Constant demand for Canal Zone 1919 postage due stamps

Stamp Market Tips by Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

The Canal Zone was a strip of land roughly 10 miles wide on either side of the Panama Canal. The Canal Zone was under United States jurisdiction from 1904 to 1979.

The canal was jointly administered by the United States from 1979 until 1999, when it reverted solely to Panamanian control. Under the period of U.S. administration, the Canal Zone was an independent government agency directly administered by the president of the United States

The Canal Zone Postal Service began operation on June 24, 1904, and was superseded by Panama’s postal service on Sept. 30, 1979.

Canal Zone stamps are popular with many U.S. collectors, especially those who served or lived in the Canal Zone during the period of U.S. administration.

In December 1919, the Canal Zone issued two postage due stamps by overprinting and surcharging stamps of Panama in carmine ink: a 2¢-on-2-centesimo Columbus Statue stamp and a 4¢-on-4c Capitol, Panama City stamp (Scott J10-J11).

This set has been in constant demand for many years, and we have previously tipped it in the Stamp Market Tip columns in the April 17, 2017; July 23, 2018; and Dec. 2, 2019, issues of Linn’s.

The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers values the stamps at $40 and $45, respectively, in very fine grade and unused, hinged condition.

Stamps in true very fine grade are hard to find. Buy the examples with the best centering you can find. They are a good buy at up to full Scott catalog value.

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