairly normal; truly pristine original gum is the exception and priced accordingly. The 2c covered postcards, the 5c paid the basic letter rate within the Zone and to the United States, and the 10c served heavier mail. On commercial cover, especially used mail from June or July 1904, these stamps carry far greater historical significance than a pristine mint example. A small set, issued briefly, reflecting a complex political transition without altering the original design. To say the least, an unusual and rather interesting looking stamp for the 1900 era.