Canal Zone

Canal Zone overprints of Panamanian stamps

Quick History
Canal Zone is the site of the Panama Canal and extends through Panama from the Atlantic to the Pacific. From 1904, the 10 mile wide strip was a United States Government Reservation, administered by the Secretary of War. The Panama Canal was finished in 1914, a huge engineering feat that cost 5,600 worker lives. The population of the Canal Zone was 51,000 in 1940. In 1979, the Canal Zone was put under joint control of the Republic of Panama and the U.S., with Panama handling postal services. Finally, the Canal reverted to Panama in 1999.
Overprinted Panama and U.S. stamps were issued from 1904-1931, with some U.S. overprints continuing through 1939. The first non overprinted stamps were issued in 1928.

Canal Zone construction history and tropical medicine: Yellow fever was the first virus shown to be carried by mosquitoes. This was demonstrated and proven by Dr.Walter Reed after Carlos Finlay, a Cuban doctor, first proposed this in 1881. Mosquito control by physician William Gorgas allowed completion of the Panama Canal by the U.S., after a French effort failed, in part, because of the high incidence of yellow fever.

Big Blue Picture
Big Blue ('97), on 4 pages has space for 104 regular, air post and postage due stamps. The 2011 Scott Classic Specialized catalogue lists 183 major stamp descriptions. Coverage is 57%.

Good coverage, but the stamp prices range from $1+ to $20+ and up, as this area has U.S. collector interest. I did find 14 regular and postage due stamps that might be added by the Big Blue collector for <$1-$5+.
Additionals...

1904-06 Overprint on Panama stamps

11($5+)

1912-16 overprint Panama reading up

38,39,40,($1+-$2+)

1917

49($5+)

1918-20

53($5+)

1920-21

55,56,($3+-$1+)

1933 Overprint U.S.

115(<$1) Not in BB!?

1939 Overprinted U.S.

118,119,(<$1) Not in BB!?

Postage Dues

1925

J16($7)

J18,J19,($2+)

1932

J29,($1+)

The 1924-33 U.S. issues: Type "A" (shown here), has a flat top in the "A" letter of the overprint; while Type "B" has a sharp pointed top in the "A" letter

Big Blue Checklist
1904-06 Overprint on Panama stamps
4($20+),5($20+),9($2+),10($2+),12($2+),13($10+)

1905 Surcharge on Panama stamps
16($1+),17($2+)
Note: There are six different surcharge overprints.

1906 Overprint on Panama stamps reading down
22,23,24,($1+-$2+)
25,26,($5+)

1909 Overprint on Panama stamps reading down
27,28,29,30,($5+-$10+)

1909-10 Overprint on Panama stamps reading up
31,32,33,($1+-$2+)
34,35,($6-$20)

1911
36($2+)

1914
37($10+)

1924 Overprinted Panama "Coat of Arms"
68,69,($1+-$2+)

1915 Blue overprint Panama
42,43,44,45,($2+-$10+)

1921 Overprint Panama reading up
60,61,62,63,($1+-$5+)
64,65,($17+-$20+)

1924-33 Overprinted U.S. stamps
Note: two overprint types-"A" and "B": BB only illustrates "A".  But 3c violet only comes in type "B"; and BB's dates encompass all of type "B"'s issues.  So besides Type "A", I am including Type "B" as a choice.
1/2c olive brown: 70(<$1)
1c green: 71 "deep green" in Scott($1+), or 100($1+)
1 1/2c yellow brown: 72($1+)
2c carmine: 73($1+) or 101($1) or 84($8) or 97 ($10+)
3c deep violet: 102($2+) or 85($3+) or 98($4+) Note: all listed "violet" in Scott
5c dark blue: 86($3+) or 74($5+) or 103($10+)
10c orange: 99($5+) or 104($10+) or 87($10+) or 75($20+)
12c brown violet: 88($10+) or 76($30+)
14c dark blue: 116($3+) or 89($10+) or 77($20+)
15c gray: 90($2+) or 78($30+)
Note: Type "A" is Scott 70-78: the rest are Type "B".

1928-31 regular issue
105,106,108,109,111,(<$1)
112,114,107,117,110,113,(<$1)

1939 Panama Canal 25th Anniversary Issue
120,121,122,123($1+), (<$1 except noted)
124,125,126,127,($2+)
128,129,130,131,($5+)
132,133,($5+)
134,135,($10+-$5+)

Air Post
1929
C1($5+),C3($2+),C4($5+),C5($1+),

1931 (Note: this series was active until 1949!)
C7,C9,C10,(<$1)
Blank space: suggest C11(<$1) or C13($1+) or C14($1+)
Note: All blank space choices are '31 issues.

1939
C15,C16,($2+)
C17,C18,($1+-$5+)
C19,C20,($5+-$20+)

Postage Due
1915-20
J4,J5,($5+-$10+)
J6,J7,($10+)
J8,J9,($5+)

1924-25 Overprinted U.S. Postage Due stamps
J12($20+)
J13($10+)
J14 10c deep claret ($50)!

1931
J25,J26,J27,J28,(<$1)

1929-30
J21,J22,J23,J24, ($1+-$2+)

1931 Scott C7 5c yellow green "Gaillard Cut"

Kinds of Blue
The '41,'47,'69, and '97 editions are identical.

Big Blue Bottom Line
Interesting area and history; at least for the U.S. collector.
A bit on the expensive side also. The overprinted 1924-25 "Canal Zone" J14 U.S. 10c deep claret postage due is $50.
On the other hand, Big Blue didn't include the 1933 and 1939 overprinted U.S. stamps (Scott 115 3c deep violet, Scott 118 1/2c red orange, Scott 119 1 1/2 bister brown ) for <$1. A curious omission for a U.S. customer based Album.

Comments appreciated!